Patrick J. Garrity

Associate Director of Communications Patrick Garrity considers himself a storyteller. In charge of managing the Academy’s online presence, he showcases the spirit of Exeter to those beyond its walls. “I want to present Exeter in the best light possible. I want to show [that] it's a place of excellence, a place of diversity, a place with all the different and amazing things that this school has to offer,” he said. His hard work at the Academy has directly impacted the school’s social media presence: under Garrity’s management, the number of people following Exeter’s accounts on different platforms has grown to the thousands.

A New Englander by birth, Garrity found his passion for journalism early in his life. His interest in writing deepened over the years, and he ultimately chose to pursue a career as a journalist. “I was in journalism for over twenty years,” he said. “I’ve worked in some very different places.” Most notably, he served as an Executive Producer at NBC News Online, the online arm of the national news provider.

“With his keen sense of humor, he is definitely a good addition to the team," said Robin Giampa.

However, Garrity chose to leave the hectic New York City lifestyle for his family. “What brought me [to Exeter] is that I’m married with two little girls. They're now five and seven,” he said, smiling. “We wanted to find a place a little quieter—to give them a backyard behind the house.”

Garrity currently runs the Academy’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages in addition to providing content for the Exeter website. “I do a variety of jobs—we all kind of wear a lot of different hats here,” he said. “I manage digital content, and that [means] sharing that stuff on social media.”

However, Instagram is his favorite social media platform. “I simply love photos,” he said. “I especially like still images, so I really feel like Instagram gives a great platform to show off a still.” Garrity hopes to capture the everyday lives of students and faculty at the Academy and share the photos with the wider community.

To capture these images, Garrity utilizes both planned events and moments that arise. “There is method to the madness,” he said. “Although, I will say this: walking by a place, [if] I see a cool photo, I'll snap it…Sometimes, it's as simple as that. I put up a photo [on social media] of a place or a person that I know will resonate.”

Garrity also undertakes longer-term projects that showcase the vibrancy of the Academy community. In particular, he is proud of his work on the Throwback Thursday posts, in which he would match an archival image with a present location. “I got to dig through the archives and find old photos, and I saw what the school was like. It helped me learn much about the school as a new employee—as much as anything,” he recalled. “I didn’t realize it, but the photos crossed generational lines, and I really enjoyed that. We're going to try to resurrect that [project] again—that was an outlet for me creatively.”

Director of Communications Robin Giampa praised Garrity’s artistic nature and talent for promoting the Academy and connecting with different people. “Mr. Garrity understands Exeter and what makes us special, and knows what stories and platforms work with which audiences,” she said. “With his keen sense of humor, he is definitely a good addition to the team.”

Videographer Christian Harrison expressed his admiration for Garrity’s distinctive style. “I admire how quickly he can come up with a good post. The way he talks and his voice for social media [are] very good.”

Students agree with Harrison’s assessment of Garrity’s skills. “I like the tone of the account,” said upper Kevin Xu. “It’s not overly formal—it’s lively, but it doesn’t go overboard.”

Responding to comments and following the student body is also part of managing the Instagram account. Garrity says he tries to balance playfulness with a respect for privacy. “I want the students to feel free to have a conversation on their own without a ‘big brother’ hanging over them,” he said. “It's a fine line between being engaged and being over-present.”

Prep Daniel Han appreciated the effort Garrity makes to connect with students. “[Being followed by a Phillips Exeter account] made me feel accomplished,” Han said. “I really like Mr. Garrity. He followed me without me even asking him [first]!”

Harrison also noted Garrity’s commitment to following Exonians, recalling an encounter between Garrity and the Student-Alumni Relations Council. “[Garrity] handed them the phone and said, ‘All right. Here you go. Follow yourselves.’ And they passed it around the room, and everyone followed themselves.”

Despite his frequent presence online and at student events, Garrity wishes he was more able to make a personal connection with the students. “That's one of my faults—not developing those relationships,” he said, citing the contrast between being an objective reporter versus representing an institution in a positive light. "It goes back to when I was a journalist—you're always taught to keep a distance. That's a learned behavior, to be a fly on the wall. I need to retrain my brain when it comes to that.”

Garrity still enjoys his role as a facilitator between the Academy’s social media followers and current students, and he emphasized the importance of social media in drawing together the community. “I want to be in contact with our student body, and being connected to them [through social media] is always fun [for me],” he said.