THE ADMISSIONS MAGAZINE OF EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL Spring/Summer 2025
FEATURES
18 The Days that Lie Before Us
17th Head of School Jenny Rao passes the flame of leadership to 18th Head of School Dr. Karen Lassey
THE ADMISSIONS MAGAZINE OF EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL
This “signature” is by English Instructor Dr. Esther Dettmar, who has recently been named as our next dean of academics. Read more about Dr. Dettmar’s appointment on page 12.
24 Soumya’s Journey
Soumya Boutin ’23 shares her ongoing saga from Morocco to Mount Ida and beyond
30 From Rendering to Reality
The spectacular grand opening of the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts
38 Campaign: Endowing the Future
The latest impact of the Infinite Horizon campaign
MISSION
Honoring our founder’s vision, Emma Willard School proudly fosters in each young woman a love of learning, the habits of an intellectual life, and the character, moral strength, and qualities of leadership to serve and shape her world.
<< Ballet students performed a piece they choreographed in collaboration with Dance Instructor Morgan Del Brocco titled “Interconnected,” during the first Dance Assembly in Klingenstein Concert Hall.
SPRING/SUMMER 2025
Jenny Rao Head of School
Meredith Legg, PhD Associate Head of School
Laura Bernard Chief Financial Officer
Prince Botchway Head of Institutional Equity and Inclusion
Ann Dejnozka Head of Advancement
Shelley Maher Dean of Students
Kristen Mariotti Head of Enrollment Management
Luke Meyers Chief Communications Officer
EDITORIAL STAFF
Luke Meyers, Melissia Mason, Kaitlin Resler, Julia Gabriele Editorial Team
Robin Prout, Lori Ferguson Contributing Writers
Kaitlin Resler
Photography
Jennifer Tobin, Allison Costantino Class Notes
Lilly Pereira www.aldeia.design
Designer
R. C. Brayshaw & Company www.rcbrayshaw.com Printer
Please forward address changes to: Emma Willard School 285 Pawling Avenue Troy, NY 12180 518.833.1787 alumnae@emmawillard.org or emmawillard.org/alumnae
Signature, the magazine of Emma Willard School, is published by the Communications Office two times each year for the families, alumnae, employees, and friends of Emma Willard School. The mission of this magazine is to capture the school’s values and culture through accurate and objective stories about members of the Emma community, past and present, as they put Emma Willard’s mark on the world.
Emma Willard School is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. In the spirit of honoring the individuality of our community members, we encourage featured individuals to share their authentic selves. Views expressed are entirely their own.
ON THE COVER
Soumya Boutin ’23 is currently a student at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Read more about her journey to Emma Willard and beyond on page 24.
COVER PHOTO BY CONNOR MCLAREN
Leading In
HEAD OF SCHOOL JENNY RAO
It was September 2016 when I flew to Albany, NY, from Baltimore, MD, as a semi-finalist candidate for head of school at Emma Willard. I was excited and nervous for my interview and could hardly sleep! My interview was at 8:00 a.m. I got out of bed at 5:00 a.m., unable to sleep, and discovered that I had not packed my makeup bag! I don’t wear much makeup, but it was a part of my routine, and not having it with me felt unsettling. So I did what I often do when unsettled: I called my mom, who always has the perfect words for me. She said, “Jenny, don’t worry and trust the moment, you are probably in a place that wants to see you for exactly who you are.” Her words were not
only reassuring, they were prophetic—Emma Willard is a place that expects and inspires authenticity!
I have often said that the most roaring applause and loudest cheers at Morning Reports come when a member of our community is on stage pursuing something they love and doing something challenging, when they are stepping out of their comfort zone in pursuit of learning. When a student is trying to hit a high note and her voice breaks, or when a student’s voice is quavering while delivering a speech that reveals a vulnerable part about herself, that is when Kiggins (now Klingenstein Concert Hall) erupts in applause and cheers! In our high-achieving community, it is
remarkable and wise that what our community values the most is not simply the achievement, but the attempt. The very pursuit—the ambitious endeavor—is what Emma Willard admires, and that creates a fertile environment for learning itself.
I am at the cusp of turning 50 as I prepare to depart Emma Willard, and I have had the privilege of meeting Emma Willard women at every stage of their journey—when they just arrived at Emma Willard as young teenagers, the day they graduated, and all the decades of their life and into their final chapter. Three things stand out during my conversations with Emma Willard women. First, they look at their experience at Emma as a defining moment in their lives. Second, our alumnae are committed to serving and shaping the world for the better. And third, and perhaps most importantly, the friendships they forged at Emma are amongst the most important in their lives.
I have seen Emma graduates support one another through illness, loss of a spouse, changes in professional lives, and the loss of a home. They also partake in enormous moments of joy—a walking trip in Europe to celebrate their 70th birthdays, a trip back to Mount Ida to celebrate their 80th, memorable times together on campus for Reunion. Through all of the ebbs and flows of life, Emma friends show up for one another and have an unbreakable connection. The “friendship’s alchemy” that happens on Mount Ida creates bonds that last a lifetime!
When I arrived on campus in 2016 for my interview, I was greeted by Beverly and Nana, students in their junior and senior years, who showed me our glorious campus. I was in awe of our historic campus, and seeing Emma through their eyes made me instantly fall in love! They were kind, smart, curious, and sincere. I am not alone; teaching candidates who come to our campus have often referred to Emma Willard as a teaching utopia after completing their sample lesson. Our students are a dream and a privilege to teach, and they are what attracts the extraordinary faculty and team of adults at Emma Willard—adults who have become dear friends during my eight years on Mount Ida. Similar to
“I want to express my deep gratitude for the support and trust the Emma Willard Board of Trustees and community have bestowed in me as your 17th Head of School.”
JENNY RAO, head of school
our students, I have experienced friendship’s alchemy and will cherish the relationships with the wonderful leaders, teachers, staff members, trustees, alumnae, and parents with whom I have had the joy of working.
I want to express my deep gratitude for the support and trust the Emma Willard Board of Trustees and community have bestowed upon me as your 17th head of school. It has been deeply rewarding to be a witness to the extraordinary distance our students travel in their learning and personal growth on Mount Ida: they reach heights unbeknownst to them when they first arrive. The bold and courageous spirit of Madame Willard lives on in ye grey walls and infuses the hearts and minds of all who come here.
I, too, have been a beneficiary of an Emma Willard education and journey, and I have been transformed— not because I have inherently changed, but because, like every other girl on this campus, I have been encouraged and supported to become who I was meant to be. As it is for all alumnae, Emma Willard has been a defining time in my life. I am excited to pass the baton of leadership to Dr. Karen Lassey, who I know will be a remarkable leader for Emma Willard.
Be sure to check out this issue’s Last Look on page 104, featuring photos of Jenny Rao’s portrait dedication and unveiling.
Head of School Jenny Rao celebrates with the Class of 2025 Laurels and EW award recipients after Honors Convocation.
From the Triangle
The Class of 2026 took to the triangle as the Seniors left for their precommencement retreat!
SEMESTER Highlights
1. The Black Latine Student Union (BLSU) gathers for their group photo outside Kiggins to close out their Black History Month assembly, holding the protest posters that thematically bookended the performances and presentations.
2. This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration included an alum panel with Linda Gill Anderson ’77, Jana Dorsey ’09 and Sabine Stain ’16, facilitated by Yuri Omega ’25 and Ashauna LahnSchofield ’25.
3. Lily Carroll ’25, Michelle Wong ’25, and Dena Siriratusdorn ’25 peruse the 2025 edition of the Gargoyle outside the new performing arts center.
4. Maci Currey ’25 feeds two calves during the Food for a Happier Planet: How Farming, Social Justice, Sustainability and Food Are All Interconnected Jestermester in Spring 2025.
5. Poet and ‘artivist’ Karla Cordero takes a selfie with students after her Speaker Series presentation.
6. The Class of 2028 takes to the Senior Triangle to dance around the Maypole, with a full view of the arts center without the red fence!
7. Co-Heads of Triangle, the literary and art journal at Emma, show off this year’s edition in Kellas Garden.*
*PHOTO BY JASMINE Z. ’26
8. Seniors work on their sections of the sidewalk surrounding the Senior Triangle for Chalk Day in May.
9. Colorfully-costumed sisters Belmira (Kirsten “Kiki” Raymond ’25) and Helena (Maya Lopez-Camacho ’25) sit on the pier watching the dolphins in the winter play, “The River Bride”—the first production to be held in Bennack Studio Theater.
10. Besties Anna Westney ’25 and JJ Abbate ’25 pose for a photo at senior tea.
11. Marin M. ’26, Lila Zalucky ’25, and Kelsey Dodd ’25 during Ring Dinner 2025!
From Conversation to Action
How SDLG Champions Equity, Justice, and Belonging
The summer of 2021 saw the creation of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Emma Willard School, and with it, the first iteration of the Student Diversity Leadership Group (SDLG). During the early days, the inaugural head of the department put out a call to the campus community for anyone who was interested in stepping up to do the work of equity and inclusion: an adult group and a student group coalesced. Over the last several years, the student group has evolved into red-tier leadership positions (the most prestigious and time-consuming of student roles on campus), open to students through an application process.
These days, SDLG is made up of approximately 20 students. When current Head of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Prince Botchway joined Emma Willard School in 2024, his initial thoughts on the group were centered around its sheer size. “I thought it was way too large! There are too many people, too many cooks in the kitchen. How are we going to get anything done? And I was proven wrong. It feels so good to have so many different voices and perspectives, and there’s no one way to be a good SDLG member.”
