Nestled safely in the shelves, the keepsakes live tucked among books and photos, reflective of a career spanning 30 years: save-the-dates, wedding invitations and heartfelt cards from student-advisees who grew over time into an extended family. They are sentimental reminders of the small, intimate moments that define the Blair experience far beyond the classroom.

“You might leave Blair, but Blair isn’t going to leave you,” Dean of Campus Life, English teacher and veteran advisor Carolyn Conforti-Browse ’79 shares from her corner office in Clinton Hall, nestling her mementos back in their rightful place. Over three decades, CCB, as she is affectionately known, has welcomed hundreds of advisees to her office. On this day, the conversation pauses for a welcomed interruption from Melody Seghin ’26, an advisee who pops in between classes to relax on the couch for a quick break and chat about her weekend plans. She is headed to a baby shower, and CCB invites Melody to come by later and pick out a present for the mom-to-be from the gifts she keeps for just such an occasion. 

“She’s the best,” Melody quips, before dashing off to her next class. CCB credits her advising ability to her own advisors when she was a student at Blair, former faculty members Charles and Lois Underwood.

“During my first year in college, I remember they drove up on a Sunday to meet me and help with my Russian literature class, and that really stuck with me,” CCB explains. “They demonstrated that, as advisors, the work doesn’t stop at graduation.”

While the nature of advising changes post-Blair, CCB enjoys remaining an important figure in her advisees’ lives. Attending weddings and other milestone events around the world, she continues to lend a listening ear that her students have come to expect. While graduates aren’t quickly popping in for a midday break like Melody when they are thousands of miles away, CCB is sure to reach out to students in the area when she is traveling to catch up for coffee or a meal. 

“This community is unique in that after you leave campus, to be successful, you can’t expect the world to be like Blair,” CCB says, noting how much faculty are there to care for and support students. “You have to go out and make the world like Blair.”

The Power of Choice 

Having advisors is not unique to Blair, and neither is having advisors who truly want the best for their students in all aspects of life. But allowing students to choose their own advisor each year is rare. This unique approach takes far more effort to manage, but, according to Associate Head of School Ryan M. Pagotto ’97, it truly makes a world of difference. 

The dual-advisor system is a foundational element of relationship-based learning at Blair. Students are known and supported well by two faculty advisors: an assigned academic monitor who helps guide them on their academic path, and a faculty member of their own choosing who offers social and emotional support at every juncture of the Blair experience. The advisor-advisee relationship is often the most influential one a student develops at Blair, and monitors also play an essential role in Blair’s feedback loop about students’ accomplishments and challenges. 

“The most powerful influence in the life of a young person is their connection to a trusted adult,” Mr. Pagotto explains. “The student-choice element promotes autonomy and trust that are key to strong student-faculty relationships.”

Students at Blair didn’t always have the freedom to choose their advisor. It was a change initiated by former Head of School T. Chandler Hardwick III and his wife, Monie, in the early 1990s upon coming to the School. 

“Advisor selection and the Hardwicks’ decisions about the advisor role in students’ lives cultivated the student-centered focus that remains today,” CCB reflects. “It was the fulfillment of our mission to know our students, and it lifted all of the faculty’s focus to have those mentorship relationships with all students.” 

Selecting an advisor is an incredibly important decision that students make independently, a process that teaches them to carefully consider and weigh their needs and options. Blair’s graduates usually look to their advisors as mentors and friends long after graduation, and seniors regularly reflect on the depth of their relationship with their advisor as one of the most impactful elements of the Blair experience. 

“It absolutely changed everything at Blair,” math teacher and renowned advisor R. Latta Browse agreed, echoing his wife, CCB’s, sentiments. “What separates us from other schools is that, in everything we do, all relationships are modeled by the advisor program and advisees choosing us.”

There are several purposes behind the ability to choose an advisor that Mr. Pagotto shared. “It sends the message to new students that we trust you to make this decision,” he says, “but it also shows them that faculty are here to support you.” 

