Rising Alumni

Bobby Sanborn

Bobby Sanborn has established himself as “an effective leader” who tackles his responsibilities in “a very quiet, non-assuming way.”

So says Laura Ballou, associate director of student activities, who goes on: “One of my favorite things about working with him is his patient, even-keeled way of dealing with situations. I see a lot of the behind-the-scenes work he does to make our campus great.”

Sanborn is senior class president (following stints as sophomore class president and junior class vice president) and general manager of the a cappella group Midnight Ramblers (following two years as business manager). The political science major calls being a part of the all-male contemporary group, which he joined as a freshman, “the greatest thing I’ve done in college.” Besides introducing him to his best friends, the ensemble has offered extensive touring opportunities—the singers performed over spring break on both coasts—and useful administrative training.

From Cherry Hill, N.J., Sanborn is also a two-year member of STING (Students Together In Networking Graduates), the student-alumni association for the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering.

At some point he may become an education administrator and then move on to public policy work in Washington, D.C. For now, he’s preparing to leave in June for a Teach for America job working with special-education students on a South Dakota Native American reservation. The job is a two-year commitment.

“It’s very tough on a reservation, a really depressed area, one that most people know nothing about,” he says. “I knew they needed the help.”

Robin L. Flanigan is a Rochester-based freelance writer.