Exciting times in the CA Admissions Office! Our office will be transitioning at the end of this school year, with my upcoming retirement and Heather Clarkson assuming the position of Director of Admissions and Financial Aid.  While the leadership of the department will change, the remaining admission team members will continue in their current roles.

Sharice Chandler, Associate Director of Admissions, has been a member of the CA Admissions Team for four years.  She began her career in admissions at her alma mater Guilford College.  After a two-year stint in college admissions, Sharice was hired to join the CA admissions team.  Not only did Sharice offer college level admissions experience but she is also an alum of Cary Academy!  She joined the CA community in 7^th grade when her family moved to Cary from the DC area and graduated class of 2005.  Sharice oversees the admissions Student Ambassador program, the Student of Color Recruitment program, and serves on the Financial Aid Committee.

Sequenta Blackman, Admissions Coordinator, joined the CA Admissions Team three years ago.  Sequenta also has first-hand experience with independent school life as she is an alum of Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh.  She attended Garner-Webb University where she was a star player with the basketball team.  She shares her basketball and coaching expertise with CA by serving as Varsity Girls Head Basketball Coach.  Sequenta oversees the admissions Tour and Information Sessions program, serves as the admissions liaison with the PTAA New Parent Programs Committee, and is the admissions’ Veracross Systems Administrator.

Marlene Sanchez, Admissions Assistant, joined the CA Admissions Team two years ago.  Marlene is originally from Peru and moved to the Triangle area from California.  She graduated from University of Phoenix with a Business Management degree and previously worked in the corporate world in supply chain and logistics.   Her native Spanish speaking skills have proved to be a wonderful asset to CA with the increased number of applications from Hispanic/Latino families.  Marlene oversees the admissions Inquiry Program, coordinates the Parent Ambassador Tour program, and manages the applicant and database systems.

It has been a wonderful experience at Cary Academy watching the school’s mission come to fruition as enrollment grew, the academic program flourished, and CA became one of the most reputable schools in the country.  While much has been accomplished, there is still much to do.  The CA Admissions Team is eager to continue their work and is looking forward to Heather’s leadership in helping the school to move forward.  While I will miss Cary Academy, I am anticipating travel, gardening, reading, and all the joys that retirement brings ?.

While you may think the school year has just begun, the admissions office is already actively engaged in the admissions process for 18-19. A worthwhile but somewhat daunting task for the four full-time members of the CA Admissions Office but thankfully we have a staff of hundreds! Our parent and student ambassador programs have enabled us to expand our reach with prospective families. This “word-of-mouth” marketing is the most effective method to advertise our school as parents and students share authentic experiences and success stories with prospective families.

Our families have always advocated for Cary Academy but the PTAA New Parent Programs Committee has greatly enhanced our Parent Ambassador program. At every Tour and Information Session members of the committee serve as greeters, registration, tour guides, and participate in the question and answer sessions. They also provide private tours for prospective families during the school year. Private tours with a Parent Ambassador have become a very popular avenue for prospective families to explore CA and parents typically provide 1-2 tours every week from September through May. Our Parent Ambassadors serve as welcoming parents to new families joining the school community; they contact new families throughout the summer and into the new school year to try to serve as mentors and assist the transition into our school. The New Parent Program Committee also host coffees and dinners for families during orientation activities. Membership of the committee totals well over 100 parents. The work of the committee continues to evolve and has become a driving force in generating excitement and interest in Cary Academy.

But adults aren’t the only MVP’s to our office! Our Student Ambassadors love to share their enthusiasm for their school with others. They serve as one-on-one hosts for applicants on their visit day escorting them to classes and answering questions about our programs. As their schedule permits, Student Ambassadors also provide tours for potential families. They assist the admission office during Tour and Information Sessions serving as greeters and panelists during question and answer sessions. Upper School Student Ambassadors follow up with newly admitted US students to answer questions and provide information about the Upper School. Approximately 100 Upper School students and 125 Middle School students serve as Student Ambassadors.

The admissions office enjoys the enthusiastic support of our parents and students. While we are a small office, we feel “mighty” with our team of Parent and Student Ambassadors and potential families are fortunate to have the opportunity to have candid conversations with them. Clearly members of our school community believe in Cary Academy and this collaborate effort illustrates our values at work.