Classic Dean Cosgrove

The morning of the E/a games, senior Adam MacKay sleeps in until noon. He arrives fifteen minutes before the game and a familiar, jovial voice says, “At least something is going to plan today.”

You’ve all heard his name. You’ve all seen his face—often graced in this very publication. AJ Cosgrove, affectionately known as “Cos,” is as an iconic name on campus as John Phillips. As the Dean of Residential Life, a physics instructor, the soccer coach and a former dorm head, Cosgrove is an inextricable component of Phillips Exeter Academy.

Cosgrove arrived at the Academy at the age of twenty two as a physics instructor. Bright-eyed and ready to begin, nothing could taint his excitement as he began teaching in the basement of the Phelps Academy Center. “Some of my fondest memories are of teaching there,” Cosgrove said. After ten years in the basement, he relocated to the newly-erected Phelps Science Center, a 72,000 square foot space containing twenty classrooms and cutting-edge laboratory equipment.

Now in his twenty-third year at the Academy, Cosgrove has created a different identity for himself as the Dean of Residential Life. The primary function of his job is to ensure a safe, stimulating and enjoyable experience in all facets of the students’ experience. He described the job title as a misnomer and believes it should instead be “Dean of Student Life,” as he enjoys working with students on campus, but also with students who don’t live in dorms.

Cosgrove still remains a physics instructor despite his new position within the administration; however, he only teaches two sections a year, one in the winter and one in the spring. Yet, when teaching, he holds an upbeat personality that his students love. “He had a very joking attitude in the classroom which made the class a lot more fun,” upper Daniela Nemirovsky said.

Balancing his new job title while maintaining a role in the science department has not been easy task, but Cosgrove attributes his ability to meet his responsibilities to the support from his fellow colleagues. “My department always meant a lot to me and I really enjoy being a part of it,” he said. “They nurtured me when I was young and gave me a ton of support. It’s a good, healthy department and I owe a lot to them.”

Being a part of the administration has also shed a new light on the Academy in Cosgrove’s eyes, and for the better. As a dean, Cosgrove got to know Exonians as complex individuals, rather than simply his students. He realized how complicated students' lives can be and how hard many of them work at the Academy, gaining a lot of respect for them.

However, students aren’t the only ones with “a lot going on”— on top of his duties as a dean, Cosgrove has also served as dorm faculty in a variety of residences including Knight House, Peabody, Abbot, Wentworth and Ewald, where he was the dorm head. Though he is no longer affiliated with a dorm, Cosgrove remains the advisor of many of his former students, a role that has contributed to his ever-growing skillset as a dean.

“One of the most important aspects of my job is that I’m on the students’ side,” Cosgrove said. “Working in the dorms, working in the classroom and getting to know kids in all those situations is a necessary aspect of being Dean of Students and it’s been really great.”

Another way that Cosgrove embeds himself at Exeter and connects with students is his role as a coach. His first year, he started as the boys’ JV basketball coach and the JV soccer coach. The following year, he became the assistant coach of the boys’ varsity soccer team, a role he served for thirteen years before becoming the head coach in 2008.

“It was different then, I was younger and would practice with the team,” Cosgrove said with a laugh. “I could do everything they could do and so I was more of an on-field coach.”

His personal coaching style still remains true. Some of the scooer players commended his ability to give constructive feedback and useful tips, as well as his passion for competition and ability to scout opposing teams.

“As a coach, you can tell he really loves the game, as well as seeing his team succeed. Any time the team was in a slump, Cos was there to dig us out, sometimes with unorthodox methods, but we always made out alright,” senior Ben Ferrucci said.

It is clear that Cosgrove not only has been a motivating coach, but has also been a strong source of support in various areas of student life for his athletes. According to senior and varsity soccer captain Devin Moore, Cosgrove has influeced him in so many ways. Whether on the soccer field, or during the  pre-game scouts for hockey, Cosgrove always finds a way to make Moore feel comfotable.

Faculty members also admire Cosgrove’s personality and strength of character. “He is a really hard worker... and he’s got a pretty calm demeanor, which is good when you’re working in a sometimes stressful type of job. He’s got a good perspective on things and a great sense of humor,” Dean of Faculty Ethan Shapiro said.

Assistant Principal Ron Kim agreed, describing Cosgrove as an integral part to life at Exeter for students and faculty alike. “Working with Cosgrove is the highlight of my day,” he added.

Looking forward, Cosgrove plans on taking a year long sabbatical after his fifth year commences as a dean. His peers will miss working with him during the upcoming year.

“It’s fun to be able to have someone across the hall that you know and trust and respect, that has a sense of humor, that you can talk to about anything,” Shapiro said. “I know whoever comes in next will be great, but it’s nice to know you have someone you can count on.”

The campus dynamic will not be the same without Cosgrove’s presence, and Cosgrove might not be the same either. “I’m going to miss the challenges and the uncertainty of the job. There was always a problem to solve and I really thrived off of it,” Cosgrove said, before adding, “I’ll miss The Exonian’s Humor section shoutouts too.”