Signature Program at Emma Willard School

Academics

Emma Willard School's curriculum focuses on three pillars: Intellectual Flexibility, Purpose & Community, and Equity & Justice. Our academic program offers more than 140 courses, including Emma's own unique Advanced Studies options. Personalized study programs enable students to dive deep into a topic or field of their choosing, and gain hands-on experience.

School Life

Education at Emma isn’t limited to the classroom—it’s woven into the fabric of our community. With students from around the world and across the United States, and faculty and staff with a wide breadth of life experiences, you will broaden your perspective the moment you walk onto campus.

Bonds created in the residence and dining halls, while practicing for an athletics match or arts performance, at one of our many cherished traditions, and all the little moments in between, define the Emma experience.

How will you put your Signature on the world?

Signature is Emma Willard School’s capstone program for juniors and seniors that allows them to deeply explore a personal passion. Signature students work on a project for two semesters with an on-campus mentor and/or an expert off-campus, and share the summation of their work in a presentation to the entire school community.

The Signature program is for students who have a demonstrated passion for a topic, have identified adults to work with, and have dedicated time to complete a project.

Emma Girls have used Signature to promote local women-owned businesses, work on cutting-edge biotechnology research at nearby universities, report news for the Albany Times Union, create their own films, and more.

Signature News

List of 2 news stories.

Continued Accolades for Emma’s Computer Scientists
2/10/2023
By Melissia Mason

Regional results are now in, and Emma’s computer science students continue to be honored through the Hudson Valley affiliate of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). Eleven Emma students entered the Aspirations in Computing awards competition, and each of them won an award! In addition, Computer Science Instructor Chiara Shah was honored with the Hudson Valley Regional Educator Award.
Telling Your Story
6/22/2022
By Sandra Santana

Literature is beautiful for a myriad of reasons. We look to books to learn about the history of the universe, to escape the present and transport to other worlds, and sometimes, for simple self-expression. For the young students at Albany International Center, Olana S. '24 is helping their approach to literature become a defining identity moment to last a lifetime.