Robert L. Stearns Award: Sara McDonald (Mgmt’01)
Since her earliest role as a student employee, McDonald has consistently been a reliable and irreplaceable leader at CU Boulder.
Fond of saying she grew up in the CU Boulder School of Education, she watched her mother, Patty McDonald, build an unassailable reputation as a trusted administrator in her 32 years with the school.
In 2001, McDonald graduated from CU with a degree in business management, then worked her way up to her current position as senior director of operations at the School of Education, a community she has lovingly served and played an essential role in leading for over 20 years.
Described by colleagues as the “heart and soul of the School of Education,” McDonald plans and runs many of the school’s events. Using her master’s degree in information and learning technologies from CU Denver, she manages technology, IT and logistical needs for all school spaces, students, faculty and staff.
McDonald has also embraced CU Boulder’s diversity, equity and inclusion commitments, making her a source of refuge for many students of color and LGBTQ+ leaders seeking a safe space. Recently, she started a Staff of Color Alliance, and she has also served on the School of Education’s Strategic Planning Committee and Equity and Justice Committee.
