March 2022 Featured Interview
First Secondary School for Girls in the U.S. Continues to
Chart New Paths with Courage and Persistence
Interview with
Jenny Rao
Head of School at Emma Willard
Photo Courtesy: Emma Willard School
About Jenny:
Jenny Rao grew up in Mexico City and is the daughter of a Mexican mother and a British American father. She earned her B. A. in economics from Bates College and began her professional career in investment consulting for Cambridge Associates.
Jenny moved into education starting as a classroom teacher and then pursued a master’s degree in private school leadership at the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Jenny moved into education starting as a classroom teacher and then pursued a master’s degree in private school leadership at the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College, Columbia University.
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Before arriving at Emma Willard School in July 2017, Jenny was the director of academic affairs at Garrison Forest School, where she combined classroom teaching (English, Spanish and Geography) with administrative work. Jenny is the 17th Head of School at Emma Willard.
Jenny and her husband, Arjun, have two sons, Santiago and Ivan. About Emma Willard School: Founded by Emma Hart Willard in 1814, Emma Willard School is an independent boarding and day girls' school for grades 9-12 offering a rigorous college preparatory education. Known for its academic rigor, the school fosters a love of learning, the habits of an intellectual life, and the character, moral strength, and qualities of leadership to serve and shape the world.
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Myrna Beth Haskell, executive editor, sat down with Jenny to talk about the history of Emma Willard, how the school has carried on the courageous vision of its founder, and what she loves about her position as the school’s 17th leader.
The school is now over 200 years old and has endured the test of time. What were some of the biggest challenges the school faced along the way?
We’ve continued to operate under the spirit in which the school was founded, and that spirit has helped us face every challenge that has come our way. Our founder, Emma Willard, was an incredibly bold and courageous woman who believed that women needed and deserved an excellent education just as much as men. And she fought tooth and nail to make that possible. She went around to different places trying to find lawmakers willing to fund [her mission].
She was denied aid from Vermont Governor Cornelius Van Ness in 1818. It was in Vermont that her original school (known as the Middlebury Female Seminary) opened in 1814.
She finally convinced officials in Troy, New York [two years later] to create a special tax to build the school.
In 1821, the Troy Female Seminary (renamed Emma Willard School in 1895) opened its doors to students.
Emma Willard School is the first secondary school for girls in the United States. The school has always had a platform based on a bold and optimistic view. From the very beginning, the school was built to serve the undeserved and to give a platform, voice and confidence to those who otherwise wouldn’t have it. Since its inception, the core belief has always been to do the right thing no matter what the path.
Jenny shared one example of a challenge faced head-on in the very early days of the civil rights movement.
Up until 1948, Emma Willard was an “all-white” school. Miss Anne Wellington, co-headmistress at the time, invited guest preacher Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, who was an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to speak at the school. The speech was extraordinary, and the students were captivated and very compelled by his message. So, Miss Wellington asked him to return. However, he told her that he didn’t want to return to the school until someone who looked like him was in the audience. Of course, Miss Wellington took this to heart and told him she was committed to do so. In 1948, it was Thurman’s own daughter, Anne Thurman, who became the first Black student and, in 1950, the first graduate of Emma Willard.
The school is now over 200 years old and has endured the test of time. What were some of the biggest challenges the school faced along the way?
We’ve continued to operate under the spirit in which the school was founded, and that spirit has helped us face every challenge that has come our way. Our founder, Emma Willard, was an incredibly bold and courageous woman who believed that women needed and deserved an excellent education just as much as men. And she fought tooth and nail to make that possible. She went around to different places trying to find lawmakers willing to fund [her mission].
She was denied aid from Vermont Governor Cornelius Van Ness in 1818. It was in Vermont that her original school (known as the Middlebury Female Seminary) opened in 1814.
She finally convinced officials in Troy, New York [two years later] to create a special tax to build the school.
In 1821, the Troy Female Seminary (renamed Emma Willard School in 1895) opened its doors to students.
