Director of College Guidance Sees N.Y. Schools on Latest Tour


Kirk Blackard

Planes, trains, Ubers, and of course a trusty bike.

Director of College Guidance Kirk Blackard chose the mode of transportation that suited him accordingly but was mostly behind the handlebars July 7-13 for the 16th annual Tour d’Admission through New York.

Mr. Blackard will share the insight he gathered in the Empire State with Christ School families throughout the coming months and years.

The Tour d'Admission is a summer gathering of high school counselors – always in a different part of the United States, but with the same purpose – to learn about a particular region's colleges from admissions officers. Mr. Blackard was a co-leader for this year’s Tour and pedaled 275 miles to eight different New York universities – Syracuse, Hamilton, Colgate, Cornell, Wells, Hobart and William Smith, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the University of Rochester. There was also a “power breakfast” one morning with representatives from Lemoyne, Nazareth, Keuka, and Utica.

“One of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing a student well-placed. Getting out on two wheels over the past 16 years has given me the opportunity to share an up close and personal experience with students, allowing me the opportunity to get to know not only admission folk, but a number of other members of the community who may interact with students after they enroll in a college or university,” Mr. Blackard said.

“There are times on my annual summer bike ride when I feel like I am right back in college. Late-night conversations with friends in hallways, early-morning wake up for a meeting, meals in the dining hall, not to mention sharing a hall bathroom and late-night trips to the laundry room to take care of dirty clothes. This deep immersion into what it might be like to be in college at each of the eight to 10 schools we visit is invaluable to me as I think about which of our students might be great fits.”

Tour N.Y.

In recent years, Mr. Blackard has also been part of Tours through the Pacific Northwest (2018), central Pennsylvania (2017), Colorado (2016), Virginia (2015), and Ohio (2014). Tour groups have ranged in size from half a dozen to 20 cyclists.  

“It’s exciting to visit new schools and re-visit old schools to see what they are doing to keep up with the times,” Mr. Blackard said. “Some share new, fanciful facilities. Others discuss capital projects in the works and some share futuristic programs that are sure to wow prospective students and parents. As much as I appreciate the knowledge gained and relationships formed with college/university admission offices, the camaraderie developed with dedicated, good-natured, and engaging riding companions from around the country has made the trip an incredibly powerful experience for me and reinforced the idea that it is as much about the journey as it is the destination.”

College tour