The Exit Interview Director of College Counseling Bob Hedrick retires after 40 years in education. Before joining the EHS faculty in 1999, Bob served as director of admissions at Sewanee: The University of the South, dean of admissions at Washington University in St. Louis, and assistant dean of admissions at the University of Virginia. He received an A.B. in history from Duke University and an M.Ed. from the University of Georgia.
You’ve made a career of guiding young people through the decision-making process. What have you learned about making major life decisions? The more thoughtfully people invest in decision-making, the clearer those decisions often are, and maybe the better the outcome. With our students here, the more assertive they are in engaging in the steps of the process, usually the easier it is. The students who tend to hit the road bumps are the ones who aren’t as deeply involved and aren’t thinking about it as much. You’ve got to own the project.
What do you love about admissions and college counseling? On the admissions side, universities are dynamic places. It really is a lot of fun building the class that will come in the fall and will be a visible part of that university. Moving to the other side of the desk, college counseling – I thought of it as stepping through the mirror. It’s the same picture from another angle. We really get excited in this office when the students we’re working with get into places they’re excited about. It’s really fun to see a first-choice achieved or a surprise admit where nobody involved thought it was a slam dunk.
What will you do during your retirement? Anything I want! It occurred to me the other week that, due to the nature of my career and my schooling, I have been on an academic calendar since I was 5 years old. Now I’ll have time for more travel, family, friends, and projects. I’m already expanding some of my volunteer work in new directions. And in September I’m going to the Canadian Rockies – Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper.
What will you miss most about Episcopal? University faculties are fun and interesting and dynamic in their own way. But at Episcopal, the connection between our office, the students, and faculty is so much deeper. The whole community is a more connected one. Routines come and go, but the bittersweet part of this transition is of course leaving the people.
“Bob has been the consummate professional in his role of director of college counseling at EHS over the last 16 years. He brought a deep reserve of professional experience from his roles at U.Va., Washington University, and Sewanee to his work with our students and families. He has tremendous knowledge, not only of the college process, but of the many diverse institutions of higher learning and the people who direct their admissions efforts. Bob’s warm, professional manner was deeply respected by the college admissions deans, and they would always welcome the occasion to talk with Bob about any EHS student. Episcopal, and more particularly our students, has truly benefited from Bob’s significant contribution to an entire generation of graduates.” ~HEADMASTER ROB HERSHEY
Episcopal High School
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