Sara Clayton (’06 sociology and communication studies), spends nights knitting – which, according to Clayton, “isn’t just for your grandma!” – while she hangs out with her dog, Odin, and listens to true crime podcasts like My Favorite Murder.
While she enjoys a wide variety of activities in her free time, one of her biggest passions is serving college students and helping them find their career path.
As a sociology major at Iowa State University, Sara worked as a part-time teaching assistant in “Soc Central” where she helped tutor and advise sociology students.
“It was through that position that I developed a passion for working with college students – a passion that has led me to where I am professionally today,” Clayton said.
After her experience as a teaching assistant she obtained her master’s degree in student affairs at the University of Kansas.
Clayton currently works as a career coordinator at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). In her position, she provides individual and group career coaching services to students and alumni, and coordinates on-campus recruiting events.
She credits her degree in sociology with providing her with both communications skills and an understanding of systems and structures that influence our lives every day.
“Having a sociological perspective has helped me better understand and communicate with the students, colleagues, and businesses I work with on a daily basis,” Clayton said. “I always knew I wanted to ‘work with people,’ and it was that hands-on experience in the sociology department that helped me realize what that really meant to me.”