My name is Sara Keefe, and it has taken me a very long time to arrive here as a student at UMass Boston as a transfer student, as I have spent the past 44 years of my life doing everything pretty much EVERYTHING else.

I was born in 1982 and grew up in Hanover, MA. My first week of college in 2001, the World Trade Centers fell, and I couldn’t understand what was happening. I wanted to be a part of what I then believed to be “the solution”. I really believed that I could be most effective to my country and desire to end the wars and bring peace by joining the military, so I did that.

I was wrong.

I was permanently medically retired in 2015, got married, and had 3 babies, 1 boy and 2 girls, although I have since divorced.

I am an avid and lifelong equestrian and we owned a sanctuary farm in Middleboro, MA named Blackbird Farm where we took in various and sundry farm animals (from cows and horses to turkeys and pigs) and I would very much like to do this again.

There is nary a genre of music, film or tv that I can’t enjoy somehow, and my playlists directly reflect this truth. I just love art in all forms, and that is why I chose this class: to further broaden my love and appreciation of the arts.

I am hoping to turn my Human Services degree into a career within the VA as a peer support and social worker. I believe that my experience as a female in the military who suffers from trauma and has personal experience with issues like PTSD, MST, homelessness, financial insecurity, substance abuse/recovery and LGBTQ+ issues can really help me relate better to those whom are in need now.

Fun Fact? I love the Beatles so much that I named my son, “Max Lennon”