Catching up with Sarah Tilbor ’08 For Tilbor, W&L instilled a healthy curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.
Sarah Tilbor ’08What was your major at W&L, and how does it apply to your career now?
I created my own major in environmental economics. The economics piece gave me the background to go back to business school in 2012. The environmental piece has been an undercurrent to my career since college. For each role and decision, I consider the environmental and social implications.
What was your first job after graduation?
Environmental consulting for a boutique firm in D.C.
How did W&L prepare you for your career?
W&L offered opportunities to learn (inside and outside the classroom), and the faculty encouraged healthy curiosity and a love of learning. I think those broader lessons are the ones that will stick with me for my whole career.
What are some of your major or memorable career milestones?
One of my favorite roles to date has been at Target Corporation as a senior buyer in baby essentials. While in this role, I had the opportunity to help shape childhood nutrition by working with vendors on innovation to lean in to “better for you” products. Target has about 20% share in the baby category and it’s nice to know that I could help one-fifth of all babies in the U.S. One other moment of pride is that I coached club lacrosse since graduation and helped to get 30+ student athletes into their future college.
Who or what has most inspired you along the way? (Staff, faculty, classmates, internships, alumni, etc.)?
The women’s lacrosse coaches (Jan, Wendy, and Brooke) and teammates for teaching how to love the process, the Outing Club that inspired an appreciation of the outdoors, and the internships where I discovered what I didn’t want to pursue as a career but learned a ton!
What do you miss most about your time at W&L?
Living with some of my best friends and favorite people, Goshen Pass afternoons, and working toward a common goal on the women’s lacrosse team.
What was the one class you most enjoyed outside of your major, and why?
Women’s Rights & Gender Equality
What is the one class or professor you wish you could return to campus and take a class with now?
Anything geology — I still love learning about rocks!
What is one thing on your W&L bucket list that you would still like to accomplish?
I always wanted to hike the Gila with the outing club — maybe one day!
What advice would you give to next year’s graduating class?
Get outside and take classes that aren’t on your radar — you’ll learn something worthwhile.
Tell a favorite memory in five sentences or less.
I have fond memories of pre-orientation Outing Club training and hikes. During one trip that I led, my cell phone started buzzing because of inclement weather and a tornado warning. We ended up getting a ton of rain, and I vividly remember attempting to cook dinner for 12 freshmen, using a poncho as rain cover. We laughed until we cried.
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