Though the group is quite large, the impact of their leadership during the 2024–2025 school year has been particularly palpable. Part of that success is from dedication of time to learning. The leaders meet twice a week: once on Zoom for training, and later in person for strategic planning on how to implement their ideas. The training covers a variety of themes that can be implemented into the community, covering topics like Call-In/Call-Out (“calling in” is a private conversation to help someone understand and change harmful behavior, while “calling out” is a public, direct approach to address the harm), gender and intersectionality, interfaith topics, equality vs. access, and inclusivity.
The SDLGs are also involved in smaller cohorts to make sure specific events happen. These include “Know Better Do Better,” a regular Morning Reports segment that helps the community learn how to navigate a variety of issues ranging from how to participate in Halloween without appropriation, tempering assumptions about class, and how to avoid accidentally participating in microaggressions.
These segments are particularly notable for their tone, which is informative but also sometimes funny and conversational. Often, two or more students present information in skit form (a popular reports trope) and offer a perspective that might not often be considered in an effort to help our community consider heavy topics.
These are often supported by informational flyers placed on campus in common areas, and include reminders that SDLG and the office of DEI are available for suggestions and support.
One initiative that has been particularly effective is Table Talks. Once a month during lunch, SDLG members host tables in the dining hall to talk about the topic of the day. The topics range from how we talk about grades and deal with a culture of grade comparison to how to discuss politics in a civil manner, free speech, advocacy on college campuses, immigration, how religion shapes identity, and much more! The talks are facilitated by an SDLG member, are open to any community member who wishes to join, and are easy to drop-in to during lunch periods.
Neighborhood activities during teas are also popular, and are often mentioned as a favorite activity. Teas are times for assigned groups of students to bond and learn, sometimes from special student-led groups on campus like SDLG. This year the SDLGs have discussed the foundations of DEI in a “DEI 101” tea, the “Life’s Blueprint” theme that coincided with the campus’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day workshops, hosted watch parties for documentaries, and covered topics related to socioeconomics in discussions.
The range of experiences and identities in the group is integral to its success, a sentiment that is echoed from the adult advisors to the student leaders themselves. “We really try to bring everyone in,” says Keya M. ’26. “I think that’s the beauty of having a group that is so representative of a variety of backgrounds and perspectives; we really know what the community is looking for because we are in touch with different aspects and facets of it. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is intended to include everybody, and that means everybody.”
The range and number of SDLGs also allows every student on campus to have a connection to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, not just through the naturally occurring connections students make in their community, but by being a representative in each neighborhood alongside the Proctors (boarding student representatives) and Prefects (representatives for day students).
The protected training and planning time, alongside the reverence that comes from the red-tier status of these roles, helps the group make their work in the community forward-moving and tangible. “We want people to understand that this work is valuable,” says Ava V. ’26. “We don’t just want it to seem like something that
we’re just doing in name only. We want it to be actually meaningful and take some action.”
The desire for tangible change is one reason many members joined the group. It is a place to be heard, to enact meaningful change, and to make sure that students have a hand in making and understanding changes at various levels. It’s also important to the group that their activities, guidance, and initiatives are unique to the school itself. “Our role as SDLGs is to make sure that the initiatives put forth are actually productive within our community,” says Abbi P. ’26. “We work to target issues that are really prevalent in our community versus the blanket statements that a lot of institutions use.”
The SDLGs also act as a bridge between the students and other administrative departments in the school. “We keep SDLG and all the students in mind when it comes to initiatives that we need to implement,” says Prince. “Otherwise, we’re just adults coming up with what we think is right. But they’re living it; these leadership roles give them a voice and a true seat at the table.”
This year, SDLG has implemented student representatives who visit and collaborate with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (a committee of adults on campus working on similar issues as the student group). But overall, the work of the SDLGs is about learning and talking things through. Emma students are avid learners, and the SDLG group exemplifies that quality. The tone and format of the group is very conversational, allowing students to discuss pressing issues in the community and decide how best to approach them as a group through their established initiatives or by exploring new avenues.
Associate Director of Equity and Inclusion Gemma Halfi reflects on how they bring their learning into daily
life: “It’s about what you’re learning in the training and then navigating the community as you normally would, but now seeing everything through a new lens. This is a group that helps raise the consciousness of our community to think about how our identities impact who has their voices heard, whose needs are met, and how we can help each other not just survive, but thrive.”
Striving towards thriving is integral to the success of Emma Willard’s students. “If you are a student at a school and you can’t show up feeling like you’re bringing your full, authentic self to the learning, you’re not going to be a good learner,” says Gemma. “It’s important to have a group like this because it helps to encourage everybody in the community, adults and students, in understanding how important that is.”
Over the last few years, language around the work and the acronym of DEI has grown to reflect the more nuanced role it has in school life: DEIJB, now including justice and belonging. It’s not necessarily part of official titles or departments, but the idea of belonging has become a cultural touchstone for the work SDLG is doing; the word comes up frequently in their discussions, and encapsulates the hard work our community is engaging in, as well as the hope that we will continue to be a place for understanding.
“I think that one of the main aspects of SDLG, as well as just DEI in general, is focusing on creating a space of belonging,” adds Eleanora Bennett ’25. “Through making sure that everyone feels like they have the support they need, they understand each other, they know what’s happening in the community and all around the world. [...] I think that’s one of the most important parts about SDLG.”—Kaitlin Resler
2025 COMMENCEMENT
1. The class walks around the Senior Triangle, led by macebearer Stacy C. ’26.
2. Ally Dheeradhada ’25 and Maggie Russell ’25 pose for a photo together alongside a picture of them as children.
3. Mo Ogunwusi ’25, Hodan Omer ’25, and Raign Plakaris ’25 pose together after graduation.
4. Mikayla Blake ’25, this year’s recipient of the Jameson Adkins Baxter Award, is all smiles after the commencement ceremony.
5. Rose Lupo-Colonna ’25 and Olivia Berkman ’25 celebrate Commencement on the Senior Triangle!*
6. The Class of 2025 speaker, and Clementine Miller Tangemen awardee, Carly
Hunter ’25, delivers her commencement speech to the crowd, enjoying a brief period of sunshine that reflected the ‘inner light’ in her speech.
7. Nadia Mitic ’25 and Levi LoeAlinger ’25 embrace in the chilly wind as they wait in line to greet faculty.
8. Commencement speaker Yen Pottinger ’97 delivers her speech to the Class of 2025.*
9. Tinisha Adam ’25 receives her diploma from her sister Tarifa Adam ’21.
10. The newly graduated Class of 2025 sings the Alma Mater before they leave their seats! * PHOTOS
Dr. Esther Dettmar Named Dean of Academics
Dr. Esther Dettmar has been selected as Emma Willard School’s next dean of academics. Dr. Dettmar has been a member of the Emma Willard community since 2015 and has served our school with distinction in a number of roles throughout her tenure.
“Dr. Dettmar has been a leader in our commitment to academic excellence and is a role model for lifelong learning,” shared 17th Head of School Jenny Rao. “I am thrilled to see Esther become Emma Willard’s next dean of academics and foresee our program will continue to soar under her leadership and in partnership with our extraordinary faculty.”
Dr. Dettmar distinguished herself throughout the search process with her enthusiastic outlook on the future of Emma’s academic program and her vision for supporting our talented faculty. Over the last two
and a half years, she has led the English Department as chair and managed the many functions of leadership in that area, including developing curriculum, hiring new faculty, and managing academic policies.
As Dr. Dettmar steps into the role of dean of academics in July 2025, she will join the senior Administrative Team, under the leadership of 18th Head of School Dr. Karen C. Lassey, in working to ensure the mission of the school is carried out in all teaching and learning endeavors. The dean helps establish the strategic priorities for the school and reports regularly on curricular innovation, faculty recruitment, retention and development, and student learning and achievement. Dr. Dettmar will also work closely with parents in support of their Emma student and as an active partner with all members of the community, helping to ensure decisions are student-centered.
“I am honored to be the next dean of academics at this exciting time of transition for Emma,” said Dr. Dettmar. “I look forward to working with Dr. Lassey and to collaborating with faculty to imagine what comes next for our academic program.”
Always eager to be involved in the inner workings of the school, Dr. Dettmar has served as the faculty representative on the Board of Trustees Facilities Committee and as a member of the Educational Technology Team, Conduct Review Committee, Head’s Council, and the Resilience & Wellbeing Technology Task Force. She co-led the recent five-year NYSAIS accreditation and led work on the school’s grading policy. Dr. Dettmar also serves as the Revels costumer, a role that is at the heart of this treasured Emma Willard tradition.
Dr. Dettmar received her BA, MA, and PhD in English from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, where she taught classes in rhetoric, business and technical writing, film, and literature, co-wrote a guide to conferencing with student writers, and mentored new graduate-student instructors. Her dissertation, which has inspired a senior elective here at Emma, explored the role of (dis)identification in queer and feminist revisions of classical fairy tales. Dr. Dettmar lives just down the road from campus with her cat, Snow White.
The Classroom
BY JULIA GABRIELE
Kate Robbins
Reframing
the Math Mindset
Mathematics Instructor Kate Robbins has embraced innovative, student-centered approaches to teaching. Amid her recent pedagogical shift, she maintains a balance between new methods and traditional academic techniques.
