Friday Feature: Shiloh Aderhold Holley '04
"Rabun Gap served to lay a foundation for me to pursue an academic and artistic career. Its approach to community and commitment to diversity also prepared me for my work in nonprofits."
Shiloh Holley ‘04 grew up in Thomasville, NC and attended Rabun Gap as a boarding student. After graduating from Rabun Gap, she went to Wittenberg University in Ohio and earned a bachelors degree in art history and visual arts. She spent a few years in Chicago working in museums and decided to return to school to get a master of arts in art history and museums studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has spent most of her career working in historic sites in education, collections, and administration. Shiloh is now the Executive Director at the Morris-Jumel Mansion Museum in New York City. She lives in the Bronx with her husband Mike, who works in the marketing department for the New York Yankees. The couple is expecting their first child, a girl, in September.
What made you decide to attend Rabun Gap? How many years did you attend?
My older cousins attended. They had great experience and were academically challenged. The school’s mission and community really appealed to me. I attended for all four years of Upper School.
How would you say Rabun Gap has impacted your life since leaving? Did it change you as a person?
Rabun Gap served to lay a foundation for me to pursue an academic and artistic career. Its approach to community and commitment to diversity also prepared me for my work in nonprofits.
Looking back as an adult, what in your mind makes Rabun Gap a special place?
Rabun Gap’s motto, “Work, Study, Worship,” has always appealed to me. It’s important to have all three in your life, no matter what form they take. Rabun Gap prepared me to work hard while keeping service and community in mind.
Tell us about something you wish you had done while at Rabun Gap, but didn't.
I wish I would have been involved in the Cirque program. My yoga practice as an adult has made me regret not pursuing performance-based expression earlier in life.
What's your favorite memory from Rabun Gap?
I fondly remember spending hours on end sitting on the hill outside of the dorms socializing in between after school commitments and study hall.
What do you miss most about Rabun Gap?
The community - everyone was like one large family. The diversity of the student body is incredible and really serves to give insight into other backgrounds and cultures. The faculty and staff were great mentors while at the same time they were able to foster real-life relationships with their students.
What advice do you have for current Rabun Gap students that you wish someone told you during your time at school?
What you do today prepares you for tomorrow’s success.
Which teacher or coach had the greatest influence on you?
There were three: Mr. Henning who told me to question the way things were done and to make the change that needs to happen; Mrs. Manoogian, who encouraged me to pursue a career in the arts; and Mr. Reynolds, who helped me understand that the world is larger than what’s in front of us.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
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Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.
