A Sacred Heart Greenwich education emphasizes service and taking action to benefit the local and global community. Alumnae Ms. Sarah Eckerson ’19, Ms. Lauren Manning ’09, and Ms. Christina Weiler ’17 embody Goal Three, “a social awareness that impels to action.” While these alumnae work in different industries and disciplines, all three use their skills and expertise for the benefit of others. Ms. Eckerson, Ms. Manning, and Ms. Weiler talked about how their experiences on King Street helped shape their career choices and prepare them to follow their paths.
Ms. Eckerson attended Sacred Heart for eight years, starting in fifth grade. She studied at Boston University to receive her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. Currently, Ms. Eckerson works with the hospitality programs and external relationships at the Ronald McDonald House programs team in New York City. The Ronald McDonald House is an organization that provides families struggling with essential needs, by aiding them with child health care. Their mission is to focus on the health and well-being of the children and families they help. Ms. Eckerson shared how her Sacred Heart experience helped her succeed.
“Sacred Heart really laid the foundation of my education and personal development, and it stays with me through all that I do,” Ms. Eckerson said. “From the small things, like the vocab words Doc Mott taught us that I still hear in my everyday life, to the bigger things, such as learning to be a strong woman with a voice, Sacred Heart is there to guide us to be our best. I always felt like Sacred Heart did a great job at making us well-rounded students, but as a new college graduate, I also feel that so much of what I learned and experienced there has prepared me well to be a successful, motivated, and passionate adult.”
The Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart also help the alumnae in the workspace. Ms. Eckerson shared how Goal Three motivates her everyday work.
“I am grateful for the commitment to service that Sacred Heart instilled in me that encouraged me to work at such an amazing charity,” Ms. Eckerson said.
Similar to Ms. Eckerson, Ms. Manning carries on the mission of Goal Three in her current job working for Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian and development organization. After graduating from Sacred Heart, Ms. Manning received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and earned her master’s degree from University of Chicago. She is currently an internal consultant supporting teams around the world. Her job is to implement programs that ensure the government is responsive to citizens. She works to change the norms that hold traditional power structures in place and build trust. Ms. Manning shared how Sacred Heart’s Goal Five, “personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom,” shaped who she is now.
“Girls aren’t often given permission to follow their interests, ask big questions, and embrace creativity if it means challenging societal constructs of what it means to be a ‘woman,'” Ms. Manning said. “This is shifting in a lot of circles, but I feel like my Sacred Heart education gave me a jump on this consideration.”
The tangible ideas of the Goals and Criteria become grounded in these alumnae through their lives beyond King Street. Service played a big role in Ms. Eckerson’s life as a Sacred Heart student. She grew to value the strong foundation of generosity and the desire to give back to others especially when leaving the Sacred Heart community. She commented on the lasting impact of Goal Five in her education and career.
“[Goal Five] is a powerful lesson for the young women at Sacred Heart to pursue new opportunities and strive toward personal growth in all aspects,” Ms. Eckerson said. “Goal Five encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, be brave, and trust myself in times of uncertainty.”
Ms. Weiler studied Environmental Studies and Latin American Studies at Colgate University. The first job she took out of college was a Fulbright teaching grant to teach English in a village in Spain. This experience showed Ms. Weiler how much she valued living and making an impact on a neighborhood scale. She now works for an environmental justice nonprofit in her hometown. When asked how her experience at Sacred Heart helped her succeed, Ms. Weiler shared her experience.
“The people I met at Sacred Heart showed me through example that it is always important to show kindness, open-mindedness, and respect to oneself and others,” Ms. Weiler said. “Trying to practice these values on my own has led me to learn about culture, languages, community, and tradition in the neighborhoods I have lived and worked. These have been some of the most rewarding moments of my life.”
These women are just a few of many Sacred Heart alumnae who actively do their part to make the world a better place as well as encourage other girls still attending Sacred Heart to do the same. Ms. Eckerson, Ms. Manning, and Ms. Weiler shared how the Goals of Criteria at Sacred Heart helped shape the people they have become. Ms. Manning reflected on the significance of mentorship at Sacred Heart and how the values obtained from her experience on King Street enabled her to arrive to where she is now.
“Having teachers and mentors who invested in my growth and friends and peers who shared similar interests and values was absolutely transformative,” Ms. Manning said. “What you learn in the classroom is very important, but soft skills and values like empathy, support for one another, confidence, and intellectual curiosity influence me every single day.”
Featured Image by Olivia Flynn ’25