Two years ago, during her interview on Mount Ida, Kate’s future colleagues introduced her to their summer read: Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K–12 by Peter Liljedahl. The book encourages educators to challenge traditional approaches to teaching mathematics and instill confidence in their students. Kate was fascinated by the idea of innovating her teaching style, but more importantly, she was impressed with her future colleagues. “These were people that I wanted to work with because they were interested in trying new things,” Kate enthuses, “and exploring ways of teaching that were new, researchbased, and innovative.”
Kate earned her BS in mathematics from Lafayette College, a BA in psychology from Muhlenberg College, and a master’s in education in curriculum and instruction from Kutztown University. With a background in both public and independent school teaching, as well as experience in collegiate student affairs, she brings a well-rounded perspective to the classroom.
Kate has implemented a few of Liljedahl’s fourteen research-backed principles each year. These practices include: collaborating in randomly
assigned small groups, working on vertical surfaces, assigning thinking tasks, moving around the room to eliminate the classroom front, providing prompts verbally, and only answering questions that allow students to continue thinking. Some of these challenges to traditional teaching come more naturally than others, but they’re making a big impact on the students. There is a learning curve, but these methods encourage students to think more, collaborate more, and be unafraid of mistakes. Embracing the discomfort in trying new things has ultimately led to growth and a deeper learning state. Research like Liljedahl’s is transforming classrooms—and so is artificial intelligence, though its overall impact is a topic for debate. Kate doesn’t believe AI has impacted her teaching style yet, but it is something the department frequently discusses. While some teachers are energetic about the possibilities, some are more resistant—she acknowledges that regardless of her stance on AI, students need to learn how to use it effectively and responsibly.
In a recent calculus project, she asked her students to analyze a certain function and its relation to a real-life application. There’s a grow-
ing consensus that AI can serve as a powerful brainstorming tool, so she encouraged her students to experiment. Once they had their ideas, AI use was no longer permitted, and students were tasked with asking themselves: “Do these ideas make sense? Is this useful? Could the context apply to my function?” This shift to critical thinking encourages students to acknowledge that AI technology is a tool that requires thoughtful consideration over blind use.
Kate reflects, “They came up with some good ideas, and I was surprised that I couldn’t really tell if they had used the AI or not since we had made it optional. I asked them outright after the project was graded, and two of them told me that they used AI. I think there’s this feeling that it’s subversive somehow. Even when the teacher gives you permission, you’re not supposed to use it.”
The Mathematics Department is still in the early stages of experimenting with AI—and so are the students. While many know how to use it for basic tasks, most are still learning how to refine their queries and fine-tune the results they’re looking for—all while beginning to understand the broader implications and responsibilities of AI use.
With the current conversation of AI use in the classroom, Liljedahl’s research, and countless other factors, the future of Emma Willard School’s math classrooms is ever-evolving. In Kate’s past teaching experiences, procedural fluency has always taken precedence over conceptual understanding, which she credits to the pressure of covering substantial material in a limited time. Procedural fluency, or the mechanics of solving an
equation, is an important part of the math curriculum, but it doesn’t always have to come first. Kate believes that conceptual understanding, or understanding the “why,” can happen before you know the “how.” This modification encourages curiosity and reasoning to be equally as important as rote memorization.
Amid these shifts in her classroom, students remain engaged and motivated. While Emma Willard
“Even if students don’t value the mechanics of algebra, they value the ability to look at something that they’ve never seen before and make sense out of it.”
KATE ROBBINS
naturally attracts inquisitive and curious students, Kate keeps them interested through real-world applications and innovative teaching techniques. She shares, “I think that is fulfilling for a lot of students. Even if students don’t value the mechanics of algebra, they value the ability to look at something that they’ve never seen before and make sense out of it.” Kate looks forward to implementing the remaining strategies from Building Thinking Classrooms while continuing to keep her teaching approach fresh, creative, and grounded in research.
Emma Voices
BY MELISSIA MASON
Mariah Sanford-White ’97
Crafting the Emma Experience
Life at Emma Willard School revolves around cultivating a meaningful community experience. Rigorous academic days and jampacked extracurriculars make for a demanding day in the life of a student. When it comes to downtime, it’s important to find just the right mix of activities to round out the Emma experience.
That’s where Student Activities Coordinator Mariah Sanford-White ’97 comes in. Herself a “diehard” day student when she attended Emma, Mariah knows firsthand what it’s like to juggle like a jester, serving as club head for Junior Singing Group (JSG) and Campus Players and co-creating a studentrun dance theatre company, in addition to her academic pursuits.
Mariah’s involvement at Emma foreshadowed her lifelong passion for theatre, which she pursued with gusto. From the English-Speaking Union Exchange program at Wycombe Abbey in England to a theatre degree from Northwestern University and a certificate from London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Mariah found a love for teaching that led her to Manhattan, where she worked as a vocal coach and theatre instructor. After spending 14 years at her previous school, a move back to the Capital District brought Mariah back to Mount Ida.
What makes an accomplished instructor decide to leave the classroom in favor of an office filled with the accoutrements needed to engage and entertain teenagers? “Much of theatre work is about helping people feel seen and heard and supported and giving access to people who might not otherwise have it,” Mariah says. Building a program of student activities for Emma students feels much the same. “There are many bits of this job that feel similar to what I would do as a director—a collaborative, ‘let’s create a thing together’ kind of experience.”
Mariah explains that balancing the necessary activities, like going to Target to get essentials or shopping at Crossgates Mall, with fun and stress-relieving pursuits, nurtures the mental health of our students. She also looks for things that are meaningful and help students feel represented and seen. It’s not work that Mariah does alone. This year, she has reintroduced the Weekend Activities Committee, a small group that helps bring the student voice into the planning process. “I love being able to help people work in community to create something they couldn’t create alone,” Mariah says. “Working with students on something that’s their own idea—something that feels meaningful to them on a deeper level—allows them to
bring their identity and celebrate who they are beneath the surface.”
From weekend trips to Boston or New York City, to stay-at-home activities like Troy Waterfront Farmers Market, craft-making parties, museum visits, and bubble tea runs, Mariah works to make sure students can find a place to channel their energies. Many of the most meaningful events and activities come out of clubs, which Mariah organizes, and Community Engagement Opportunities (CEOs) and affinity spaces, which are facilitated by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. These include crowd favorites like the Asian Student Union’s giant Lunar New Year celebration, the Black and Latine Student Union’s annual Apollo talent show, and the weekly CEO at the Mount Ida Food Pantry.
On a smaller scale, some of Mariah’s most rewarding moments involve helping students connect with their cultural identities in little ways. “When we did Ukrainian Easter egg dying with students from Ukraine, Poland, and Russia, they were so happy to be able to do that; it felt like home for them,” Mariah shares.
Beyond weekend activities, recent work in Student Life has restructured clubs to make them more sustainable and impactful. “There’s more integration between club
activities, weekend activities, and events, which is helping clubs raise awareness about their work,” Mariah explains. The team has added student-run interest groups to the mix as well. These groups bypass the club structure and give students a chance to just experiment with things that interest them.
Mariah finds that teaching students how to plan an event or manage club and interest group activities is much like teaching them how to pull off a stage production. From working on deadlines to communicating effectively across organizations and their various departments, there is much to teach and much to learn. Working with people in housekeeping, food service, facilities management, or event planning provides opportunities for Mariah and her students to practice their values— equity, identity, culture, sustainabil-
ity—in everything they do and with everyone they meet.
Beyond her primary responsibilities, Mariah has led yoga and meditation Jestermesters and serves on the Environmental Sustainability Committee and its curriculum review subcommittee, bringing her perspective on the intersection of sustainability and social justice to their discussions. And, of course, she gets to keep one foot in the theatre with her work as assistant director of Revels
Reflecting on her return to Emma, Mariah is thrilled that the school remains committed to girls’ education, as well as to being inclusive, which is such a vital part of the work she does. Her unique perspective of personal memories informs and strengthens what she sees today. “My advisory group sits in the deep end of the pool for Morning
“There are many bits of this job that feel similar to what I would do as a director—a collaborative, ‘let’s create a thing together’ kind of experience.”
MARIAH SANFORD-WHITE ’97
Reports now,” she jokes, referring to the recent renovation of the original gymnasium into the Klingenstein Concert Hall. “Having the memory layer over the current reality is such a fun experience, and I’m glad to be back here supporting this current generation.”
Mariah with members of the Weekend Activities Committee Yuri Omega ’25 and Sarah S. ’27
As One Chapter Ends, Another Begins in the Long History of Emma Willard School
The Days That Lie Before Us
This summer marks a passing of the torch between 17th Head of School Jenny Rao and 18th Head of School Dr. Karen Lassey. After eight years leading Emma Willard, Jenny concludes a defining period in both her own career and the school’s history, stepping into a new role as head at The Brearley School in New York City. Following more than 20 years at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, Dr. Karen Lassey will mark two firsts as an educational leader by becoming head of a girls’ school.
Both leaders came together recently on Mount Ida to reflect on the transition in leadership, their shared love for Emma Willard, and the enduring importance of girls’ education.
FLEADERSHIP AND CHANGE
For Jenny Rao, leaving Emma Willard is both a culmination and a celebration. Her eight-year tenure has been marked by academic innovation, heartfelt connection, and an institutional transformation. The vision she outlined for the school in the Leading with Purpose strategic plan has been largely realized thanks to the excellence of the Emma Willard faculty and staff team, the strong partnership between Jenny, the Administrative Team, and the Board of Trustees, and the success of the Infinite Horizon fundraising campaign. Her leadership has overseen the reimagining of an academic program, the introduction of new health and wellness initiatives, the expansion of experiential learning opportunities, doubling the school’s endowment, and unprecedented investment in both the people and physical plant of Emma Willard.
