A Harmony of Faith, Science, and Sisterhood
Sarah Sullivan Bigelow’s Lasting Legacy at Saint Mary’s College
By LISA KNOX
When Sarah Sullivan Bigelow ’96 first set foot on the Saint Mary’s College campus as a high school student from Pella, Iowa, she was not entirely sure what she was searching for. Like many teenagers, her primary motivation had simply been to explore the world beyond her small hometown. But as she walked down the sunlit corridor of Le Mans Hall, a simple gesture altered the course of her life.
There on the residence hall board, spelled out in classic white letters, was a message: Welcome, Sarah Sullivan from Pella, Iowa.
“I thought, oh, that’s so sweet,” Sarah recalls with a warm laugh. “That must have been my first sign that I wanted something much more personal and smaller.”
That personal touch marked the beginning of a lifelong love affair with Saint Mary’s College—a relationship that nurtured Sarah’s deep faith, launched a distinguished 25-year career in healthcare leadership, forged unbreakable bonds of friendship, and ultimately inspired Sarah and her husband, Nick (ND ’96), to establish a transformative legacy gift for the College as part of the Ring Out Ring True comprehensive campaign. Loyal donors to Saint Mary’s for nearly 30 years, they felt the time was right to take this larger step through a bequest to the College. A bequest is a gift created through a provision in your estate plan.
According to Sarah, choosing to support Saint Mary’s with a bequest is not merely a financial decision; it is a profound act of gratitude. It is an investment designed to ensure that future generations of young women can experience the same holistic, spirit-filled education that shaped her own life.
“I don't ever want a woman who is attracted to that ethos at Saint Mary’s to walk a different direction because she thinks she can't afford it. Education is about lifelong learning, holistic growth, and learning how to use your gifts to solve problems for your community.”
- Sarah Sullivan Bigelow ’96
As a biology major with a deep passion for music, Sarah quickly learned that Saint Mary’s was a place where a young woman never had to fit neatly into a single box.
“I had a lot of interests,” Sarah says. “While I was a biology major, I had a lot of interest in music and student government, and I didn’t want to give up on any of those things. Saint Mary’s was a place where I could do all of that. I just really appreciated the holistic nature of it.”
That high standard took Sarah to extraordinary places—from spring break choir tours through her Iowa hometown to years later joining the alumnae choir on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City, performing a commissioned Ave Maria that remains etched in her memory.
In Saint Mary’s, Sarah found a community defined by compassion and grounded in faith. She easily recalls several faculty members who met high academic expectations with extraordinary grace: Charles Peltier, Nancy Menk, Nancy Nekvasil, and Keith Egan among them.
As a student, Sarah cantored Masses at the Church of our Lady of Loretto—including cantoring the very first Mass in the church following its major renovation. She counts among her most cherished moments are those she spent with the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
“The secular world doesn't have a ton of examples of that grace-filled following of God’s intention for our lives,” Sarah reflects softly. “Doing what we were created to do—that’s where we find real peace and happiness. When you think about the schools those Sisters opened and the hospitals they worked in, there’s no mountain the Sisters haven’t climbed for the good of humanity. Doing your career with that kind of intention is really unique.”
From the Classrooms of Madeleva to a Trailblazing Career in Healthcare
That intentionality became the bedrock of Sarah’s career path. After considering medical school, Sarah discovered a strong affinity for the “business of healthcare” during her time at Saint Mary’s.
Exhibiting the bold initiative encouraged by the College, Sarah approached an alumna during a campus visit and asked for an internship at PharmChem in Silicon Valley. The experience plunged Sarah straight into the real world—monitoring clinical drug trial patches across complex environments, including prison systems in Detroit.
That hands-on experience, combined with her leadership in student government, caught the eye of pharmaceutical giant Merck, which had developed a keen appreciation for Saint Mary’s graduates. Sarah joined Merck shortly after graduation and spent 25 fruitful years with the company, rising through the ranks as a sales representative, manager, trainer, and ultimately retiring as a National Account Executive managing complex Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial formulary contract negotiations.
