ADL Mountain States Region Board Member Sara Zessar is passionate about helping students make the best college choices possible for themselves. She is also passionate about the mission of the Anti-Defamation League.

 

How did you first become involved in ADL? How are you involved now?

I first became involved in the ADL by participating in the Glass Leadership Institute (now the Robert B. Sturm Mountain States Leadership Fellow Program) in 2011-2012.  I joined the board in 2013 and was co-chair of Sturm Fellows from 2014-2016.  Currently, I’m a member of the Education Committee.

What do you do in your professional life?

After working for six years as a high school counselor, I transitioned to a career in independent college consulting.  My company, Discovery College Consulting, assists high school students with the college search and admissions process.  I truly enjoy helping students in their journey from high school to college and watching them grow along the way.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I had many different career aspirations: first female president of the U.S., teacher, lawyer, marine biologist (when I thought that meant training dolphins and other animals), journalist, and psychologist.  I don’t think I ever imagined I would own my own business, but here I am!

Where were you born? From where do your ancestors hail?

I was born in Rock Island, Illinois — one of the Quad Cities, a region in Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa along the Mississippi River.  My dad’s father came to the U.S. from Poland and my dad’s mother emigrated from what was then Russia but is now Ukraine.  My mom’s parents were both born in the U.S., but all of her grandparents emigrated from Russia.

What’s your favorite holiday?

My favorite holidays are Halloween and Thanksgiving.  I’ve always loved an excuse to wear a costume, and I think I enjoy Halloween even more as an adult than I did as a kid.  I like Thanksgiving because it’s an opportunity to get together with family and friends and eat a lot of good food.

What’s your favorite food?

I can’t narrow it down to just one, but pasta, cheese, and chocolate are the top three.

What are you reading?

I recently read Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer and now I’m reading Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly.

What’s a special place you have visited?

I visited the Galapagos Islands in 2010.  It was a place I’d wanted to go for many years, ever since I learned about Charles Darwin and the research he did there.  The wildlife was amazing, and I saw animals that don’t live anywhere else in the world, including Lonesome George, a giant tortoise that was the last known individual of his species.  He died in 2012 so I was really glad I got to see him while he was still alive.  I also got to swim in the ocean with sea lions, which was truly remarkable.

What’s one thing every person should know or experience?

I think everyone should live in a foreign country, even if it’s just for a short time.  I studied abroad in London for a semester in college, and it was an amazing experience.  Many people assume that Britain is very similar to the U.S., but it’s actually quite different.

What teacher or class stands out to you the most in your education and why?

In high school, I took a fiction writing class that was taught by a phenomenal teacher.  I’ve always loved to write, and the class gave me the chance to try several different types of writing that I didn’t get to pursue in other classes.  The class also inspired me to start a literary and art magazine at my school.

What are you passionate about personally? What can’t you stop talking about?

I am passionate about the work I do.  It’s such a privilege to be able to help young people engage in a process of self-discovery to figure out who they are, what’s important to them, and what they are looking for in a college.  Then, I get to help them communicate to colleges who they are and what they have to offer.

Where can we find you when you’re not working?

Since it’s the summer, you can often find me hiking.  I love getting out of the city and taking advantage of all the beauty that surrounds us here in Colorado.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Contact lenses.  Switching from glasses to contacts changed my life.  I rarely even think about my contacts, but I can’t imagine having to go back to wearing glasses all the time.

If you had to teach something, what would you teach?

I’d teach students how to write a college application essay, which would combine my passion for working with teens with my love of writing.  Although I regularly do this in a one-on-one setting with my students, I’ve also conducted essay-writing workshops.

Why do you choose to make a financial investment in ADL?

I choose to invest in the Anti-Defamation League because I strongly believe in its mission to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.”  So many of the issues ADL works on are of personal importance to me.  In light of current events, I feel ADL’s work has become even more critical, and I support it both financially and with my time.

Complete this sentence: For me, the ADL is …

An organization that is just as important and necessary today as it was when it was founded over 100 years ago.