At King’s, MacCallum discovered confidence in her leadership skills and the power of community—both will serve her well as she pursues studies in law and social justice
The Sara MacCallum who first arrived at King’s, struggling with anxiety in her first year away from home, would never have believed that four years later, she would be her class valedictorian.
“Everything was so new,” MacCallum said. “It wasn’t just getting used to the coursework and the academic load, but it was also getting used to being in residence. It was also still very COVID-y and weird.”
Things finally started to shift for MacCallum at the end of second year when she was elected Communications Vice President for the King’s Students’ Union (KSU). That felt like a stretch, she said, yet doable. But when the KSU president had to unexpectedly resign, MacCallum suddenly found herself in the role, and was thrown into the deep end—where she flourished.
“That was a wild thing to experience, but it is also the absolute best thing that ever happened to me,” she said. Soon, she was meeting other students with shared values, building community and gaining confidence. “Obviously I struggled a lot in that role, because it’s a lot of responsibility and a lot to take on, but it taught me so much.”
Through her work with the KSU, MacCallum discovered how to put her strong beliefs into action, from advocating for policy change to giving out care packages to her fellow students during midterm season.
She remained KSU President in her fourth year, and graduated with a major in law, justice and society and a minor in English. Now, she is taking a year off to work and save before going to law school, where she hopes to continue learning more about structural injustice and how to change and dismantle oppressive systems.
With her class graduating at a tumultuous time, MacCallum knows all too well how anxiety and overwhelm can take over, and the powerful role community plays to help. “We are emerging into a world that has been built to hurt people more than it’s been built to care for them. And the weight of that is too much for any one person to change,” she said. “But I do genuinely believe that individuals doing what they can with what they have is how we will change that. We just have to keep trying, keep our convictions strong that it doesn’t have to be this way and do it together.”