In choosing an advisor, students take their first step on the path to self-advocacy and personal growth. They learn more about potential advisors and what they can bring to the table for each student and how they can meet their needs. At the end of each year, the advisor term ends, and students decide if they want to continue with their current advisor or explore a new mentoring relationship with another faculty member. 

“The ability to choose your advisor enriches the Blair experience overall,” Dean of Faculty Life Leucretia Shaw adds, “and there are no hard feelings at the end of each year if an advisee chooses someone else.” Noting that she is here for every student, Mrs. Shaw stresses, “I tell them that if they ever need something to never hesitate to let me know. I’m always impressed by my advisees, and I love applauding their achievements and guiding them when they encounter challenges. Advising has certainly been a highlight of working at Blair.”

The Advisor’s Role 

At Blair, the advisor is not just an academic guide; they are a source of social and emotional support as students grow and learn across all areas of campus life. Having the option of selecting an advisor means students can choose what they are looking for in that relationship. 

An active advisor during her time at Blair, Mrs. Hardwick took on various roles over her 24-year tenure, including Director of Advancement and Strategic Planning. Mrs. Hardwick cherishes her advisees and the time she spent at Blair helping them to learn and grow. Both she and Mr. Hardwick understood the importance of making students the focus of each and every faculty member, making their expertise not just their subject matter, but also knowing their students well. 

“The advisor is somebody, besides your parents, who has confidence and believes in you,” Mrs. Hardwick explains. “We all need that kind of support and encouragement; as a child or young adult, it resonates differently hearing it from a trusted adult besides your parents. It is someone else you know who really cares about you.” 

When the full faculty comes together four times a year to assess each student’s progress—another practice instituted by Mr. Hardwick as Head of School—advisors offer personal perspectives on their advisees, letting their colleagues know when they deserve a pat on the back or need help solving a problem. Advisors and advisees regularly connect at impromptu evening and weekend get-togethers and scheduled time during the academic day simply to catch up. 

“Oftentimes, your role is to help kids navigate the other people and adults in their life,” Mrs. Hardwick said. “You begin working with other people for the benefit of the student.”

One Piece of the Puzzle 

As a former Buccaneer himself and the School’s current Dean of Enrollment, Teddy Wenner ’96 knows better than most that, on the hilltop, advisors are not the only adults looking out for students’ best interests. “A successful mentor relationship is one tailored to what the individual student needs,” he says. “The challenge is figuring out what that perfect recipe for success is for each student, and the advisor is one of many adults shepherding the students along the way.”

In their roles as teachers, coaches, dorm heads, academic monitors, club advisors and so much more, every faculty member is focused on helping students succeed. Each adult in a student’s life at Blair understands a different facet of that young person, presenting themselves differently in various environments. It becomes the responsibility of faculty members, and especially advisors and academic monitors working in tandem, to collaborate and gain a comprehensive understanding of the whole student, as well as to forge meaningful bonds. The result is a deeper understanding of and an ability to appropriately support and challenge students as they work to earn their Blair diplomas. 

“Mentorship is key to the success of the relationship,” Mr. Wenner explains. “As an advisor, my goal is to always give the advice that I think they need to hear, which may not necessarily be what they want to hear. But, because of the close relationship, they are more willing to listen to that advice and guidance because they know it comes from a place of care and concern.” 

Over the years, the mentorship from advisors has become an integral part of the Blair experience, as evidenced by each advisor’s own personal collection of sentiment like CCB’s. Students have flourished under the guidance and care of faculty, and the influence of these relationships has lasted well beyond their time at Blair. The hilltop echoes with stories of mentorship, friendship and growth, all thanks to the profound influence of the advisors handpicked by the students themselves. And, so, the impact of Blair’s relationship-based learning continues, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of its students, fostering a supportive community, and inspiring generations to step outside their comfort zones and embrace new challenges with confidence.