Feature Alumni Profile: Sara Zachary Thompson '05! Sara talks about what she's been up to since graduating, her time at Rabun Gap, and her hopes for the school in the future.

Tell us what you have been up to since leaving Rabun Gap? college,  job, location, family, life changes? 

I graduated from Rabun Gap with the class of ‘05. I’ve moved around quite a bit since graduating, mostly for school and/or work. I went to undergrad at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, class of ‘09, and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minors in sociology and dance. I also met my husband in college and we got married in 2012. After college, I was accepted to graduate school at Spalding University, so I moved to Louisville, KY and lived there for 5 years. We also adopted a puppy (she’s almost 13 now). In 2014, I matched for an internship at the University of South Florida so we moved to Tampa, FL for one year. I received my doctorate degree in clinical psychology in 2015. After that, I was accepted for a postdoc at the Bay Pines, VA, and eventually began working there as staff. We lived in St. Petersburg, FL for 4 years. I had the opportunity to transfer to the Louisville VA so we moved back in 2019. I’ve continued to dance since high school, and currently I take 4 classes per week. 

 

Rabun Gap prepared me for my career in a lot of ways. The most obvious is the educational opportunities.  RGNS helped me to develop a strong work ethic and gain my independence. I was also exposed to people from diverse backgrounds which helped me to appreciate and value different viewpoints.

There’s so many! Indoor snowball fights, off-roading in the mini bus during environmental science class, dorm pranks, getting to sleep in on a school day after hurricane Ivan took the power out, being on the tennis team, cheerleading, and participating in dance recitals, the list goes on. 

 

Mr. (now Dr.) Seehorn’s environmental science classes helped me find a love for science. Ms. Bonn was my home room teacher and I always enjoyed spending time in her room, Mr. & Mrs. Henning’s warm and caring nature and all of the dance teachers I had.

 

What advice do you have for current Rabun Gap students that you wish someone told you during your time at school? 

Enjoy your time at Rabun Gap! Work hard, but don’t forget to have fun because life is short. Take advantage of the unique opportunities that this school has to offer. 

To continue to help students learn in a caring and supportive environment, and also continue to support the performing arts.

 

Go Eagles!