Meet Sarah Zimmerman ’26 Zimmerman values the connections she’s made with her soccer and basketball teammates and coaches that she knows will last long after graduation.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs
December 10, 2024

Sarah Zimmerman ’26
Hometown: Cincinnati
Major/minor: Business administration and mathematics

Why did you choose to come to W&L?
W&L provides an intimate academic environment with small class sizes that have allowed me to develop meaningful relationships with my professors. Additionally, as someone who entered college uncertain about my academic path, W&L’s liberal arts curriculum provided me with the perfect opportunity to explore diverse subjects and discover my true academic passions. Lastly, the university’s unique culture encourages students to pursue multiple interests and passions at the same time. This has allowed me to balance varsity sports, Greek life and academic leadership roles like peer tutoring. At W&L, I have the ability to fully immerse myself in various aspects of campus life, which is exactly what I was looking for in my college experience.

Have you discovered a course or topic that you didn’t expect to study when you first came to W&L?
One of my most unexpected and enriching academic experiences at W&L came during my freshman year Spring Term when I took History of West African Cooking with professor Henryatta Ballah. Honestly, I initially selected the course to fulfill a history requirement, but it became one of my most memorable and valuable classes. Through hands-on cooking experiences, the course offered a unique and immersive approach to understanding African culture and history.

What has been your most impactful experience at W&L, either on or off-campus?
Being a member of the W&L women’s soccer and basketball teams has undoubtedly been my most impactful college experience. Every day I am surrounded by incredibly talented and driven young women who push me to reach my full potential, both in and out of sports. The relationships I have developed with my teammates who have become some of my best friends and my coaches who have been mentors from the moment I stepped on campus have not only shaped my college experience but are connections I know will last long after graduation.

What was your favorite class and why?
My favorite class I have taken at W&L was Accounting 100. As someone who has always been a numbers-oriented thinker, this course showed me how I can channel my analytical strengths into the business world. This class was a major reason I decided to pursue a business administration major.

What are your hobbies/interests? How has W&L helped you develop and pursue them?
Having tutored throughout high school and worked as a summer school teacher, I have always loved the meaningful connections that are developed through helping others. W&L’s Peer Tutoring Program has allowed me to continue to do this here at school. What makes tutoring at W&L so special is how it brings together students from all corners of campus. I have been able to form meaningful relationships with students I might never have met otherwise.

What do you like about being a DIII athlete?
Being a DIII athlete at W&L has given me the best of both worlds. I get to compete at a high level in the sports I love without having to sacrifice other aspects of my college experience. DIII allows you to be a true student-athlete and get involved in other campus activities.

Fun fact:
My two younger sisters are freshmen at W&L and play on my sports teams with me!