“There is a gift when you know something is finite,” Jenny reflects. “Knowing that my chapter at Emma is coming to a close has helped me make a point to be present and enjoy it. It’s both lovely and fulfilling to look back at the people I’ve had the joy of working with, the problems we’ve overcome together, and to take stock of everything that has happened at the school during my time.”
Karen Lassey will assume the mantle of leadership at Emma Willard with the benefit of a deep well of experience as assistant principal of Exeter Academy. Her time at Exeter has been punctuated by an intense focus on student “thriving”—a term she uses to encapsulate the many facets of the living and learning environment for students, whether academically, physically, socially, or emotionally. Her previous roles as an instructor in science and math and as the dean of academic affairs have informed her perspective on pedagogy and excellence in teaching. Equally reflective on the leadership transition, Karen also shares her anticipation for the change ahead and the opportunity to join a community created for and by girls and women.
“This feels like one of those important ‘imprinting periods’ in life,” shares Karen. “Animals and humans all have these times when our brains are more open to absorbing knowledge and new experiences. So, it occurs to me that this is one of those moments in my life, and I’ve been intentional about taking notice of things that I may not be as attuned to once I’ve oriented to the new role.”
For both leaders, the coming time of change brings with it an emotional undercurrent, and each head reflected on things they’ll miss and things they’ll cherish. For Jenny, it’s the people she’s come to know in her time at Emma Willard. “From our faculty and staff to our students to parents and alumnae, this is really the first place in my life—aside from my parents’ home— where I’ve really felt embraced and loved for who I am.” She went on to highlight the significance of longstanding Emma Willard traditions for her, in particular Eventide and Revels, and how those performances will continue to hold a “sacred place” in her heart.
Karen echoed similar sentiments about her long tenure at Phillips Exeter. “I’m ready to embrace new traditions, like the ones Jenny described, and I have to acknowledge that I’m leaving behind a lot of institutional knowledge and many deep relationships.” Karen
also notes that she raised her children at Exeter, and many of the spaces and places there are tied to cherished family memories.
And yet, for her, it is all balanced with the equal excitement of stepping into a new leadership role: “Each time I come to campus, I’m exposed to something special that draws me in—the work in experiential learning, curricular innovation, and, of course, the opportunity to lead a school built for girls.”
A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE
At the heart of the leaders’ shared interests is Emma Willard’s strategic plan, Leading with Purpose. More than just a roadmap for the school since it was introduced in 2021, it has been a guiding force of the school’s growth, innovation, and financial success. Both Jenny and Karen emphasized the significance of the
strategic plan in shaping Emma’s aspirations, community, and identity.
“During the school’s last accreditation, evaluators praised Emma’s curriculum and focus on excellence, but highlighted a lack of distinct identity for our academic program,” shares Jenny. “Since that time, I think the strategic plan has helped bring a newfound cohesion, and the academic pillars we introduced— intellectual flexibility, purpose and community, equity and justice—have given this school a true north that is authentic to us.”
Jenny also highlights the impact of the school’s move beyond Advanced Placement™ to a unique Advanced Studies model as a key catalyst for shifting Emma Willard’s to an inquiry-based approach that engages critical thinking and promotes comprehension over retention. Investment brought to the school through
“ We have a clear mission and vision as a girls’ school, talented faculty, and highly engaged students— why wouldn’t we share that?”
Two initiatives of Leading with Purpose that are still taking shape are the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Center for Resilience and Wellbeing. Jenny and Karen agree that, while great progress has been made in these two areas, the vision is to evolve each practice into something bigger and broader than just an internal resource for the campus community.
“Schools like Emma Willard should be part of the broader conversation about education in this country and beyond,” asserts Karen. “We have a clear mission and vision as a girls’ school, talented faculty, and highly engaged students—why wouldn’t we share that?”
BEYOND THE HORIZON
The enduring and ever-evolving role of girls’ education was top of mind for these leaders set to take the helm of two of the nation’s top and all-too-few girls’ schools. In a climate where gender equity continues to face significant headwinds, both Karen and Jenny make compelling cases for why schools like Emma Willard are more essential than ever.
“I would argue that the pursuit of girls’ education is more important than ever,” Jenny says. Pointing to domestic and global setbacks—from the reversal of Roe v. Wade in the United States to the banning of girls and women in schools in Afghanistan—she insists that Emma Willard School has met the challenge of the many moments of change through a history that began in 1814.
the support of alumnae and other donors to the Infinite Horizon campaign has only served to further expand the possibilities for cross-collaboration and professional development for faculty, and made long-imagined capital projects—notably the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts, opened this April— a reality.
For Karen, the strategic plan was a powerful factor in her decision to join Emma Willard: “When I read the plan for the first time in my candidate packet, it felt resonant and tangible to me—I saw a clearly conveyed strategy that centered on people and purpose. And, in particular, I was struck by the intense focus on investing in faculty and addressing deferred maintenance—elements that are all too often overlooked but truly crucial to sustaining a vibrant learning environment.”
“We have proof over the last 200 years in the form of generations of inspiring alumnae, proof that a mission like this bears fruit. You can only imagine the kind of pressures that this school and its mission have encountered during its history—yet it endured. As I’ve often said, when things get hard, Emma works harder!”
Karen added her own perspective, noting that the hope she has for the future of girls’ education comes from the students themselves. “Schools like Emma Willard are where these young women can grow in their confidence and find a community. As I begin to see the threads that connect the students and alumnae of this school, it becomes clear that their experience at Emma is a defining moment in their lives.
“So, how can you not be inspired and, yes, have great hope? This is a place where girls can be nurtured and empowered, growing alongside other girls and women who are also becoming their best selves.”
Dr. Karen
began her headship at Emma
School on July 1. We invite the Emma
community to save the date for her installation ceremony on October 16.
Lassey
Willard
Willard
FROM THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS TO MOUNT IDA AND BEYOND
oumya’s ourneY
THE ONGOING MISSION OF SOUMYA BOUTIN ’23
STORY BY LORI FERGUSON
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
CONNOR MCLAREN
The Tao Te Ching asserts that “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” In Soumya Boutin’s case, that journey actually began with the halting steps of her brother, Mohamed. As a young boy, “Little Mo,” as he is affectionately known, was terribly impaired by an extreme case of club feet. Through a fortunate encounter with a visiting physician, he was chosen to receive treatment for his condition in the United States. This decision unwittingly set his sister Soumya on a journey as well—one that would carry her from Morocco’s Atlas Mountains to the heart of the Berkshires and beyond. It’s a journey that continues to unfold, propelled forward by Soumya’s drive and determination as well as her fierce commitment to Soumya’s Journey, the eponymous nonprofit she founded in 2021.
tTO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE trajectory of the story, let us take a step back to October of 2010, when Great Barrington, Massachusetts-based orthopedic surgeon Pier Boutin—the woman who would become Soumya’s adoptive mother—travelled to Morocco’s Atlas Mountains in search of respite after a draining humanitarian mission to earthquake-shattered Haiti. “My work in Haiti had been heart-wrenching, and I was having a hard time adjusting after returning to the States,” recalls Dr. Boutin. “In an attempt to help me escape my sorrow, a girlfriend invited me to join her on a trip to Morocco.”
That invitation proved life-changing, both for Boutin and for Soumya and her family, as it was then that Dr. Boutin first met Little Mo. “Mo had severe club feet and was walking around on his ankles,” says Dr. Boutin. “I couldn’t do anything for him in Morocco, but I knew that with proper medical treatment, his condition could be addressed, so I took him back to the States for surgery.” This intervention proved both successful and revelatory, as Dr. Boutin reveals in her 2022 book, The Little Mo Effect: A surgeon’s compassion for a charismatic Moroccan boy transforms many lives—including her own.
During this period, Dr. Boutin’s relationship with Soumya grew as well. “I was bringing Little Mo back to the States every year for a visit, and when I got to know Soumya, I decided to invite her, too,” she explains. After several such visits, Boutin continues, Soumya realized what the possibilities for her life could be. “Girls from mountain villages like Soumya’s seldom earn more than a 6th-grade education, frequently marry by the age of 13, and in many instances have children themselves before they reach adulthood,” she explains. “So, when Soumya asked if she could come to the US and study, I said yes.”
Dr. Boutin and her adoptive daughter Soumya work handin-hand to realize their dreams of impacting Soumya’s home village in Morocco.
Boutin offered Soumya an education and a home— ultimately formalizing the arrangement through adoption—and Soumya ran headlong into the opportunity. “Shortly after moving to the States, I remember Mom telling me that I could be a doctor or an astronaut or an engineer, and something just clicked,” she recalls in a burst of enthusiasm. “I realized I could do anything I set my mind to.”
Initially, Soumya attended the local high school, but Boutin soon realized her daughter needed more. “I thought she deserved a more rigorous education and more encouragement in a woman-focused environment, so I sent her to Emma Willard,” Boutin observes, “and she blossomed.”
Soumya agrees. “Being around supportive women who want the best for you is incredibly empowering.”
At Emma Willard School, Soumya truly hit her stride. Energized by her environment, she leveraged opportunities to engage at every turn, participating in choir, UNICEF Club, Amnesty International Club, and the Muslim Student Union. These activities encouraged and inspired her, as did interactions with classmates and faculty. Indeed, Soumya says she is particularly grateful to two faculty members who proved especially influential with respect to her Signature project, which subsequently evolved into her nonprofit Soumya’s Journey. “My French teacher Éloïse Bérerd helped me navigate cultural differences while establishing my nonprofit and consistently encouraged me to keep going,” she recalls, “and my Signature project advisor Gemma Halfi (Emma’s associate director of equity and inclusion) provided invaluable insight and connected me to many resources that helped me shape my work.”