Emma Willard School is the first secondary school for girls in the United States. The school has always had a platform based on a bold and optimistic view. From the very beginning, the school was built to serve the undeserved and to give a platform, voice and confidence to those who otherwise wouldn’t have it. Since its inception, the core belief has always been to do the right thing no matter what the path.
Jenny shared one example of a challenge faced head-on in the very early days of the civil rights movement.
Up until 1948, Emma Willard was an “all-white” school. Miss Anne Wellington, co-headmistress at the time, invited guest preacher Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, who was an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to speak at the school. The speech was extraordinary, and the students were captivated and very compelled by his message. So, Miss Wellington asked him to return. However, he told her that he didn’t want to return to the school until someone who looked like him was in the audience. Of course, Miss Wellington took this to heart and told him she was committed to do so. In 1948, it was Thurman’s own daughter, Anne Thurman, who became the first Black student and, in 1950, the first graduate of Emma Willard.
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At a later date, Dr. King was supposed to speak at Emma Willard, but he wound up getting sick and couldn't make it.
That’s the kind of school this place is. We want to get to understand issues from the primary source. We want to create the richest conversation possible – one with the most varied perspectives. The richer the dialogue, the richer the academic conversation. And was this history much of what attracted you to Emma Willard? What attracted me to Emma Willard was when I met our primarily female Board. These are women of such courage and tenacity. The texture of the conversation is never about taking shortcuts or finding the easy way to do things. Rather, the conversation concerns finding the right thing to do. No matter how hard the path, let’s make it happen. We’re not out to do what is popular or pleasing, we’re out to do what’s right for history, for our students, and for the world. |
"The texture of the conversation is never about taking shortcuts or finding the easy way to do things. Rather, the conversation concerns finding the right thing to do. No matter how hard the path, let’s make it happen. We’re not out to do what is popular or pleasing, we’re out to do what’s right for history, for our students, and for the world." ~ Jenny Rao |
Photo Courtesy: Emma Willard School
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The school taught young women about mathematics and science, but it also helped to shape their thoughts about themselves and where they fit into society. Renowned suffragette and Emma Willard graduate Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Class of 1832) is a prime example. Are leadership skills and opportunities still a focus today? We make sure that our students find authentic definitions of success. We want to quiet the noise of how social media and other external sources define what success means and, instead, give way for an internal dialogue to take place. There is a strong practice of reflection and no hierarchy of talents here. Everyone is equally celebrated –athletes, artists, leaders, writers, civic activists. We define success authentically – for students to find out what is meaningful to them and to pursue that to the maximum degree. And that matters because if you pursue something you love, you’re going to go at it with everything you have. |
We have a robust speaker series here. We bring in role models from all walks of life. A Black alumna who worked for the Obama White House spoke to our students last week. We invited the first trans woman who ran for office and got elected to speak at the school. We have a multitude of alumni who have been “the first” in something, and we want them all to know that they are not walking this path alone.
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How does this educational environment help students succeed?
Our campus is a classroom in and of itself. It provides a living testament of a mission that has endured and evolved and continues to thrive over 200 years later. When you step onto this campus, you have that feeling that you are stepping into something greater than yourself. You are connected to a fabric across time. A student who is here now is directly connected to a student who was here 50 years ago. For example, we have a play performed every December called Revels. The play was written over 100 years ago, and it has been performed by the senior class every year since then. We have the same costumes – a wonderful seamstress takes care of them. When an Emma student meets an Emma grad, one of the first questions asked is, ‘What part did you play in Revels?’ There is this sense that the mission of serving and shaping this world in bold and courageous ways connects these women across time in magnificent ways. |
A Performance of Revels, a 107-Year-Old Tradition
Photo Courtesy: Emma Willard School |
As a visionary, Emma Willard was able to foresee that her mission would withstand the test of time.
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Yes! And in addition to her role as educator, she was a map maker.* She loved making maps of uncharted territory. Back in 1814, she wanted to map a way to a path that hadn’t been walked on before.
