In Your Words

Westlands Society Member

Sarah Lawrence College: What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Sarah Lawrence?

Deb Zane: One fun overall memory is living on the beautiful campus in Bronxville and having the chance to experience four seasons! As a Florida native, trudging around in the snow was a highlight for me. In fact, even wearing winter clothes was a lifestyle change for me. I used to wear my bikini under my school clothes in Miami Beach and head to the ocean after school. At SLC I appreciated seeing the wisteria and daffodils and tulips bloom in the spring. The friendship I developed with my freshman roommate—Cynthia Vieser Falco ’83—remains one of the closest relationships in my life. I also fondly remember meals at Bates (surprisingly good food!) and the delightfully charming head chef, Bob, may he rest in peace. 

SLC: Why do you choose to give back to Sarah Lawrence as a leadership annual donor, a class leader, and an active member of the Westlands Society?

DZ: Back in 1983 when I graduated, it never occurred to me not to become a donor. I truly didn't give it a second thought because I believed that whatever amount I could contribute, however small, would still make a difference. Donating to the Westlands Society is very important to me. It keeps me connected to the school, and my love and loyalty to SLC has never diminished.

SLC: How has Sarah Lawrence prepared you for success beyond your degree?  

DZ: My time at Sarah Lawrence fueled my personal confidence, my belief in my unique abilities, and my inclination to listen to my gut instincts. This fortification of my character helped me walk into life post-SLC with the fearlessness and determination to find my way into my career. Even when things looked less than bright, I always knew things would be better and that I would be able to create my path towards success. I cannot say enough good things about the College.

Parents Council Members

Sarah Lawrence College: Why did your daughter Arin choose to study at Sarah Lawrence College, and what has her experience been here?

Jonathan Littman: Arin’s attraction to Sarah Lawrence included the size of the campus and flexibility of the academic study. She also found the proximity to New York City a major contributor to her desire to attend SLC. Arin studies politics, history, and theatre, and her extracurricular activity has been focused on theatre. This past year Arin was a producer for the musical theater ensemble.

SLC: Why do you choose to give back to Sarah Lawrence as a leadership annual donor and an active member of the Parents Council?

JL: Nancy and I are strong believers in supporting liberal arts as the cornerstone of a well-rounded education. We’ve been fortunate enough to have both been able to afford an education that we know most are not and want to make sure that opportunity is available to as many Sarah Lawrence students as possible. We have always supported the schools our children have attended and want to ensure the schools are able to fully deliver on their educational goals, especially in a challenging time like this past year.

SLC: What can you tell us about yourselves —your careers, passions, and interests?

JL: Nancy is a Senior Associate Grant Writer at Blais & Associates, specializing in government funding for local jurisdictions. I am CEO of Jerry Bruckheimer Television and a producer of close to 2000 episodes of television including the CSI franchise, the 10-time Emmy winning Amazing Race, and Netflix’s’ global hit series Lucifer, the #2 streamed show of 2020. We enjoy international travel and are avid theatergoers.

Westlands Society

Sarah Lawrence College: What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Sarah Lawrence?

Alexandra Luppens-Dale: It’s a little cliché, but from the first time that I visited the campus, I felt like Sarah Lawrence was the first place I’d ever really belonged. As a student I met a lot of excellent people who continue to be an important part of my life. I have great memories of conferences with my professors (most of whom have hopefully forgotten some of the ridiculous things I said as an eighteen-year-old, please never tell me if not).

I also had a ton of fun with extracurriculars—teaching people to knit at Stitch’n’Bitch, doing Rocky Horror things as part of the shadowcast, and working in Interlibrary Loans at the library. I loved that last one because you got to look at all of the books before anyone else did. It was so cool to see what other people were working on. There was a sense that anything was possible if you were willing to put the work in, which I have tried to bring to my life after Sarah Lawrence.

SLC: Why do you choose to give back to Sarah Lawrence as a leadership annual donor, a class leader, and an active member of the Westlands Society?

ALD: I simply want it to be easier for people to access a Sarah Lawrence education. I was a frequent flyer in the financial aid office when I was at Sarah Lawrence (hi, Nick Salinas!) and I like the idea of paying it forward. The designation of “leadership donor” sits weirdly for me. I am not coming from a place of generational wealth. I don’t work at a hedge fund and I’m not the executive vice president of anything. I’ve worked at two organizations, a large corporate insurance company and a medium-sized nonprofit, that have matching gift programs, which makes whatever I am able to donate go a lot further. I always recommend that people see if their jobs offer the same thing. I usually time my donation for Giving Day so that it’s matched in that way too. Really, I’m just redistributing other people’s wealth.

SLC: How has Sarah Lawrence prepared you for success beyond your degree?

ALD: Sarah Lawrence helped me learn to be adaptable and gave me the confidence that whatever it was I needed to know for the job I was currently in, I could learn it quickly. For example, in my sophomore year I took a class on digital art. It was my third choice in alternate registration but it taught me a surprising number of transferable skills. I have often been the person in the office with some knowledge of Photoshop, or the person who could put together a video in a pinch. Thanks to my professors telling me (and telling me, and telling me) that I didn’t have to be an expert for my thoughts to be valuable, I’m not afraid to tackle a project that I don’t know much about.