It was her Signature project, continues Soumya, that gave her the time, structure, and guidance needed to launch Soumya’s Journey, the nonprofit she founded to empower women in her home community in Morocco. “Were it not for the project, I do not think I would have been able to continue with creating my nonprofit,” she observes. “For my project, I focused on establishing the organization and managing functions like forming a board, creating mission and vision statements, and running meetings. The Signature program provided the foundation that made it all possible.”
SSoumya formally launched the nonprofit in 2021 at age 16 and secured 501(c)(3) status a year later. The initiative continues to evolve, guided always by Soumya’s deep-seated commitment to having an impact in her homeland while continuing to increase her own knowledge and experience. Now a sophomore in the honors program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she is working toward a double major in political science and journalism and a minor in French. She’s also honing her nonprofit chops, most recently through a 2025 spring semester internship at The Washington Center, a DC-based nonprofit dedicated to providing individuals with educational experiences that will prepare them to work in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The internship has been exhilarating, says Soumya, and has only deepened her commitment to making a difference through Soumya’s Journey. “I’m still experimenting with the best way to serve my community, but I’m learning,” she observes. “I’m trying different projects and doing a lot of research.”
Among her initial ideas: building an all-girls high school or trade school in her community to educate young women like herself. “Soumya recognizes the importance of education and the freedom and independence it has given her, and she wants to share that,” observes Dr. Boutin. “But she also understands that education without opportunity isn’t sustainable. If the nonprofit educates these young women and there are no jobs for them to step into, there will be a big brain drain from the mountains into the cities as they leave their communities to seek new opportunities. That’s counterproductive. Soumya’s goal is not only to empower these women through education but also
When tragedy struck her village, Soumya and her mother returned to Morocco to provide humanitarian aid in whatever form was possible.
through affording them a sense of financial security within their mountain communities.”
This desire, says Soumya, led her to launch a Women’s Cooperative. “We started the co-op in one location to bolster the local economy, but it quickly became apparent that the women needed to be educated to run their businesses, create budgets, etc. At the same time, they need an incentive to pursue an education, so it’s challenging. Right now, a big component of my own development process is learning how to work with a community and encourage them to accept the help.”
To further broaden her nonprofit’s reach, Soumya has also leveraged partnerships with existing programs, including the MoonCatcher Project, an initiative dedicated to addressing menstrual and reproductive health issues. In the summer of 2023, she personally distributed 150 pounds of clothes and 100 reusable menstrual kits to female villagers in the Atlas Mountains.
In September of that year, fate delivered another opportunity for Soumya’s Journey to help when a 6.8 magnitude earthquake leveled Soumya’s home village in the Atlas Mountains. Knowing that deliveries of food and clothing were critical, she quickly organized a drive to collect donations, then travelled to Morocco to deliver over 400 pounds of desperately needed medical supplies, winter clothing, and the like; assess the damage in person; and formulate a plan to provide further support in the months to follow. Her mother accompanied her to provide medical assistance. Two years later, says Soumya, the recovery work continues. “The Moroccan government has allocated funding to support the villages that were damaged, so we’re now trying to assess where the aid is needed most and help to direct that funding as best we can,” she explains.
Soumya is also navigating the challenge of returning to her community as an outsider delivering aid rather than as a resident, adds Dr. Boutin. “At this point, many in the community are looking at Soumya more as a foreigner than as a local, and that’s a challenge she’ll need to overcome,” she says.
Soumya concedes the learning curve in running a nonprofit is steep, but she remains optimistic. “Mom is a very organized person, and she’s guided me with advice and financial support,” she says. “I’ve also spent many hours on Google and YouTube educating myself on how to start and run a nonprofit. It’s a lot of trial and error, but I’m finding my way.”
“I’ve always felt that Soumya should give back to her community, but she’s really taken the idea and run
“
My time at Emma made me realize my worth. Being around supportive women who want the best for you is transformative. I gained confidence and learned that my voice and opinion are valuable.”
with it,” says Dr. Boutin. “We’re also fortunate that our home community of Great Barrington is full of generous, giving individuals who have extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, so she’s received a lot of valuable advice and assistance from friends as well.”
The journey is challenging, Soumya admits, but she meets each moment with optimism and an irrepressible will. “I grew up in a male-dominated environment, so when I first came to the United States, it was hard for me to adjust to the idea that men weren’t inherently better,” she observes. “But my time at Emma made me realize my worth. Being around supportive women who want the best for you is transformative. I gained confidence and learned that my voice and opinion are valuable. Now, when I’m moving about in the real world, I don’t worry about people’s misogynistic tendencies; I just do what I need to do.”
Her mother agrees. “During her time at Emma, I watched Soumya gain self-confidence and grow dramatically,” says Dr. Boutin. “The school sets high expectations for its students, and the quality of education is outstanding. It was an excellent fit for her.”
“I learned a lot at Emma, and I’m still learning,” concludes Soumya. “Right now, I’m thinking that after college I will pursue a master’s degree or enter law school. Long term, I see myself working for an international organization or in a diplomatic role. Whatever path I take, I want to work with underserved communities and get people the help they need.” Despite her youth, Soumya radiates confidence, and one feels certain she will realize her goals. “Everyone at Emma Willard believed in me,” she concludes, “and that was inspiring.”
STORY BY MELISSIA MASON
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
LIZ LAJEUNESSE ’91, KAITLIN RESLER, AND CHUCK CHOI
From Rendering to OPENING THE ALICE DODGE WALLACE ’38 CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
reality
THEfull glory of the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts was unveiled to the greater Emma Willard School community during a grand celebration on April 24–26, 2025. Mount Ida hummed with the excitement of over 1,000 friends— students, alumnae, faculty, staff, families, and supporters—connecting and reconnecting in a spectacular event. The grand opening festivities were unique in bringing together generations of Emma Willard enthusiasts, encompassing eight decades of class years and numerous connections to the institution.
“The opening of the Wallace Center was a wonderful way to welcome back so many members of the Emma community who aren’t often together in one place and time,” reflects 17th Head of School Jenny Rao. “It was also an all-encompassing showcase of the beauty of one of our historic buildings reimagined into a state-of-theart performing arts and community gathering space— a living example of how Emma Willard pursues excellence by both honoring our history and always innovating.”
In a series of magnificent events, returning guests had the opportunity to explore the Wallace Center’s pristine corridors, spaces, and venues to see firsthand the fruit of their support. The carefully planned and produced marriage of old and new construction serves as a tangible metaphor for Emma Willard’s mission in action: timeless but ever-evolving.
“Today, we welcome a new era in the life of one of our original buildings at the heart of the Mount Ida campus—and a new chapter in the creative life of the school,” Jenny began her remarks at the dedication event.” This magnificent space will nurture our most creative and innovative thinking in the arts and will become a hub of campus activity.”
With a packed concert hall and overflow spaces filled, the dedication moment for the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts was a celebration of philanthropy, connection, and musical
DODGE WALLACE ’38 CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
excellence. Featuring remarks from Trustee and Infinite Horizon Campaign Co-Chair Linda Gill Anderson ’77, 17th Head of School Jenny Rao, Arts Department Chair Dr. Debra Spiro-Allen, Honorary Trustees Vicky Thompson Winterer ’61 and Jamie Adkins Baxter ’61, and Board Chair Megan Toohey Scremin ’00, it was a profound moment in the history of our school.
Names that will be familiar to many adorn spaces that were showcased to the full community for the first time…
Klingenstein Concert Hall [1], which was christened for the first time for Morning Reports in March (see opening photo, previous spread), saw its own dedication event, honoring Sally Klingenstein Martell ’85 and family [2]. Guest appearances were made by characters from the Class of 2025 Revels cast and their “muses”—vocal, instrumental, and dance performers.
Members of the Wallace family [3] were on hand to
share thoughts about Alice Dodge Wallace’s legacy and perform the ribbon cutting, which transitioned into a show-stopping performance by star of stage and screen Kelli O’Hara. [4]
Audiences filled the Russell Locke Balcony and the loges named in honor of the Ling family, the Class of 1973, Dr. Debra Spiro-Allen, the McCarthy family, the MacCallums, and the Class of 1985
ALICE
ALICE DODGE WALLACE ’38 CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Bennack Studio Theater [5] saw its first theatrical performance in February— the winter play “The River Bride”—and played host to a film screening, poetry reading, and presentation of the building’s design by architect Ann Beha during the opening celebration.
Van Norman Music Rehearsal Room [6] is the new home of Emma Willard School’s orchestra and instrumental ensembles—the first time they have had their own dedicated space—in addition to occasional choral rehearsals.
Baxter Gallery, LeFort Atrium, and Massry Family Portico [7] played host to many moments of connection over the course of the weekend, serving as the physical connection points between the new center and the rest of campus.
Two new dance studios—the new Strong Dance Studio [8] and Rao Dance Studio, which was named for 17th Head of School Jenny Rao during the grand opening event—have been in daily use since January, as have the Smith Dance Faculty Offices.
Robison Room [9] provided space for Jane Fonda ’55 to gather with Emma Green, the sustainability club, sharing memories of her experiences at Emma Willard and listening to the hopes of the generation to come.
The O’Donnell Suite (greenroom) and Mainster Dressing Room offered respite for on-stage talent to prepare and center themselves.
