Aubrey Hillman Headshot

Aubrey Hillman

Outreach Specialist, Camps and Field Trips

K-12 University Center
Academic Affairs

585-475-7106
Office Location
088-1013

Aubrey Hillman

Outreach Specialist, Camps and Field Trips

K-12 University Center
Academic Affairs

Bio

Aubrey Hillman, a Spencerport native, has been diabetic for more than 20 years – something she said helped shaped her life, and led to a career pathway that gave her a passion for education, summer camp experiences and working with children.

Now, as an outreach specialist with Camps and Field Trips for the K-12 University Center at Rochester Institute of Technology, Hillman aims to create similar opportunities for youth that she had growing up.

“I want to be a part of creating these experiences for kids to make connections and essentially look forward to coming back every year, knowing this place – RIT – is where they made memories, met some really good friends, and became a place they knew was inclusive and supported their interests,” she said. “I’ve been a diabetic my whole life, and it’s a huge part of what shaped me and led to a pathway to things like summer camps and finding a love of education in a really nontraditional way.”

Hillman started in the position in January of 2023 after working as a substitute teacher in school districts across the Rochester area, including Brighton Central School District, Palmyra-Macedon Central School District, Rochester City School District and various schools in Rochester’s west-side suburbs. That, she said, allowed her to see and learn the diversity in communities and education in the region, by being embedded in rural, suburban and urban settings. Most recently, she was a long-term substitute special education teacher in Brighton.

Hillman also worked as a staff member for about 10 years with Rochester Rotary Sunshine Camp, which she attributes to her introduction of summer camp experiences and working with local youth.

“It has a special place in my heart, and gave me an experience working extensively with kids and adults with disabilities,” she said. “Going to camp – it became the happiest day to get there and crying because you had to leave. It’s moments like these where you can help make magic happen in someone’s life, and look forward to doing that here and creating those memories for others.”

The K-12 center oversees various programs such as Camp TigerKids on Campus, the RIT-Rochester Prep High School partnership, and other youth-related opportunities for academic and personal supports, career and college readiness, nontraditional admissions experiences on campus, workforce education and more.

In her position, Hillman is tasked with working alongside Kids on Campus Director Kraig Farrell to connect with schools and other youth groups interested in visiting RIT for custom field trips. That generally includes a tour of RIT and opportunities for groups to explore campus with hands-on activities tailored to their interests.

“We will work with the group that approaches us, and create something to meet the groups’ goals,” she said. “That often puts them in a unique field trip experience that encapsulates everything they’re looking for, so it’s more memorable. Kids can get interactive experiences, attend workshops, visit RIT facilities, work with faculty – it’s kind of like the Build-A-Bear (Workshop) of campus experiences.”

Hillman is a 2021 graduate of Nazareth College with degrees in history, and adolescent education/ adolescent special education. She also pursued a master’s degree at the University of Rochester, and plans to continue learning at RIT through the School of Individualized Studies.

In her free time, Hillman said she enjoys climbing and is part of Central Rock Gym in Rochester. The hobby takes her to various places in nearby Canada and the Adirondack Mountains. It’s an activity she said she got involved in nearly two years ago with a friend, and encourages others to try it.

585-475-7106