And that is exactly what we see as our timeless mission. We need to think about the paths we are charting today: Is it solving the environment problem with a new solution? Is it solving social injustice in ways that have never been thought about? Is it thinking about gender in more expansive ways? Emma is always looking for that uncharted place, that new horizon. We are always pushing for that elevated ground, both as a school and as a culture. |
"Emma is always looking for that uncharted place, that new horizon. We are always pushing for that elevated ground, both as a school and as a culture." ~ Jenny Rao |
*It was widely known that Emma Willard was the first female map maker in the United States.
I read that there are students from 38 countries. How does this diversity suit Emma Willard’s mission?
We are committed to cultivating a global perspective. We think of diversity, though, in all realms. Certainly, in country of origin, but also in race, religion, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, ableism. And, as I’ve mentioned before, we encourage a great variety of perspectives which creates a richer conversation. There is a direct correlation between the diversity of our student body and the excellence of our program.
There’s an immense amount of work that encourages acceptance and inclusion. So, a student who comes from a private school in Connecticut is going to need a very different kind of support and adaptation to Emma Willard than a student who comes from a public school in Vietnam. Our students bring their whole selves – their entire perspective – to our school and classrooms. They also need to see their individual perspective in a context of a much wider set of perspectives. This also develops a common humanity amongst our entire student body and a sense that, although paths are different, we are all human – we feel, we suffer, we aspire, and we have joy. This cultivates a profound sense of empathy in all of our students.
How does Emma Willard instill a desire to serve others? What service opportunities are provided?
We don’t have requirements for volunteerism. At Emma, there is so much work happening all the time. In any given year, we have about 130 of our students participating in CEO (Community Engagement Opportunities). We believe that when we work with an organization or group of people, we are giving as much as we are taking and learning.
An example would be our partnership with RISSE,* a refugee center in the Capital District. Our students partner with refugee families to help them prep their resume, or they work with the children of refugee families by supporting tutoring classes. They are learning about the refugee experience in classrooms; then, they’re speaking directly with the refugee families to learn firsthand what their experience is like.
We also have an incredible program called Signature through which students can find internships across the Capital District or do an original project mentored by a faculty member on a topic of personal interest that the student is passionate about.
Students feel like they belong because they help define Emma Willard. The entire community meets twice a week, and it isn’t uncommon that a student might share with the community something she is working on. Once a year, activities are suspended, and we have a spring showcase where the students who have been doing independent ‘Signature’ projects get to present to the entire community.
* Located in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany, NY, RISSE is a family-based center that supports newcomers in building sustainable lives in the United States.
How were you able to navigate the ever-changing restrictions and rules throughout the COVID pandemic?
I’m really proud of how we have dealt with the COVID pandemic. Certainly, we had many challenges, particularly because we have students coming in from all over the place. We had a year when 70 students had to stay put. We introduced hybrid learning. Our community remained intact and stayed healthy. We put in place the technology and commitment needed to continue with our high standards. We initiated testing two times per week. We had regular cleaning, windows open, and we spread students out during mealtime. Our nursing staff was extraordinary. This community rose to meet the challenge – students and staff alike.
Name important attributes you hope to instill in students by graduation day.
A few things…
We are committed to cultivating a global perspective. We think of diversity, though, in all realms. Certainly, in country of origin, but also in race, religion, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, ableism. And, as I’ve mentioned before, we encourage a great variety of perspectives which creates a richer conversation. There is a direct correlation between the diversity of our student body and the excellence of our program.
There’s an immense amount of work that encourages acceptance and inclusion. So, a student who comes from a private school in Connecticut is going to need a very different kind of support and adaptation to Emma Willard than a student who comes from a public school in Vietnam. Our students bring their whole selves – their entire perspective – to our school and classrooms. They also need to see their individual perspective in a context of a much wider set of perspectives. This also develops a common humanity amongst our entire student body and a sense that, although paths are different, we are all human – we feel, we suffer, we aspire, and we have joy. This cultivates a profound sense of empathy in all of our students.
