By Erin B. O’Mara
In early September, I was invited to interview for a yet-to-be determined position at Buffalo Seminary (SEM), a school in a realm of education completely unfamiliar to me. Over the four hours I spent as a visitor and interviewee, I toured the beautiful building and grounds, observed classes in active instruction, met faculty and students, and spoke at length with several members of the administration, including Helen Marlette, the current albeit outgoing Head of School.
Having only two weeks earlier sold my house in the Hudson Valley and moved to Buffalo, my plan was to NOT work — at least not right away. I wanted to take some time off from focusing on my career after ten years at a residential school for individuals with developmental disabilities, to reset, write, read, do some yoga, and get to know my way around Buffalo. But there is something about SEM.
I took the job as Assistant Director of Admissions and Marketing, and have been learning more about the culture of this wonderful school and workplace every day. The inherent theme in all things SEM is authenticity. The students, who come from all over the world, are encouraged, nurtured, and challenged to be their most authentic selves, and it shows. My colleagues are passionate, brilliant, and dedicated standouts in their areas of educational expertise, and as members of the Buffalo community at large.
The school size enables everyone to be attentive to one another’s needs, which fosters a supportive, open, and kind culture. I am continually impressed by how everything from incomprehensible world events to deeply personal processes and feelings are addressed thoughtfully, with sensitivity and guidance. SEM meets the students where they are in their emotional, social, and academic development, and then keeps raising the bar, helping them continuously meet and exceed their goals.
My interview at SEM was the day before my 41st birthday. I do feel like my authentic self now. I’m happy to have landed where I have, and am proud of what I’ve experienced in my life, but I might have avoided a decade or two of confusion if I’d had access to something like SEM as a teenager.
From a marketing perspective, it is a challenge to distill the essence of this school down to ideas that would fit in an ad, an email, or a social media post. I hope my fresh perspective and personal reflection will pique the interest of families here in Buffalo and elsewhere with daughters who will one day become adults in a world that desperately needs more authenticity, kindness, and leadership.
SEM will soon celebrate its 175th year, and in July we will welcome our 15th Head of School, Blair Parker of Friends Seminary in NYC, following Helen Marlette’s remarkable tenure. It is an exciting time for the school and its incredible community. Arrange a visit and tour to see for yourself how special SEM is at https://www.buffaloseminary.org/admission/admission, or call 716-885-6780.
Erin B. O’Mara is the Assistant Director of Admissions and Marketing at Buffalo Seminary.