Stunning spring days saw students spread out on picnic blankets atop the Sibyl V. Kirby ’43 Greenspace [10] on the roof of the Wallace Center’s semisubterranean annex.
In a showcase of their own, alumnae creators performed opera, jazz, violin, piano, poetry, and displayed their visual art. The day began with the alumnae choir [11] gathering to
ALICE DODGE WALLACE ’38
CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
relive the joy of singing together. Soprano Zian Taylor ’19 [12] and violinist Leta Davis ’77 (with her friend Ruth Edwards on accordion) were on the Klingenstein Concert Hall stage for the morning; jazz vocalist Mary Foster Conklin ’75 (with pianist John diMartino) and pianist/composer Lucy Holstedt ’69 took the stage in the afternoon. In Bennack Theater, architects Ann Beha and Bob Carroll expounded on the architectural design of the Wallace Center, and Page Starzinger ’76 delivered a moving poetry reading featuring selections from her recent and published works.
By combining the weekend with the annual Spring Showcase, alumnae and families alike heard directly from current students about their passion projects in the Signature capstone and Emma Artists programs.
Throughout the opening celebration weekend, an alumnae visual arts exhibit entitled Surfacing: Stories in Flesh and Form had been on display in Dietel Gallery, featuring work by Evelyn Coates ’22, Libby Evan ’16, Sarah Fuhrman ’08, and Priscilla
GLOBAL CHANGEMAKER: JANE FONDA ’55
As the grand opening events unfolded alongside Earth Week, the moment sparked an opportunity for learning and connection. In the first Eunice Newton Foote (1836) Sustainability Panel, students heard from alumnae whose chosen careers focus on environmental sustainability. Emma Willard icon and climate change activist Jane Fonda ’55 spent the day connecting with students from Emma Green, the sustainability club on campus, and ended the afternoon engaging with the full student body in a “Green Fireside Chat.” Ms. Fonda was also awarded the school’s first Global Changemaker Award in recognition of “a remarkable life defined by courage, creativity, and conviction.”
Rapp ’17. [13] The exhibition drew on the common threads of healing, resilience, introspection, and their unique but universal experiences.
The finale performance of the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts Grand Opening Celebration featured a spectacular quintet from Ensemble Connect [14] , made up of extraordinary young musicians from a partnership between Carnegie Hall and Juilliard School of Music.
Throughout the weekend, donors could search the aisles to locate recognition plaques, affixed to seats given in honor of classes, individuals, families, and friends. Visit emmawillard.org/donorinfo for maps of named spaces and a full listing of seat donors, along with a seat-finder to locate donor plaques.
Future
REVEREND KEENAN KELSEY ’62 SUPPORTS STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WITH ENDOWED FUND
The Rev. Keenan Colton Kelsey, Class of 1962, is a retired Presbyterian minister, a strong advocate of single-sex education, and a life-long supporter of women’s rights. With her gift to the Infinite Horizon campaign, she has endowed funds to support scholarship and financial aid for future generations of Emma Willard students. The Kelsey Health Center in Hyphen Hall is also named for Keenan’s previous generous contributions to the school.
“I always knew I would go to boarding school—my mother firmly believed that my sister (Elizabeth Colton ’66) and I needed the strongest possible foundation in education,” states Keenan. “So, while it was not a surprise to attend EW, it was important because it was safe, it was scholastically rigorous, and it was fun!”
While it was scary was to leave her home town of Pelham NY, Keenan soon found an easy entry to boarding school, with its uniforms and honor codes and rule books and “sturdy browns” (Oxford shoes). At Emma Willard, she found friendships and structure and even the excitement of “bending the rules a bit” through post-curfew meet-ups with her housemates (in Hyphen Hall) in order to stay up all night talking and sharing their stories. The arrival of Bill Dietel as principal in the midst of her time marked an evolutionary moment in Emma Willard’s history and was influential on Keenan’s experience.
“The movement to Mr. Dietel was a major change for the school and left such an impression on me; he was a lovely man and we were so proud to be his first class,” remembers Keenan. “However, even before that, I was (and still am) so very proud to attend the first school of higher learning for women—what a space to live in; what an important legacy to be a part of.”
In addition to late-night activities in Hyphen Hall, Keenan enjoyed teaching Sunday School at Vanderheyden and welcomed the chance to worship
weekly in the Alumnae Chapel— despite, as she notes, the pungent odor of chlorine that wafted up from the pool below. She credits the correlated curriculum for opening up the world beyond New York State to her, helping students to examine the liberal arts in a broader, more global context. And, like many alumnae, Keenan’s favorite memory of all was performing in Revels, for which she played the “wondrously quirky little part” of Lanternbearer.
After attending Sweet Briar College (her mother’s alma mater), Keenan’s adult life took off. An English major, she moved to Washington, DC, and began work for the Society of American Foresters’ magazine, where her “somewhat gender-neutral name” helped shield her from societal stereotypes of the time as she provided editorial direction to the publication. She helped plan and produce the first Earth Day celebrations on April 22, 1970, and her passion for nature and the environment blossomed. After relocating to Southern California, an evening spent with friends and a bottle of wine resulted in them purchasing a pet store in the heart of San Francisco—the next day. She learned to specialize in birds while running the store and eventually set off on her own to found a highly successful bird shop on Union Street, an area that was “quite the happening place in those days,” Keenan recalls.
“Union Street was a hotbed of activity in San Francisco, and it was such a joy to run my bird shop—I would decide to close shop for the day and take a macaw on my shoulder, leaving a note on the door that I’d be at such and such coffee shop. What fun.”
Keenan shares openly that, in the 70s, while she welcomed two amazing children, she also fell victim to two crippling addictions. As she worked her way into recovery, it was thanks to her daughter that she rediscovered her faith and opened the door to the purpose of her life: church ministry and outreach.
“My daughter, who was 10, asked me to attend a church with her and I thought, ‘Oh God, they won’t even let me in the doors,’ but she made me follow her there and that day changed my life,” Keenan recalls. “I had always loved places and spaces of worship, ever since the EW Chapel, and once I was there, I had a realization: I’ll never be alone if I’m part of the church. It felt as if someone had taken this burgeoning faith from inside me and said, here it is.”
Keenan’s career as an ordained minister began with an internship at Redwoods Presbyterian— doing outreach to those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic—before serving at the Church of the Roses and as solo pastor for Noe Valley Church and Ministry. Today, she is retired but has returned to Redwoods as a Parish Associate, where she says they let her “do anything I want and nothing I don’t want.”
Such an interesting and remarkable life experience has been a direct byproduct of Emma Willard, Keenan asserts. Having the confidence to pursue such varied vocations is one of the many benefits she credits to a single-gender education: “I am such a strong believer in girls’ education. It certainly served me, and I think it can’t help but
serve women trying to figure out who they are and how they are.”
Supporting the latest campaign for Emma Willard was never a question for Keenan, but determining where her support would have the most impact was the key. Ultimately, making the experience possible for other students, no matter their personal circumstances or means, felt right to her.
“In this uncertain climate and with the rising costs of everything in life, I want EW to have the ability to say to someone, ‘this is what we have and this is why it’s possible for you to take advantage of it.’ And, for me, that’s the most important thing I can do. I can’t fix everything, but I believe you try to do the right thing, then you sit and pray, and you will know what the next right thing is. Then you just go do it!”— Luke Meyers
CAMPAIGN TOTAL UPDATE
$181,393,811 as of May 31, 2025
THE CAMPAIGN FOR EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL
This rendering of the new Tangeman faculty housing provides a glimpse of the homes that will be located behind Wellington-Lay, across from the current duplexes and The Mews.
WE BROKE GROUND IN MAY!
For many Emma Willard School faculty, Mount Ida is more than just a workplace—it’s their home. The opportunity to live on campus helps faculty build relationships with boarding and day students that extend far beyond the classroom. Whether as coaches, club advisors, mentors, or role models, Emma Willard’s on-campus residents are the heart of our community.
On Thursday, May 8, members of the Emma Willard School community came together with the teams from Consigli Construction and SWBR Architects for a ceremonial groundbreaking behind Wellington-Lay, near the site of the new construction.
Honorary Infinite Horizon Campaign Co-Chair and Honorary Trustee Vicky Thompson Winterer ’61, who made the lead gift to this project, has previously stated our purpose well for this endeavor: “As long as Emma Willard offers a residential boarding experience, there will be a need for amazing teachers and other adults to be present on campus around the clock. This initiative will make the Emma living and learning environment that much more attractive to those who might call Mount Ida home.”
The project also honors the legacy and service of Clementine Miller Tangeman (1923), one of the school’s most dedicated volunteers. Her ties to Emma Willard included leadership roles on the Board of Trustees, the Alumnae Association, The Emma Fund, The 1814 Association, and the school’s first capital campaign, which in the 1960s and early 1970s built the Dietel Library, Snell Music Wing, and Maguire Arts Wing. Mrs. Tangeman’s name was given to the faculty housing built in 1966 to honor her dedication to the school. For years, site assessments have indicated that the aging and uninhabitable Tangeman complex should be removed for the safety of the community. Therefore, it was announced that Mrs. Tangeman’s name will be transferred to the new housing complex. The removal of the previous Tangeman building has been included in Phase One plans.
Not only will this faculty housing project provide exceptional new homes for the faculty who give generously of their time on evenings and weekends, but it will also expand the resources available to our boarding students by adding faculty to the residential life program.
Our goal of $10 million will fund the first phase of building. If you are interested in learning more or would like to make a gift to support faculty housing, contact us at 866-833-1814 or go to infinitehorizon.org/give.
