Vivien Valenzuela Mallick, Associate Dean of Admission

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My name is Vivien Valenzuela Mallick, but no one ever calls me Vivien. My family calls me V, my friends and co-workers call me Viv, and the students here call me “Miss Mallick.” I am married, but somehow it’s easier for them to say “Miss Mallick” than “Mrs. Mallick.” For the past 9+ years, I've been fortunate enough to have the greatest job in the world—admission counselor at Phillips Academy (better known as Andover). I get to meet great students from around the world, read applications, coordinate admission publications and on-campus events, and now I am excited to embark on a new adventure.  I get to blog!

I grew up in central New Jersey, but came to New England in 1995 to attend Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. Tufts gave me a very generous financial aid package, and part of that was a work-study job in their undergraduate admissions office. I did a little bit of everything there—answered the phone, opened the mail, gave tours, helped give the student perspective during information sessions, etc. I loved admissions work and when I graduated from Tufts in 1999, I decided to--on a whim--apply for an entry-level position in the Andover admission office. I’ve been here ever since, and over time, promoted to associate dean!

In addition to my work in the admission office, I am a house counselor and academic advisor in Nathan Hale House, the largest ninth-grade girls’ dormitory on campus, and an assistant coach for the girls’ JV2 lacrosse team. In my spare time, I enjoy going to Guster concerts, checking out the latest Christian Bale movie, singing and dancing around the house with my 2-year-old daughter Carly, eating at the Lantern Brunch (my favorite breakfast place in the Andover), watching the Red Sox and Patriots on TV, and brainstorming ideas to blog about.