Margot Allen
As Associate Director of Admissions Margot is kept busy identifying suitable students for Shawnigan life and introducing their families to the ways of Shawnigan. As an integral member of the Admissions Department, Margot assists families in applying to Shawnigan, providing tours and sleepovers, welcoming applicants and interviewing prospective students. “I very much enjoy welcoming new students and their families to Shawnigan and providing them with warm hospitality and the information they are looking for.” The application process can be overwhelming for many, and I attempt to assist them as much as possible to help ease them through the procedure. On Opening Day, I feel honoured to have a relationship with our new students already and love to make them feel at home and comfortable in their new environment.
“As AHD of Groves’ House, my maternal instincts are put to good use! The girls of Groves’ House are a dynamic bunch of blossoming adults with such great potential! My evenings and weekends are spent as a photographer, nurse, counselor, chef, manager of operations, mentor, comedian, organizer and disciplinarian. Keeping track of the comings and goings of the girls, issuing taxi slips, permission slips, sleep-in coupons, room inspections, prep-supervision, tuck-ins at bedtime, special events, birthdays and so on keeps all of us in supervisory roles very busy! I have a solid team of individuals (the Stroebels and duty staff) to support me in my role, including the energetic student leaders who assist me. Teamwork makes our House succeed!”
Margot’s most interesting insights come from her experience as a Shawnigan parent. “In 2002, my son, Ian, was offered the Hyde-Lay Scholarship. He wouldn’t have been able to attend Shawnigan without the generosity of the scholarship donors. Ian was not an enthusiastic student, but was social and athletic. Shawnigan saw his potential and challenged him academically, giving him a chance to see success in that realm as well as in athletics and fine arts (woodwork). Choosing Shawnigan was not easy for Ian because it meant giving up the strong community ice hockey programme he had enjoyed for so many years, however, it allowed him to focus on rugby, his other passion. It was the “right” choice. I would also say that although the staff were always supportive and respectful—teachers here treat the students with great respect—it was his peers that made Ian’s Shawnigan experience so valuable. He took away with him friendships so strong, they were more like family than buddies. His Shawnigan friends are his brothers.”
For Margot though, having her son at Shawnigan, was not always easy. “I felt like a pre-mature empty-nester and sometimes viewed the School as ‘the competition.’ I felt as though I had lost him! The benefits though, far outweighed my selfish feelings. It was a financial and emotional struggle, but the outcome—Ian’s education and self-development—more than ‘paid back’ my efforts.
“Before he came to Shawnigan, Ian was shy and a little unsure of himself, but by the time he left, he was able to hold his head high and to meet people’s eyes, shake their hands and carry on a conversation. The confidence he gained at Shawnigan will serve him well.”
When asked what kind of insights she has gained going “undercover” as a staff member this year, Margot replied, “I am simply astounded at the number of hours staff members put in. I see now how dedicated they are to providing outstanding opportunities and mentorship to our kids. They treat the students as individuals not like sheep! I was also amazed to see the kind of financial contributions staff make to all kinds of School fund raising. I am so glad to be part of this community and look forward to giving back to the community (staff and students) that helped my son discover his worth.”