My name is Sara J. Ernster (she/her) and I am pursing a Juris Doctor and a Master of Public Affairs. I am an Iowa native, originally from Dubuque, Iowa. I graduated from Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology with Chemistry and Art minors. I pursued a second bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation and a Master of Social Work here at the University of Iowa. I am a Licensed Master of Social Work and a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Upon graduation in May 2026, I hope to practice at an Iowa law firm to serve my community. On weekends I enjoy Hawkeye and Cyclone football games (house-divided), Heartlanders hockey games, the occasional trip to an NFL or NHL game, and traveling. I also enjoy kayaking, reading books (for fun, not school), jigsaw puzzles, video games, and being outdoors. A few of my priorities this year include fostering connections between different graduate and professional programs through social and networking events and gatherings. I want to ensure that these events are accessible to all graduate and professional students. I also want to work with different program leaders to get insight and ideas on how to incorporate students from their programs into the larger graduate and professional student community.