Be Remarkable: Meet Emma Maddrey A’18

“It was the first place I’d been where someone said, ‘Hey, you’re actually really good at this; I think you should look into it.’”

It was a full-circle moment when Emma Maddrey returned to her alma mater, Salem Academy, where she was a boarding student for all four years of high school, as assistant director of residential life. She was back in the place that had shaped her, the place she loved and felt at home.

Emma grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and she’s part of the third generation in her family to benefit from an all-girls or all-women’s education. Her grandmother attended a women’s college in California in the late 1940s and early 1950s, which inspired her mother to choose Salem College for her own education in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Emma’s sister then paved the way for her at Salem Academy, boarding all four years and graduating in 2012. Emma, who soon followed in her sister’s footsteps, said, “Seeing what she had, in terms of her education, leadership opportunities, and just growth, I really wanted that.” 

After graduating from Appalachian State University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, Emma said she jumped at “the opportunity to work with girls who wanted more for their education, which is what drew me in.” She lived in the dorm for two years, and in her role she focused on programming for the boarding students, including their evening study hall program and recreational activities. 

“I was a resident advisor (RA) in college, so I had those skills of welcoming first-year students into the college environment, and I wanted to apply those skills and what I’d learned in the RA position to boarding students here,” she explained. “It was really fun; I had such a great group. It was fun to get to know the students in a more relaxed setting, build bonds with them, and go on the food runs, which was one of my favorite things as a boarder. It was special because I could really get to know them.” 

In Emma’s current role as student support coordinator and assistant registrar, she supports students academically and helps them stay on track with their study habits and goals. She also ensures students receive assistance from the institutional accessibility director as needed, oversees testing, serves as a faculty advisor, and teaches the Academy’s health and wellness class. 

Looking back on her time as a student at Salem Academy, Emma said, “I loved every minute of it. There were definitely hard days, but I still think about the lessons I learned from them. The bond that we had as a community, the bond within my friend group, my class, the boarding community, even my bond with faculty and staff–some of whom I work with today–everyone was there to support you. There wasn’t competition or the need to be better than anyone else; it was just supportive. We all had the same goal of learning and wanting to dive into our passions, and we were encouraged to do so.”

Emma’s years at Salem Academy were a time of tremendous personal growth and development. Her teachers recognized her strengths, encouraged her to develop them, and suggested activities that matched her interests. That encouragement led to her becoming editor of the yearbook, one of her favorite extracurricular experiences at Salem. 

The supportive community environment Emma experienced as a student remains one of the things Emma values most about Salem Academy today. She said she’s proud that, like her, today’s Academy students walk away from their time at the school with “such confidence. They feel ready to go to college and aren’t afraid. They’re not afraid to speak up in class or move 3 time zones away. They’re confident in who they are, and what they want to do, and they know how they’re going to get there. And even if there is a bump along the way, they know how to navigate it. We work really hard to give them that confidence and problem-solving capability.”

She also still enjoys her favorite traditions, like the annual Ring Banquet where seniors receive their class rings, and Saber Sorting, which Emma said has “so much school spirit and silly, goofy fun.” 

For Emma, the best part of first attending and now working at Salem Academy remains the same: “It’s still the community. The community I’ve built amongst the faculty and staff has been incredible. They are so supportive. Amongst the students as well.” In returning to Salem Academy, Emma found a new way to be part of the community that shaped her.