A reflection on 10-years of service: Rachel Chadwick
For 10 years, it has been our mission to have a positive impact on people, whether it is our pupils, the surrounding community or our staff. Former Director of Admissions and Deputy Bursar Rachel Chadwick was both a witness to and a beneficiary of this mission. As Rachel opens a new chapter in her life, she reflects on her decade-long tenure at Wellington, how our College has grown and how she has grown along with it.
Rachel Chadwick looks back on 10 years of growth
Here are some highlights from our talk:
A glimpse of the early days
“When we lived in the boarding house, we couldn't get a taxi. There was no Didi. No one knew where we could order food. We had to beg the local Pizza Hut, which is about 20 minutes away, to deliver to us. And it was only because we were feeding 35 boarders that they agreed. It was a big enough order that they agreed to come out this far to bring us pizza. So, the difference now is just incredible.”
“I remember when the chairman of the Swire Group came to visit the College. They had just bought the parcel of land where Taikoo Li is now. He very much wanted to come and see how we'd finished off the school…and what the community was going to be like. I remember him telling me that some of his colleagues back in Hong Kong thought he was crazy for buying such an expensive piece of land in China. But if you look around now, it’s clear he made the right bet.”
10 years of community growth
“When I started in September 2014, there were 330 children. I think about 50 new children joined us the following January, and then about another 300 joined us the following September. So, we've grown up by about 300 children each year.”
10 years of career growth
“I hadn't worked in a school before. I was a corporate lawyer, so I came from a completely different background. It was a completely new career for me. I have to confess: I didn't have a clue what I was doing. But I used my project management skills from working on transactions…and brought them into the school. So, quite quickly I was able to mobilise a team and started getting into what the job was…. They took a chance on me. I came to the school as a director of admissions, and I had never done admissions. And I think I proved that I was a good gamble at the time.”
“I don't think I've had a day in 10 years when I've been bored working here because there is never a day that was the same. And I've held various positions over the years. I've helped with start-up schools, like Huili Shanghai [now Hiba Academy Shanghai]. I've helped at this sort of group level with admissions, and then I moved into a deputy bursar role.”
“I made the transition out of being a lawyer, and whilst this job is not easy, it's got meaning. And if you're ever having a bad day or something annoys you, all you have to do is walk into the corridor and you see the kids, or you walk onto the playground, or something is happening on the stage. It makes it all worthwhile.”
Thank you for your decade of service and impact on our global community, Rachel, you will be missed.
Related Articles
