Wilson Smerconish ’16: The College Guidance Office will have a significantly different staff at the beginning of next year. Earlier this month Matt Essman, Director of College Guidance, announced that he would be leaving Episcopal to move back to his hometown of St. Louis where his children can be closer to their family. He will be working at Mary Institute and Country Day School, known as MICDS, as the Director of College Counseling. Celia Creskoff announced earlier this year she will be leaving as well.
For Essman,“It was purely a personal decision. It was an opportunity for us to be near family with two little kids and give them a chance to grow up around grandparents, and I have a grandmother as well so their great grandmother as well.”
Essman said that even applying for the job was a struggle that he thought a lot about, but ultimately decided that he needed to make a decision that would most benefit his family.
Essman said he is leaving Episcopal with a heavy heart. “I wouldn’t change it for the world…. This has been the highlight of my career up to this point. I loved doing the college admissions thing for twelve years before I came here but I never got to work as closely with students and parents as I have in the four years I’ve been here and it has just been everything I had hoped it would be. I love the school. This is a tremendous place with a tremendous reputation and you guys work hard, you get the sports and the arts and this place is just the whole package. I’m leaving with tremendous sadness. I am very sad about leaving because I do so appreciate what Episcopal has done for me and giving me a chance to work at my first opportunity in college guidance and I am going to miss the place a lot.”
Before coming to Episcopal, Essman worked at three separate institutions in their college guidance offices: Grinnel, Cornell, Bucknell and Haverford College.
He graduated from the The College of William and Mary and then obtained a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
“The hardest part of the transition for me was learning the private school culture,” said Essman. “More than anything else what life inside an independent school was like because that’s not in my background. I’m a public school kid and I work in college admissions and for me more than learning EA, it was learning about how private schools operate.”
Photo Courtesy of Sammi Ciardi ’15
Essman’s departure is not the only change to the college guidance department. Celia Creskoff will also be retiring from Episcopal after having worked at here for 20+ years. Last year, Lee Billmyer left the guidance department to focus on her role as an English teacher and so college guidance will soon feature many new faces.
Donielle Wright Couture, Princeton University’s current Associate Dean, International Admissions and former Dean and Director of Admissions, will replace Celia Creskoff as Associate Director of College Guidance at Episcopal beginning May 12.
The search for a new head to replace Essman is underway and Essman himself is heavily involved in the process. He stated that, “Based on the people who have inquired about the job, I have no concerns that this office will be in great hands.” Even with the change to the department Essman stated that he has no concerns as to the future of the department when he stated that, “The people who they’re going to have come in and fill these roles are people who are obviously very qualified.”
Both Creskoff and Essman’s presence will be missed on campus. No word yet on who will be taking over as Tiny Tim.
QUICK QUESTIONS FOR ESSMAN:
1. Largest college matriculation for EA?
Penn and Penn State
2. Furthest college matriculation from EA?
“University of St. Andrew’s in Scotland, a distance of about 3,350 miles.”
3. Most underappreciated colleges by EA students?
“I wish more students looked at liberal arts colleges. So much of my educational and professional experience came in liberal arts schools and I think they are such a good choice for the undergraduate experience. The other thing is regional. I wish more students considered schools in the Midwest. I am a native midwesterner and recognize how many amazing schools are out in that region. Our students have always been attracted to the Mid-Atlantic and New England and in recent years have also looked at the Southeast in increasing numbers. I wish I could have helped to make some more inroads at some of those wonderful midwestern schools.”