#1—What brought you to Emma Willard School?

I love working with students! At Emma, I know that everything we do is to help students learn and grow. So doing this through a residential lens was really fascinating to me when I was looking into working at a boarding school. But what really drew me to Emma was the Ready program and the mission of helping our students learn “how to human”. I love the idea that the school exists not just for the sake of academics, but seeing students develop into a whole person. 

#2—What is a typical day-in-the-life at Emma like for you?

It all really depends on the day. On Tuesdays I teach my two sections of Ready, other days I might have some meetings, maybe sitting on my couch relaxing with a cup of coffee, or taking Rhea for a long walk in the back 40. But on my duty nights, you can find me in my apartment or in the crossroads. 

#3—What is one thing about working at Emma that would surprise people?

Our work is highly collaborative at Emma. As a houseparent, I am doing my best to make sure my students are doing well as a resident like doing their laundry or keeping their room clean, but also in their classroom, socially, mentally, and emotionally. Thankfully, I am able to reach out to advisors, our nurses, parents, or our counseling team. It really is a team effort to support our students. It’s easy to get siloed in our roles, but I have found that it is all hands on deck here! 

#4—What were you like in high school?

Oh boy! I played basketball and golf in high school, which were very important to me. Sometimes more important than my school work (sorry!). I was voted class clown my senior year, so I was usually the one cracking jokes and had my own seat away from my friends in the classroom. But, I am grateful I had some amazing teachers who really challenged me and held me accountable to my academics. What can I say, I just love to have fun and make others laugh.