“My Saint Mary’s experience taught me that there was really nothing that I couldn’t tackle if I figured out the right path and took the right next step,” Sarah says. “You don’t have to plan the next 10 or 15 steps, but just take that best next step.”
Her lifelong work in healthcare reinforced her pride in Saint Mary’s ongoing mission—particularly its direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing program and rigorous science curricula. “I feel strongly about the value of direct nursing programs and having nurses who can critically think, evaluate, and contribute at higher levels in hospitals and clinics,” she notes.
A Benefactor's Legacy: Paying It Forward
Sarah’s passion for endowing future students stems directly from her own experience as a scholarship recipient. During her sophomore year at Saint Mary’s, Sarah became the recipient of a scholarship created by a generous benefactor, Bob Michaud, who wished to honor his late wife, Martha Michaud ’47, a Saint Mary’s alumna from Iowa.
When you stay close to the College, you remind yourself of the lessons that were so formative. Saint Mary’s blended a commitment to its core founding traditions while making it practical and meaningful for the modern world. Supporting that mission is the greatest gift we can offer.
- Sarah Sullivan Bigelow ’96
Over her college years, Michaud became a beloved mentor and family friend. Their bond left an indelible mark on Sarah and Nick. Now parents to four fiercely independent daughters, they believe deeply in protecting the transformative, non-transactional nature of higher education through unrestricted giving and now, their bequest through their estate.
“I don't ever want a woman who is attracted to that ethos at Saint Mary’s to walk a different direction because she thinks she can't afford it,” Sarah emphasizes. “Education is about lifelong learning, holistic growth, and learning how to use your gifts to solve problems for your community.”
Carrying the Light: Remembering Suzanne Kondratenko
Among all the treasures Sarah received at Saint Mary’s, none shines brighter—or carries more emotional resonance—than the memory of her close friend, Suzanne Kondratenko ’96.
The two met as neighbors in Regina Hall before rooming together as seniors. Though they had very different academic pursuits—Suzanne was a brilliant writer and English major—and vastly different musical tastes, they formed an unbreakable bond.
Tragically, on September 11, 2001, Suzanne perished in the Second Tower of the World Trade Center while on a consulting assignment in New York City. Her sudden loss devastated her Saint Mary’s sisters, but her vibrant spirit continues to inspire all who knew her.
Today, Sarah helps keep Suzanne’s memory alive through the Suzanne Kondratenko Memorial Scholarship at Saint Mary’s, which assists students studying abroad. Sarah also shares Suzanne’s story with the next generation. On a high school trip to the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, Sarah asked her daughter and classmates to pray for Suzanne, telling them to look for her photo—marked by her signature, perfectly applied bright red lipstick.
"My daughter and her friends came out in tears, giving me big hugs," Sarah shares softly. "In a room with thousands of pictures, they saw her bright red lips right away. Saint Mary's meant so much to Suzanne, and her story is still inspiring people today."
An Invitation to Shape the Future
For Sarah, a legacy gift is not about looking backward; it is about looking forward with faith, hope, and joy. By including Saint Mary’s College in their long-term estate planning, Sarah and Nick are helping to preserve a sacred place where young women learn to tackle any challenge, lead with compassion, and discover God’s purpose for their lives.
“When you stay close to the College, you remind yourself of the lessons that were so formative,” Sarah says. “Saint Mary’s blended a commitment to its core founding traditions while making it practical and meaningful for the modern world. Supporting that mission is the greatest gift we can offer.”
Sarah’s story stands as an inspiring invitation to the entire Saint Mary’s community. A legacy gift—no matter the size—is a lasting commitment to sisterhood, a celebration of cherished memories, and a torch passed to the generations of Saint Mary’s women yet to come. All bequests are also included in the Ring Out Ring True campaign.
If you would like to learn more about bequests and other legacy gifts while also supporting the Ring Out Ring True campaign, please contact Lauren Jaworowski Henzel ’91, JD, Director of Gift Planning, lhenzel@saintmarys.edu, (574) 284-4600.
September 4, 2026