After starting her position remotely in New Jersey, Birmingham-Southern’s new Director of Admission Amanda Hardie is now in her office on the Hilltop. Hardie joined our team from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., and this year marks her fifteenth year working in higher education.
“It’s been an adventure to switch jobs in the middle of a pandemic,” she says. “Everyone at Birmingham-Southern has been welcoming and kind. The community is everything that people have said.”
Hardie first got involved in the college admission field as a campus tour guide when she was a Rutgers student. After graduating in 2005, she stayed at Rutgers as an admissions counselor, director of the Office of Recruitment, and, most recently, as assistant dean of Douglass Residential College, Rutgers’ women’s program.
From her time as a student tour guide to her many different admission and recruitment roles, Hardie has always loved being a part of the enrollment process. She gets to work with high school students as they decide on a school as well as current students who are excited to share their experience with others.
“For high school students, it’s such a pivotal time in their lives, and we can be a part of that. It’s nice to work with students and families and get to answer their questions,” she says.
As director of admission at BSC, Hardie works with our team of admission counselors to enroll the incoming class and guide students through the admission process. This year, recruitment will look much different under current COVID-19 precautions and a disruption in the typical school year.
“This is our time to get more creative and see how we can stand out,” Hardie says. “It takes a village, now more than ever.”
Hardie encourages students to ask for help and support throughout the college admission process because everyone is learning how to adjust this year. Though BSC admission counselors usually spend a portion of the year traveling and visiting high schools, outreach will be largely virtual this year.
“Keep an open mind and be flexible,” she advises incoming and current students. “Enjoy what you can from this time.”