THE CAMPAIGN FOR EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL
All members of the Emma Willard School community who were in attendance came together for a celebratory group photo around the ceremonial groundbreaking moment.
In the Family
BY MELISSIA MASON
An Emma Legacy
The Schlansker Kolosek Family
For Lisa Schlansker Kolosek ’87, the Emma Willard School journey began her sophomore year in high school. Her brother Rich switched from public school to Albany Academy, and their parents had come to love the academic environment he found there.
Herself a public school teacher, Lisa’s mother, Ellen, wanted to find a more engaging academic alternative for her daughter. Although Lisa’s step-cousin, Gail Oliver DeYoung ’53, had attended Emma Willard years before, what truly led the family to consider the school were their conversations with close family friend Adriana Woldring Donnelly ’84. “We went to look at Emma Willard, and I just really saw myself there,” Lisa recalls.
That first visit to Mount Ida was the start of a generational legacy that Lisa has passed on to her daughters, Ella Kolosek ’17 and Grace Kolosek ’20, and even to Rich’s daughter, Bowe Schlansker ’28. For each of the Schlansker/Kolosek girls, Emma Willard provided a robust experience that gave them a foundation for their futures.
Lisa Schlansker Kolosek ’87
Lisa spent all three of her years at Emma Willard on the varsity tennis team. She became the index editor of the yearbook, a job which dovetailed perfectly with her extreme attention to detail. Invited to assist with weekend activities by Laura Bedford O’Donnell ’85, Lisa helped schedule
the bonding activities that would fill the students’ free time. Lisa studied Spanish with Marilyn Hunter during her time at Emma and even participated in Spanish dance, a class she took in the tennis off-season. “I thought—how great!” she recalls, “Where else in this region are you going to learn Spanish dance?” And she particularly enjoyed the range of art classes available, including weaving and darkroom photography.
Beyond the activities that engaged her in long-lasting friendships, the level of academic preparation Lisa experienced still stands out in her mind. “I think an Emma Willard graduate is universally prepared for what’s next,” she remarks, “I didn’t even realize when I was there, but in particular, I left Emma Willard being a really capable writer, and I see that in my daughters as well.”
Lisa’s path after Emma took her first to Hobart and William Smith Colleges for one year and then on to Union College. After a brief stint in advertising and public relations, she started working for a gallery in Manhattan and revisited her love for art history. A few years later, she earned a master’s degree in the history of design and curatorial studies from Parsons School of Design and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum.
Over the course of her career, she has curated countless museum and gallery exhibitions, written two books and numerous articles, and given several talks on her research.
She now works as an independent art historian, curator, and creative consultant. Recently, she was awarded research fellowships at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Houghton Library at Harvard University for her work on Emma alumna Parmenia Migel Ekstrom (1926), a curator, writer, and historian in her own right. Lisa looks back on her time at Emma as the beginning of it all. “There’s no place like it,” she enthuses. “Emma Willard offers such an expansive, profound experience at a very fundamental time in life. I’ve always loved being part of this international, multigenerational community of women. I feel moved every time I go back to campus, walking into the buildings and onto those stairs that have been worn down by the feet of generations of young women—it’s incredible to be a part of that.”
Ella Kolosek ’17
Since childhood, Ella remembered visiting campus with Lisa to see Revels and participate in Reunion. “I remember meeting her friends from Emma and seeing them all interact with each other,” Ella shares, “and that felt like a really special bond.” Although Ella felt good about her time in public school, Emma Willard had a special hold on her. “When I actually went to campus as a prospective student, there was something about being there that felt unique,” she says. “The energy
just suggested it was the right place. Once I was looking at it for myself, not just as a child of a graduate, it felt like an easy yes.”
Ella found her place in Admissions as a tour guide and in leadership as a Peer Ed (now the Wellies, or Wellness Advocates) and Proctor. She co-founded the school’s chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), co-planned prom, and did a short stint in the Dance Company. “I remember my first year signing up for ten clubs at the activities fair before realizing that was not going to be feasible,” she laughs. Ella also found lifelong friendships within the Class of 2017 (“What team? Seventeen!”) and Emma students from other classes, some of whom she sees regularly and some she looks forward to reuniting with at Reunion in a few years and at a classmate’s wedding this summer.
Ella looks back on the academic transition to Emma as an important one. “You are challenged to think bigger, to think outside of the box, to approach new topics that you haven’t engaged with before. But then you’re also really challenged by your classmates,” she explains. “You enter a room of like-minded individuals, and you’re sitting around the Harkness table together. Everyone is excited to be there. Though the classes are already more challenging, it automatically gets pushed to a higher level because of the engagement, interest, and intel-
lectual capabilities of everyone in the room.”
Ella graduated from Boston University with a bachelor of science degree from the College of Communication and has just received her master’s in sociology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She finds herself ever drawn to education. After working as an admissions assistant at Emma Willard, she now continues that work as an undergraduate admissions officer at Columbia. Still exploring and thinking about the opportunities before her, she returns to her roots at Emma for inspiration. “I think
a lot of what I am and who I am and what I do comes from Emma,” she says. “It’s this community that you’re always going to be a part of. I still turn to Mari Webb (admissions event and visit manager), who was my advisor. Every time I go back to Emma, whether it’s with Bowe or just on my own, I feel like I’m home again.”
Grace Kolosek ’20
As a fifth grader, Grace could tell that her sister Ella was passionate about what she was learning and excited by the classes offered at Emma Willard. Through her sister’s experience, Grace was exposed to
L-R: Ella, Grace, and Lisa at Grace’s recent graduation from Carnegie Mellon
New Trustees
ing organization in Saratoga.
As a member of the Class of 2020, Grace and her classmates had the dubious distinction of having their senior year upended at Spring Break, when the nation largely shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They experienced the final weeks of their senior year remotely, including their Commencement.
Even so, Grace was well-prepared for what lay ahead. “There’s a lot of responsibility and agency put on you—in a really positive way—to advocate for yourself and reach out when you need help,” she says of her time at Emma. “They push you to be not necessarily an adult, but a more mature, self-assured version of yourself.”
“Through elementary school, I was waiting for my time,” Bowe recalls. While waiting, she got her fix at GirlSummer, Emma Willard’s summer experience for 2nd- to 9thgrade girls. Spending time on campus before becoming a student here cemented the connection. Ella, who was a GirlSummer counselor (as was Grace), recalls “little Bowe running around,” saying she was going to be a student here one day and “get to eat in the dining hall every day!”
classes she’d never heard of—she certainly hadn’t considered that classes like neuroscience would be available to high school students! “That, to me, was so exciting—all of these opportunities that you just wouldn’t get anywhere else,” Grace says. “When it was time for me to apply, it was a no-brainer.”
Grace was a natural leader, becoming a Wellie, then a Proctor, and representing Wellies on Student Council. Phila, the philanthropy club, and being an Admissions EMbassador also filled her time. Even with all of her club and leadership responsibilities, Grace spent the bulk of her free time rowing—serving as captain of the crew team for two years, going to nationals, and investing her Signature project time in fundraising for an adaptive row-
From being extremely comfortable talking to her professors to having confidence in communicating her ideas in ways that are “eloquent and accessible,” Grace considers her days at Emma Willard akin to a liberal arts undergraduate degree, preparing her for the master’s-level work of a specialized architectural program. Her Emma experience gave Grace a voice that served her well over her five-year bachelor of architecture program, which she just completed at Carnegie Mellon University.
Bowe Schlansker ’28
Although Bowe was further removed from the experience of growing up in an Emma Willard household, she, like her cousins, was drawn in. “My earliest memory of Emma is when I went to Ella’s graduation. I was like, oh, wow, look at this big school that I’ll never go to,” she laughs. At the time, Bowe and her parents, Rich and Angie, lived in New York City, and she thought Emma Willard wasn’t possible for her. When the family moved upstate, her perspective changed—now the opportunity to go to Emma Willard was a real possibility.
In her first year at Emma, Bowe has covered the gamut of sports, clubs, and leadership opportunities. She’s taken an interest in Omega fashion club, Pride, Library Leadership Committee, and serving on the team that contributes video shorts to the school’s TikTok presence. In preparation for future opportunities, Bowe has taken the leadership class, a first step toward applying to become a red-tier leader in the future. A diver, skier, hurdler, and long jumper, she’s earned a varsity letter in every athletic season this year. She also hopes to follow her cousins’ footsteps as an Admissions EMbassador.
For Bowe, the biggest challenge of being at Emma has been striking a balance between her interests, academics, and building the type of relationships her family has experienced. Early on in her Emma career, she is seeking out extracurricular activities that align with her desire to study film, hoping to work with her friend Dasha B. ’28 to propose an interest group or club focused on film studies.
As the most recent in her family to find her place on Mount Ida, Bowe was always inspired by the school. “I just love Emma Willard so much,” she raves. “Having such a strong connection with my family has only deepened my love for this school.”
Bowe at the microphone to ask a question of Jane Fonda ‘55 at the celebrations for the opening of the Alice Dodge Wallace ‘38 Center for the Performing Arts.
