Sarah Goocher

Sarah Goocher is a May 2021 graduate of the Higher Education Administration program at Louisiana State University. Her attraction to student affairs arises from her history as an undergraduate student and professional career as a dance educator. She graduated with a BFA in dance from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011.

The time Sarah spent working in dance education administration was a first step toward providing this type of support. As Assistant Director of Administration and Modern Dance Faculty at Manhattan Youth Ballet, she had the opportunity to listen to and advocate for young people as they pursued their dance education. She understood the direct impact advisors can have and the positive effect she was capable of making in students’ lives. It was also during this time that Sarah rediscovered her enthusiasm for education as a whole. Teaching and working with those students honed her abilities to make connections with people from diverse backgrounds and with different personalities, and it developed who she is as a leader.

Sarah believes her studies in higher education administration have provided her with the knowledge and practical theory to succeed as a student affairs practitioner. She recognizes that the goals of undergraduate students often change as they develop academically and personally: who they want to be, what they want to do, and how they want to live. She aspires to be a student-centered practitioner offering academic insight and holistic support through this period of development, helping students find and navigate their own paths.