You may typically see her gliding around campus on her mint green bike, its metal basket shaking over the bumpy pathways. She shoots warm smiles and genuine greetings at those she passes, radiating positive energy. She may have even been the first face you saw after stepping on campus for the first time. She serves as an admissions counselor, sports coach, and an advisor. But for Amanda Dougherty, her many different roles at Hill are much deeper than mere jobs.

Boarding school and sports have been a part of her heart and passions for longer than most people know. And after working at Hill for the past 21 years, Hill is not just a school but her home and her life.

In ninth grade, Dougherty arrived at a boarding school in Connecticut, wide-eyed and excited for such a new and independent experience. Despite a miserable case of strep throat that woefully took over part of her junior year, she proved to be the rare and model boarding school student: never homesick and always positive, even in such an intense environment. As her connections with faculty and coaches blossomed with each year she spent in Connecticut, she knew she wanted boarding school to be a part of her life. A typical 9-to-5 was not part of her future.

Dougherty’s spirit for athletics continued from boarding school into college when she took on two internships with professional sports teams. Her most memorable internship was with the Hartford Whalers, now known as the Carolina Hurricanes, a professional mens hockey team. “Working with a professional team was such an exciting job to have as a college student,” she remarked, “I got to live near the team, go to home games, work in the front office, etc. The energy in the rink was exhilarating” Her interest in sports grew even more through the experiences her internships provided, which is where she decided she wanted to keep sports as a part of her life. She now is a beloved coach of field hockey and squash.

Her love for the boarding school community as well as her passion for sports led her to the Westminster School, where she worked for four years before making the switch to work at Hill. She is a critical part of the admissions office and sincerely enjoys the many experiences her job entails.

“I love that no two days are exactly the same, and I get to build many different relationships with many different people,” Doughtery explained.

Being the warm and approachable person that she is; meeting new families, traveling for admissions events, interviewing prospective students, and the other ways she interacts with others is something she truly enjoys. While potential stressors such as applications not being complete, families showing up late, or forgetting material for school fairs certainly keep her on her toes, she has learned to be flexible and “sort things out on the fly.”

Dougherty’s office is located on the second floor of the admissions building, tucked away into the corner. It is here that likely nervous prospective students tiptoe into the room for their official interviews. Luckily for them, the environment in Dougherty’s office is nothing but comforting. Light streams through the many windows on sunny afternoons, creating a cheery mood in the room.

“I love the natural light I get on nice days, it makes me feel at ease,” she remarked.

Dougherty often has an oil diffuser sat on the windowsill, making the space smell of fragrances such as apples or lavender. A box of dark chocolate bon-bons wrapped in silver foil often travels around the room, but typically rests upon her mahogany coffee table. Facing the coffee table is a plush floral printed couch adorned with red pillows and a royal blue blanket.

Always sitting centered atop her wooden desk is a sturdy purple striped box.

“I call it my zoom box,” she said with a laugh, “it props up my computer when I’m in zoom meetings. I honestly don’t know what’s inside!”

When not at Hill, Dougherty loves spending time with her family at their beach house in New Jersey. Her family consists of her husband Jim and their three children: Maddy in ninth grade, Libby in sixth grade, and Tuck in second grade. One of her greatest joys is having her children grow up in Hill’s environment.

“I’m lucky they get to experience the amazing opportunities on campus, like theater events, sports games, and the dining hall,” she said. “They also get to grow up surrounded by so many amazing older role models like the students on my sports teams and in my advisory.”
Traditions are a huge part of not just boarding school culture but any campus life. At Hill, the strawberry festival is one of those traditions. The whole community gathers together just a few days before graduation to celebrate the end of the spring term and the future of the 6th formers. On this day, the sun is always beaming its golden warmth onto the emerald grass, and the smell of summer lingers in the breeze. Nothing can be amiss on this day. Dougherty cuts up the strawberries the night before the event—the juice from the strawberry and sugary whipped cream making for sticky hands.

“I always go home with the sweet scent of the strawberries all over me. It’s truly such a happy tradition, and my favorite one at Hill,” she said.

Amanda Dougherty knows boarding school life and athletics like the back of her hand. The Hill School started as just a job, and has become her life, her pride, her home, a place to raise her children, and so much more. Having spent significant time with her, I can attest to her intense care for others, her infectious charisma, and her genuine laughter. Maybe one day she’ll open up her zoom box and figure out what is inside.