Chris Capano (he/him) has been the Director of Student Activities since 2010. He is also an Assistant Coach for the Baseball and Complement House Counselor in Newman House. In his free time, Capano enjoys reading, traveling, and watching baseball.
Prior to coming to Andover, you attended Northern Essex Community College and UMass Lowell. How did your experiences at those schools differ from one another?
A lot of community college [students] are folks that are a year or two older or even 10 or 20 years older who are going back to college. Your average freshman in college, you’re all 18-19 years old, all doing the same thing, just finishing high school. Community college, it’s more nontraditional. I had classmates who were in their thirties and forties, going home to take care of kids and families, had full-time jobs, but they wanted to get their college degree. It was really cool to meet people who had a much different perspective on college and why they were going to do it. It showed me the importance of getting an education. It allowed me to do bigger and better things.
Why did you originally decide to join Andover?
I’m from the town. I lived in Andover growing up, my whole life, or almost my whole life. I always knew of [Andover], and it always seemed like a really cool place. I could tell it was a really fun, interesting place, [with] really cool employees. I didn’t know any students when I first got the job; it was mostly the other adults. Folks like Mrs. Feck worked here back then, and [Paul Murphy, Instructor in Mathematics] were some of the first people I met. And they were just so welcoming and fun and friendly.
Have you always been the Director of Student Activities, or have you had other roles?
So I have had other roles here. I started working here as a part-time employee in the technology department. I used to help keep track of the language learning center in [Samuel Phillips Hall]. And then I started doing student activities during the summer program. I liked it a lot, and the person that was doing the student activities job year-round moved on, and I ended up doing that job starting in 2010. So this is my 16th year.
What’s been your favorite part of your job?
Specifically, the Blue Key Heads. Those 10 Seniors are so much fun [and] so positive. They bring so much energy. We just did the changeovers. I got to meet a new group of 2027s. Most of those kids, I didn’t really know very well before Thursday. The 2026s this year, I meet with them at least once a week, if not multiple times. We plan the pep rallies and all that stuff that goes on, and it’s so much fun. They help make the campus fun and lively. But just the students in general, I get to meet kids from around the world that do so many cool, amazing things. Watching our talent shows or open mic nights and seeing kids that can play instruments that are amazing or sing in amazing ways or do any one of a million other things. When kids walk in my office, I make them tell me their story before we get to talk about whatever club thing they want to talk about. I love getting to meet kids from around the world and [learn] how they found this little place.
What was your experience like as the House Counselor of Burtt House?
I loved it. I actually was just texting with a group of boys today who lived there, who graduated in 2022. The small dorm experience is a lot of work because you’re the only person that’s there every night, but you get to know those five boys so well. You see them almost every single day. You are their point person, you’re the guy they talk to when they have a good day or a bad day. You’re probably the first adult they see at the end of the day. It’s a great connection and a great experience of learning people. I was in Burtt House for 12 years, and I keep in touch with almost every group of kids that were from there. It’s long enough ago that some guys now have kids, are married, and have lives, and I get to hear their stories and they send me baby pictures, which is so cool. It’s like being an extra uncle, which is great.
You also coach baseball. So, what got you into baseball and why do you enjoy coaching it?
I’ve loved baseball my whole life, but I realized really early on in my life [that] I was never gonna be good enough to play at a very high level. I started coaching as a community engagement project thing when I was in high school. I helped a Little League team. I have younger brothers who played baseball, and a couple of their teams needed a coach, and I was old enough that they let me be in charge of those of high school-age teams. And when I got to Andover, [Michael] Kuta, who just retired, was the Athletic Director at the time, and asked if I could help out with the baseball program here. I said yes. I’ve helped out since 2007 and then 2010, regularly. It is a great way to watch the guys connect, see how hard they work, and they have great goals and aspirations. Most of the guys on the team want to play college baseball. They’re looking to win a championship… Being a supportive adult [there] to make that happen is great. I’m not an X’s and O’s guy about making them better technically, but just being there, I want to be their biggest cheerleader. I want to root for them and watch them do amazing things.
Last year, you taught a history class for the first time. What was that experience like?
It was one of the most fun and hardest things I ever did. Dr. [Christopher] Jones was [the Chair in History and Social Sciences] last year and asked if I could help out. I’m a huge history nerd, and I was a history major in college. So it was something I loved. I loved to read about history anyway. I got to teach History 100. I was lucky enough to have folks like Ms. [Marcelle] Doheny, Mr. [Matt] Hession, and Ms. [Emma] Frey, and Dr. Jones help me out with how to lesson plan. I’d never had to grade a paper in my life before, so I had to kind of work on how to do that. And then trying to find ways to keep the class interesting and fun. I really enjoyed the class. It was fun to see students in a different setting than the dorm, or student activities, or baseball. I knew teachers worked really hard, but I didn’t realize how hard. It was a lot. Grading takes a lot of time, lesson planning takes a lot of time, and then being in front of the room and lecturing can be a lot of work.
Outside of Andover, what other hobbies do you have?
I am a huge reader. I love to read. My goal is to read 26 books this year for 2026. I’m a little behind. I’m up to six books so far this year, but I need to do more. I [also] love to travel. I went to Alaska last summer, which was super. My goal is to see all 50 states before I turn 50. I’m 48 right now. I’ve been to 45 of the 50 states so I got five more to go in the next two years. I like to travel around, see new places.
Which states have you not been to yet? What’s been your favorite state to visit so far?
Arkansas, Hawaii, Kentucky, Michigan and Oregon. I’ve changed planes in Michigan a couple of times, but I’ve never gotten off the plane and done stuff there. I need to go see Detroit. Alaska was really cool. The scenery and the wildlife was something I’ve never seen before, and was just so amazing. And then my favorite place to travel to is New Orleans, Louisiana. Amazing food. The music is spectacular. It’s got great history.
If you had one piece of advice for the Andover students, what would you say?
Be willing to try new things as much as you can. You’re at this really amazing school that has really amazing resources. Go see things that maybe aren’t in your wheelhouse and learn about new people. Last year, I went to a Senior recital of a girl that played the harp. I’d never seen a harp concert before, and it was amazing. It was not something she’d done before she got to Andover, but she took it up when she came to school here and she became really good at it. And I was blown away. It’s something I’d never even imagined.