Trustees
Welcome New Trustee
Dr. Kimberlyn Leary ’78 is a policy executive with extensive experience in academic, federal, and healthcare leadership roles, focused on the development and implementation of policy to advance equity, expand access, and mitigate barriers to improve wellbeing for communities across the nation. She recently joined the faculty of the Harvard Kennedy School as Bloomberg Chair of Public Policy and Management. She also serves as the faculty director of the Equity Innovation Hub at the Bloomberg Center for Cities, where she directs programs that emphasize strategic leadership, data and innovation, community-engaged methodologies, and integrating evidencebased research with practitionerbased insights to empower public managers to achieve effective outcomes. Dr. Leary is the Executive Vice President at the Urban Institute, where she has played a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s strategic objectives, resulting in significant funding for key initiatives aimed at reducing wealth disparities, influencing health policy, and promoting public interest technology. Dr. Leary also holds academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and has held two roles in federal service: in the Obama White House Council on Women and Girls and as an advisor to the Domestic Policy Council and the Office of Management and Budget, helping to implement President Biden’s executive orders on equity. Dr. Leary holds an AB in Psychology from Amherst College, a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University. Dr. Leary serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Board.
2024–2025 OFFICERS
Megan (Meg) Toohey
Scremin ’00
Chair Denver, CO
Susan (Susie) Hunter ’68 Vice Chair Manchester Center, VT
David Howson
Secretary Westport, NY
James (Jim) Hackett P’20
Treasurer Milton, MA
TRUSTEES
Linda Gill Anderson ’77 Washington, DC
Guha Bala P’23 Latham, NY
Rachel Birnboim ’93 New York, NY
Karen Brifu-Lacy ’04 Mount Vernon, NY
Laura Danforth Dobbs Ferry, NY
Stephen Gonick P’16 ’20 Rexford, NY
Wendy S. Graham ’85 Hoboken, NJ
Katlyn Grasso Hamburg, NY
Elizabeth (Betsy)
Gifford Gross ’72 Bethesda, MD
Maggie Bownes
Johnson ’83 Waltham, MA
Samantha Jones ’92 Stamford, CT
Sharon Khanuja-Dhall ’89 Katonah, NY
Julie Massry Knox ’98 Menands, NY
Kimberlyn Leary ’78 Cambridge, MA
Wendy Shuang Liu ’95 New York, NY
Sarah (Sally) Klingenstein Martell ’85 New York, NY
Denise Mormino Slingerlands, NY
Betts Howes Murray ’73
South Dartmouth, MA
Elizabeth (Lisa) Radcliffe ’82 Brooklyn, NY
Jennifer Schmelter ’85 Boston, MA
Sarah Bucknell Treco ’73 Boston, MA
Meet Admissions
The Emma Willard Admissions Team is dedicated to finding the next generation of brilliant minds who will bring their unique perspectives, backgrounds, and talents to our community. We asked them some questions to help you get to know them. Contact us at admissions@ emmawillard.org to find out how we can help you on your journey to Emma Willard School!
1. What inspires you about being at Emma?
2. What’s your favorite candy?
3. What advice would you give Emma applicants?
Kristen Mariotti Head of Enrollment Management
1. The diversity of the students. I feel lucky every day to be a part of a community with students from across the US and from every corner of the globe. Their unique experiences, identities, and perspectives enrich us all so much!
2. Haribo Fizzy Cola gummies
3. Come as you are and be yourself— we want to know all the things about you that make you unique!
Jing Benavot Director of International Recruitment & Retention
1. EMMA’s community, history, and its values of true education
2. Lemon drops
3. Be yourself, and be proud of yourself!
Nick Haggerty Assistant Director for Admissions & GirlSummer
1. The community feeling when you walk on campus. Emma creates such an inclusive community atmosphere that it’s palpable. No matter what your role is, you’re always a part of Emma.
2. Cherry Pull and Peel Twizzlers.
3. Just be you! Emma is so welcoming of students who are authentically themselves and offers them a large amount of unique opportunities.
Katie Myer P’26 Director of Admissions and Recruitment
1. I find the history of this school very inspiring. Emma
Hart Willard was a pioneer in girls’ education, founding this school at a time when higher education for girls did not yet exist in the United States. Over 200 years later, we are still following Emma Willard’s vision.
2. Swedish Fish
3. We are not looking for perfect; we are looking for what fuels you! Be yourself!
Molly Riley Assistant Director of Admissions
1. The passion students and adults have for their work and for this community.
2. Sour gummy worms
3. Be yourself! There is nothing more exciting than being in a space where you can be genuinely “you,” and the Emma community will welcome you with open arms to be exactly who you are.
Michele Solimeno Associate Director of Admissions/ Director of GirlSummer
1. What inspires me about Emma is how supportive the community is for students to try something new and different that they might not have tried before! It inspires me to step out of my comfort zone as well!
2. Sour Patch Watermelon
3. To be authentically yourself! We want applicants who want Emma and that the mission serves them.
Mari Elizabeth Webb Admissions Event and Visit Manager
1. Our students inspire me every day. I especially love working with our EMbassadors. It gives me great joy watching them share their love of Emma with prospective families and alum who come back for a visit.
2. I love CHOCOLATE! I always have a box of chocolate from Krause’s Homemade Candy in Albany on hand when I have a craving.
3. I would say be yourself and ask our current students lots of questions, whether on a tour, through Peerpal, or at one of our events. Our students are your best resource for learning about all things Emma.
Rachel G. ’26
1. At Emma, being surrounded by fellow artists who are disciplined and exemplify passion when they perform or show their work is incredibly inspiring. I love attending as many showcases as possible— musical recitals, art galleries, and student-led workshops—and I find them to be super motivating and remind me to keep on working on my artistic pursuits.
2. A Heath bar.
3. Nothing solidifies your high school decision until you get on campus. I applied to Emma, got accepted, but I had never toured the campus. I came to Envision Emma, and I absolutely fell in love with the environment I found at Emma. Every student I met seemed genuinely happy and collaborative, and I knew that being away from my parents, I needed to be in an environment like Emma.
Ryder C. ’26
1. I think the thing that inspires me most while I’m at Emma is the fact that everybody has their own dreams that they are striving for and does their best to reach them. Being in a community of girls where everyone is trying their hardest all the time makes me more motivated to keep working towards my goals.
2. If I had to choose it would probably be Nerds Gummy Clusters, but even more than that I’m obsessed with the Loackers wafers, though I’m not sure how much that counts.
3. While you work on your application to Emma, imagine yourself in the community. What qualities do you have that would benefit the community, and how might you add to the environment around you? Showing authenticity in your application is the most important thing.
Ava V. ’26
1. Emma is much more than a collection of pretty buildings; I am inspired most by the minds that fill “ye grey walls.”Emma students are innovative problem-solvers, and I am inspired by the energy they bring to every challenge they encounter. I can’t help but want to succeed when I am surrounded by such bright young women. The mutual respect that exists between students makes it such that we are always uplifting each other. That is very special.
2. Haribo Gummy Bears and Toffifay
3. It might sound cliché, but the best advice I can offer is for you to be yourself. That is the advice my eighth-grade engineering teacher gave me while I was going through the admissions process, and I still think about it. I find that students shine the most on this campus when they engage with the community in a sincere way.
Emily C. ’26
1. The empowerment within the Emma community always inspires me to step out of my comfort zone, trying new hobbies, academics, and lifestyle. I love how everyone is so unique in their own way, creating a vibrant community as a whole. In this environment, I’m not afraid of making mistakes or being vulnerable because there are always peers and adults supporting me along the way.
2. Gummy bears because of the color varieties and cute shapes!
3. Definitely present your most authentic self, and know yourself. Showing what you value for your individuality, passion, and dreams can help us understand you in-depth. As an Emma student, I think Emma is a place that fosters growth and connections, develops resilience in facing challenges, and creates opportunities for self-expression
Elsa M. ’26
1. What makes Emma great is the people. The teachers are passionate about teaching, and the students are eager to learn, creating a really great atmosphere. The community here is super supportive. Everyone’s working together, which makes learning more fun and helps build strong connections. Being surrounded by such engaged people makes every day amazing.
2. Anything gummy. I love gummy bears, gummy worms, and gummy sharks!
3. My advice to the Emma applicants would be to be yourself and focus on the activities and interests that genuinely excite you. When you’re passionate about something, it shines through in your application and interviews. Don’t waste your time on things that make you miserable just because you think they’ll impress someone.
Zoë J. ’26
1. At Emma, I am surrounded by people who are all doing their best to strive for excellence, but also creating that sense of community that makes Emma so special. I love being able to see all my fellow schoolmates excelling in their different interests, and it inspires me to do the same for mine.
2. Twix chocolate bar. It has the perfect combination of chocolate, caramel, and cookie.
3. One piece of advice I have is to present your most authentic self. Don’t try to make yourself seem more interesting for the application process—just be honest about your interests, your passions, and who you are as an individual.
Admissions
How to Apply
The Admissions Team at Emma is eager to learn more about you! We are here to assist with the application process every step of the way. This process includes the following:
APPLICATION
Demonstrating a commitment to equity and inclusion, Emma Willard School is pleased to offer a free application for admission for both domestic and international candidates. Please apply here: emmawillard.org/admissions
TRANSCRIPTS
Should be completed by a school official and contain a minimum of two years of credits as well as the first semester or trimester of the current academic year.
RECOMMENDATIONS
■ English Teacher
■ Math Teacher
■ Principal/ Guidance Counselor
TESTING
Emma Willard School accepts the SSAT, ISEE, HSPT, PSAT, SAT, or a standardized test from your current school as a part of your application. If you are not able to submit a standardized test, please reach out to the admissions team for options. For our international applicants, we also require the TOEFL or Duolingo test results to assist with understanding English proficiency. More information can be found at emmawillard.org/admissions
INTERVIEW
We will be conducting all interviews via Zoom in order to provide equal access to all of our applicants.