Emma Willard School is a place to discover what it means to look within yourself and see your future on the horizon. By seeking out a school where you belong, you already show that you are ready for something more than the high school experience.
Emma Hart Willard founded her school on the basis of providing girls with a first-class education equal to that of men—one that challenged, inspired, and enabled them to serve and shape their worlds.
More than 200 years later, Emma Willard School proudly continues to carry on this mission.
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.
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.
Molly Riley is assistant director of admissions at Emma Willard School and joined the team in January of this year. Previously, Molly worked at Emma as a House Parent (residential faculty) living with and supporting the school’s boarding student population. We asked Molly four questions about her role at Emma Willard.
Winter sports at Emma features basketball, indoor track and field, ski racing, and—new this year—winter crew. At the end of their season, the teams took some time to celebrate their successes and present awards. We invite you to learn about our stand-out student athletes from their coaches’ perspectives.
In the following article from the Fall 2022 issue of Signature magazine, members of the athletics community share how Emma Willard School encourages students to participate in sports and physical activities to establish a foundation of good, healthy, lifelong pursuits.
This winter, Emma students have expanded their horizons—winning honors from the Scholastic Arts Awards, Art in Three Dimensions competition, and even being a part of an exhibition at the Albany Institute of Art and History.
Last semester brought with it a variety of wins on the academic technology front at Emma. We’ve had continued success with our cybersecurity awareness training, and we’re seeing innovations in the use of technology across many disciplines on campus.
The Emma Willard School Theatre Department took a deep dive into devised theatre for their winter production, The Earthling. The story follows a time-and-space-traveling “Earthling” who arrives on Mars to help a small remnant of inhabitants solve their need for water.
This past January, Dietel Gallery hosted an opening for “Visibility of Community,” a photography show from alum Anna Shupack ’18 in collaboration with the Emma Willard School branch of Democracy Matters. The exhibit includes interactive elements asking viewers to consider ‘what does democracy mean to you?’ and personal definitions of equity and inequity. Alongside opportunities to create protest art and write letters to local representatives on pertinent issues, Anna’s work showcases the activism in local communities especially during summer 2020.
Yesterday, the Emma Willard School community united in a powerful tribute to the rich cultural legacy and historical contributions of Black Americans. With the theme "Young, Black, and Gifted," the BLSU's assembly illuminated the vibrancy of Black culture nationwide.
Yesterday we celebrated the 236th birthday of our founder, Emma Hart Willard, whose vision changed the American educational landscape for all women. The day included celebratory birthday cake, a fabulous presentation by Dorothy Wickenden, and a fundraising challenge to support The Emma Fund.
Dedication is a mandatory requirement for any athletic endeavor, but for equestrians there are unique challenges presented in a sport with equine teammates. Practicum, Emma Willard School’s independent study program, eliminates the hurdles riders face, allowing them to participate in the sport they love. Practicum equestrians Ava O. ’25, Caroline G. '23, and Isa J. '23, reflect on their time with the program.
In the following article from the Fall 2022 issue of Signature magazine, alumnae experts from the Emma Willard community share their thoughts on pursuing wellness.
For the first time since 2019, Emma Willard School was excited to welcome Shakespeare & Company back to campus for an on-stage performance and workshop. As part of their Northeast Regional Tour of Romeo and Juliet, the company of seven actors each played multiple roles to stage the familiar tragedy with high energy and a touch of humor.
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.
As the temps continue to dip, we’re dreaming of starry summer nights in the Adirondacks with Juliette “JJ” A. ’25, a 10th grade boarder from Wallingford, CT. Read on to learn more about JJ’s trouble loving cats, the fun in celebrating the seasons, and the beauty of finding your voice.
Lunar New Year is an important tradition in many cultures and is celebrated by millions of people around the globe. Marking the first new moon of the calendar year, Lunar New Year is observed in many different ways, and both the customs and duration of the holiday vary from one culture or country to another.
It’s 8 o’clock in the morning on a Sunday in late January, and an anticipated email pops into the inbox of every student and employee in the Emma Willard community—just as it has for the 12 days prior, and will continue to do for the 8 days following.
Xavier McKinzie is the associate director of college counseling at Emma Willard School. Xavier joined Emma Willard in 2022 and most recently worked in admissions and recruiting for higher education at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. We asked Xavier four questions about his start at Emma.
There have been many exciting developments at Emma Willard School since authoring our five-year strategic plan Leading with Purpose in October of 2021 and in the wake of the public launch of Infinite Horizon: The Campaign for Emma Willard School in May of 2022. Read on for a Q&A video from our Head of School Jenny Rao.
The nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition drew submissions from 1,949 students from 627 high schools across 48 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and four other countries this year. Emma Willard School senior, Stella L. ’23, was recognized as one of the top 300 Regeneron Science Talent Search scholars of 2023.
Each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Emma Willard School community gathers for special programming to honor his legacy. This year’s theme, “A Vision of Equity,” explored both Dr. King’s dream of equity for all, as well as the equity work that has been done and is still to come in a variety of intersecting areas.
Ringing in the first One of 360 of the new year is Ximena G-C. ‘26, a first year boarding student from Mexico City. Get to know more about Ximena’s love of soccer, family ties to Emma, and her first Revels experience.
Just like the previous year, 2022 was a year of firsts, thoughtful reflections, and incredible celebrations. Join us in remembering a few of our favorite memories from the last year with our top ten moments from Emma News!
In the following article from the Fall 2022 issue of Signature magazine, the Wellies and adult leaders in Student Life reflect on the wellness of our community.
Welcome to Emma Willard School, a private day and boarding high school for girls in Troy, NY, and a leader in girls' education for over 200 years.
PLEASE NOTE: All visitors to campus must check in with Campus Safety, which can be found at the red flag entrance to Sage Hall (Pawling Ave. entrance).