How does Emma Willard instill a desire to serve others? What service opportunities are provided?
We don’t have requirements for volunteerism. At Emma, there is so much work happening all the time. In any given year, we have about 130 of our students participating in CEO (Community Engagement Opportunities). We believe that when we work with an organization or group of people, we are giving as much as we are taking and learning.
An example would be our partnership with RISSE,* a refugee center in the Capital District. Our students partner with refugee families to help them prep their resume, or they work with the children of refugee families by supporting tutoring classes. They are learning about the refugee experience in classrooms; then, they’re speaking directly with the refugee families to learn firsthand what their experience is like.
We also have an incredible program called Signature through which students can find internships across the Capital District or do an original project mentored by a faculty member on a topic of personal interest that the student is passionate about.
Students feel like they belong because they help define Emma Willard. The entire community meets twice a week, and it isn’t uncommon that a student might share with the community something she is working on. Once a year, activities are suspended, and we have a spring showcase where the students who have been doing independent ‘Signature’ projects get to present to the entire community.
* Located in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany, NY, RISSE is a family-based center that supports newcomers in building sustainable lives in the United States.
How were you able to navigate the ever-changing restrictions and rules throughout the COVID pandemic?
I’m really proud of how we have dealt with the COVID pandemic. Certainly, we had many challenges, particularly because we have students coming in from all over the place. We had a year when 70 students had to stay put. We introduced hybrid learning. Our community remained intact and stayed healthy. We put in place the technology and commitment needed to continue with our high standards. We initiated testing two times per week. We had regular cleaning, windows open, and we spread students out during mealtime. Our nursing staff was extraordinary. This community rose to meet the challenge – students and staff alike.
Name important attributes you hope to instill in students by graduation day.
A few things…
- An attitude to push themselves to an uncomfortable place.
- An intellectual flexibility where they are able to see different points of view and to establish different solutions.
- A developed sense of a common humanity in everyone.
- A deep curiosity.
- A real confidence in their voice. Our students leave Emma Willard expecting to make a difference.
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"Regardless of the challenges, I think education is an optimistic pursuit. How do we keep that optimism and hope given the landscape that faces our students now and into the future? I don’t hold this responsibility alone, but what an extraordinary opportunity to be in charge of a place like this!" ~ Jenny Rao |
What do you love most about your position as Head of School?
I love the population that I work with – the students and the staff. There are places of my intellect and my heart that would have been undiscovered if I didn’t come to work here. It’s an enormous challenge and an incredible responsibility. I’m the 17th Head of School, and it’s an enormous responsibility to keep this going. Regardless of the challenges, I think education is an optimistic pursuit. How do we keep that optimism and hope given the landscape that faces our students now and into the future? I don’t hold this responsibility alone, but what an extraordinary opportunity to be in charge of a place like this! What accomplishment are you most proud of? My family. I have two boys, and my husband is from India. I love that our family is an example of how diversity can make love instead of disagreement. |
Professionally, there is no question that being Head of School at Emma is my greatest accomplishment. My mom was only educated through middle school, so the fact that I’m leading a prestigious educational institution speaks wonders about my mom and opportunity.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I am a relational leader. I love seeing and finding what is best in people and then cultivating it so they can succeed. I manage success through others.
Where do you find sanctuary?
This is something I struggle with because I don’t cultivate it in my own life. However, I do find sanctuary in writing. I’ve kept a journal since I was 14, but I need to write in it more. Conversations with my closest people – my husband and closest friends. And I love nature – hiking and taking walks in nature.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I am a relational leader. I love seeing and finding what is best in people and then cultivating it so they can succeed. I manage success through others.
Where do you find sanctuary?
This is something I struggle with because I don’t cultivate it in my own life. However, I do find sanctuary in writing. I’ve kept a journal since I was 14, but I need to write in it more. Conversations with my closest people – my husband and closest friends. And I love nature – hiking and taking walks in nature.
