A Shared Journey, A Lasting Legacy
When Sandra Krebs Hirsh ’64 arrived at Beaver College, she was following in the footsteps of her sister, Helen Krebs Bruant ’62, who had matriculated two years before. At the time, neither sister could not have fully understood how deeply their shared choice of Beaver College would shape both of their lives. It became the place where they each discovered their voices, developed as leaders, and began to understand who they were and who they hoped to become.
Helen thrived on campus. She embraced opportunities for leadership, formed meaningful relationships, and lived the values of service and integrity that Beaver so strongly instilled in its students. Helen served as student body president, and her confidence and compassion left a lasting impression on those around her – and on Sandra. Watching Helen grow gave Sandra both inspiration and determination as she began her own journey at Beaver College.
Sandra’s experience as a student mirrored Helen’s in meaningful ways. Like Helen, she found a community that challenged, supported, and encouraged her to step into leadership roles, both on a national and international level, that she might not have otherwise imagined for herself. Sandra also served in the Student Government Organization, overlapping with her older sister’s leadership for some time.
Beaver College provided a foundation not only for academic success, but for personal growth and self-discovery. Sandra says, “we were treated like scholars…Beaver had prepared me well for the future.” Sandra served as a student representative on the national board of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA); she attended a World Student Christian Federation conference in Argentina and a work-study project on the Bolivian altiplano with Beaver College’s assistance…”I could not have done that without the support of the College,” she continued.
As students in the 1960s, the sisters were at the threshold of the Civil Rights Movement, learning not only in classrooms but through the broader social awakening unfolding around them. Sandra fondly recalls her closely bonded friendship with fellow student-activist, Phyllis Brody Taylor ‘63, WWL ‘25, who started organizing Freedom Rides while at the institution. The principles that Sandra supported while attending Beaver College still remain vital in today’s Arcadia University environment; it is one of the reasons she continues to give to Arcadia – supporting inclusion, access, and belonging on-campus and around the globe. She relishes over providing financial support saying, “it’s a joy to donate to my Alma Mater and the students! Arcadia is inclusive to those of all backgrounds and having a diverse student body is really important to me.”
In honor of Helen, and in tribute to the profound impact Beaver College has had on them both, Sandra created an endowed scholarship. It is her hope that this scholarship will support students who are seeking their own sense of belonging and leadership on campus. And that it serves as a source of encouragement for those who are discovering themselves at the University, just as Helen and Sandra once did.
Sandra has been self-employed for over 40 years as the principal of Sandra Hirsh Consulting, a Minneapolis-based firm that focuses on leadership, career, and organizational development. She was a Board VP for the Philadelphia YWCA and the Minneapolis YWCA, and is coauthor of more than 15 books on personality type and vocational interests and has conducted seminars in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe. Sandra continues to be a woman who leads. We look forward to celebrating her, and other leaders like her, at the 6th annual Women Who Lead Forum on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in the University Commons.
