Leading In

From the Triangle Leading In

HEAD OF SCHOOL JENNY RAO

Looking to the Horizon

Spring has brought vigor to Mount Ida. Having weathered what we hope—and believe—is the worst of the pandemic, we shift our sights to what lies ahead. We have emerged from this challenging time with a deepened understanding of our students’ needs. Leading with Purpose, our strategic plan outlined in Signature last fall, provides our vision to advance Emma Willard School’s mission of preparing students to serve and shape their world. Now, I am thrilled to announce our ambitious and bold capital campaign to provide the resources necessary to realize that vision.

Infinite Horizon: The Campaign for Emma Willard School launched its public phase on May 13. The campaign announcement was made during a school celebration on campus where faculty and students learned of this bold effort to invest in the community; there were cheers, tears, and smiling eyes (above our masks)! On that day, I experienced a spectrum of emotions that are hard to capture: boundless joy, pride, excitement, humility and a sense of honor in carrying forth the mission of our founder. Infinite Horizon will ensure that our school’s commitment to girls’ education extends for generations to come.

The campaign was ignited by alumna Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 with her $30 million lead gift to begin a renovation project in our chapel, transforming it into the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts. I had the honor of meeting Alice and her family in her home in Colorado in 2019. During our visit, Alice shared her transformative experience as a student at Emma Willard in the 1930s. Her journey to Mount Ida started at age 14 when her parents placed her on a train from Norman, Oklahoma to Albany, New York. Leaving her family was hard, however Alice met that moment with the humility, grace, and strength that was characteristic throughout her life.

Spending time with Alice was inspiring for me, not only because of her deep curiosity and inquisitive mind but because of her capacity to embrace change and progress with such grace and fortitude. In our conversations, she shared her dream of our school as a community in which there were no barriers to bright and articulate students who wished to access an Emma Willard education; she was an advocate for nurturing the power and possibility of our school community.

As head of school, it was inspiring and galvanizing for me to witness Alice’s profound conviction. She exemplified our school’s mission through service and philanthropy throughout her life. Her bold thinking and generous support gave us the confidence to launch the largest campaign for a girls’ school. What mattered most to Alice, however, was to ensure the strength of our mission for generations to come. Alice offered all of us an extraordinary example of living a life full of purpose. May her wise and strong spirit continue to shine light on the bright horizon ahead for Emma Willard School.

Alice’s hope has become a reality. We have already begun to receive an unprecedented level of support from alumnae, parents, and friends with gifts to this campaign. Within this issue of Signature, you’ll read about alumnae who have stepped forward to support this effort and of the memories that inspired their desire to give back to this school. You’ll also read of the connections between our students and alumnae across generations, recognizing the similarities that connect them and the values that define them. Lastly, you’ll have an inside look at the transformations over time of our Alumnae Chapel from gymnasium to spiritual gathering place and ultimately into the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts, a space for our entire campus to gather together.

The energy and excitement I feel for Emma Willard School at this moment are indescribable. We have lived through unprecedented times of late. They have challenged us and found us steadfast in our will to persevere. Together we will rise above this moment and, in the words of our founder, now is the time to extend our view to futurity.

I encourage you to look within these pages and see beyond. The horizon, our horizon, is infinite.