Admissions Stewardship: The St. Andrew’s Students Behind the Welcome

As admissions stewards, these students spend their RISE block working alongside Malia Aycock, Director of Upper School Admissions, and Kelly Liles, K12 Admissions Associate, to manage the shadow day experience, making sure every prospective student and their family feel welcome from the very first interaction. It is one of the many stewardship opportunities available at SAS, and for the students who choose it, it tends to become something they carry with them long after the semester ends.

A Familiar Face Before the First Day

When a prospective student heads into the shadow day step of the admissions process, admissions stewards get to work building a schedule that feels personal. They look for shared interests, sports, hobbies, anything that might help a nervous visitor feel a little more at home. "We had someone interested in football, so we paired them with football players," Mathews W. '29, an admissions steward, shared.

From there, the team reaches out to host students (Blue Key Ambassadors), checks in with teachers to make sure the schedule works for their upcoming classes, and sends families a detailed rundown of the day. They even ask Blue Key Ambassadors to film a quick introduction video so the prospective student already has a friendly face to look for. "The stewards always get a reply," said Malia Aycock, Director of Upper School Admissions. "The videos mean so much because prospective students can see what SAS students wear to school and have a familiar face to look forward to."

A typical shadow day includes two classes, lunch with student hosts, and chapel, giving visitors a well-rounded look at daily life at SAS.

There is more going on in admissions stewardship than most students might expect. Stewards write professional emails to families, coordinate with teachers, and think creatively when schedules don't cooperate. "You can't just email a teacher with a time request. It's formal communication. We have outlines and templates for different email recipients," Olivia A. '29 explained.

Aycock loves watching students grow into the role. "For us, it's knowing that they're learning real-world skills: managing spreadsheets, calendar dates, professional email. Life skills. They're a great help for the admissions office, but they're also learning a lot that will help them beyond high school," she said.

Savannah C. '29 felt that growth firsthand: "We're learning responsibility and organizational skills, how to represent something bigger than you."

One of the things that makes this stewardship so special is something no adult in the building can replicate: students simply know each other. They know who plays which sport, what hobbies and passions students have - the things that would make someone feel instantly included. "It's interesting how we have a student perspective," said Olivia A. '29. "If we were a group of teachers, we wouldn't know what student life is really like. But since we're students, we really know our peers. We have a better scope on who to put people with."

Aycock couldn't agree more. "They know their peers, they know their personalities. They lead with kindness when pairing prospective students with Blue Key Ambassadors. They're so complementary of their peers' traits," she said.

Ask any admissions steward why they signed up, and you'll hear something genuine. Jackson T. '29 kept it simple: "After going through the admissions process, I wanted to give back to what it gave me."

Lauren K. '29 was drawn in by curiosity and stayed for the community: "I wanted to see how admissions works, be a part of it, and get to know our incoming students, because they'll be the next Highlanders here. It's a fun way to learn how we can give back to the SAS community and interact with new students."

For Olivia A. '29, a nudge from friends turned into something she now genuinely loves: "Sophomore friends told me I would enjoy it and thought it was a cool RISE activity. It's lived up to that."

For many stewards, the connection to admissions doesn't stop when the semester ends. Many go on to become Blue Key Ambassadors themselves, stepping into a new role in the same welcoming tradition they helped build. But what stays with them is knowing that somewhere, a prospective student walked onto campus, spotted a familiar face, and felt a little less nervous about the shadow day ahead. Admissions stewards are the first proof that St. Andrew’s is a place where people look out for each other.