As Goshen College students walk through the doors of the Leaf Raker Cafe on campus, they are greeted, not only by the smell of freshly-made fries and chicken quesadillas, but also by a genuine smile from Sara Stone.

Stone grew up in Mishawaka, Indiana, and attended Mishawaka High School. Aside from academics, her athleticism was evident from a young age.

“Volleyball was my life. I ate, slept and breathed volleyball. I loved it. I played for my school, I played outside of school, I played beach — I played all of it,” she said.

As her high school years passed, Stone’s passion for the sport only grew stronger. In the midst of juggling clubs and school athletics, she earned a full-ride scholarship to play Division I volleyball for Temple University in Philadelphia.

As an outside hitter, Stone was a key contributor to the Owls’ offense and defense. She was named Atlantic-10 Conference Rookie of the Week on Nov. 15, 1999, and she helped lead the team to a conference title that same year.

In an interview with “The Temple News” in 2000, former Temple head coach Bob Bertucci said, “I think she’s been a great defensive player, and as long as she keeps working hard, I think she’ll be able to contribute to the team. That’s what I think she wants to do.”

However, Stone’s volleyball journey took an unexpected turn. After three years at the Division I level, circumstances in her personal life shifted, and her collegiate athletic career came to an end sooner than she had imagined.

“When that happened, I lost a piece of me,” Stone said. “I didn’t even want to talk about volleyball anymore because it felt like an embarrassment.”

When Stone returned to Indiana in 2006, she carried the pride of her accomplishments but the weight of a chapter that had closed too soon.

“When you’re going through things, you’re just surviving,” she said. “You don’t really understand what’s happening until you look back in hindsight.”

Although hurt, Stone was ready to restart. She became involved in the food industry full-time in 2019.

“I started it, and then COVID hit. For people in the food industry, it was a really horrible time because nobody was allowed in places, and everyone was social distancing,” she said.

It wasn’t until 2023 that Stone’s path crossed with GC, where she took on her role behind the counter. Andrea Biffi, a sophomore business major, is one of the student workers alongside Stone.

“Before even starting to work with her, I could already see her happiness and her smiles toward everyone around her,” he said. “After my first few weeks, I saw she was exactly the type of person I had noticed at first impression.” 

Now, instead of digs and kills in the athletic world, Stone’s goal is to connect with those who were once in her shoes.

“After being here for a couple of years, I looked back and thought how everything has come full circle. Here I am working with student-athletes, for the most part, and I can pour into their lives,” she said.

Besides Stone’s personal expertise in the student-athlete experience, Biffi believes she can connect with all students, especially those she works closely with.

“I remember when I came to her about a problem I was having at that time,” he said. “She quickly gave me advice from her personal life and how she dealt with similar situations. It helped me so much.”

“Any advice I give only comes from my experiences. It doesn’t come from a book or a magazine,” Stone said. “I’m a person who’s been through pain, joys and everything in between. So, I’m relatable.”

Though balancing personal and professional challenges has been difficult, Stone believes it was at GC where she was finally able to “drop all the masks.”

“Putting down my volleyball uniform, my marriages, being a mom, my struggles, and then coming here … I found a way to be my true, authentic self,” she said.

Now, she lives by a philosophy centered on growth and self-acceptance.

“I’m not trying to force anybody to live like me. I’m here to live my life and share my story. If it helps someone, great; if it doesn’t, that’s okay too,” Stone said. “But, I want to connect with you — even if you’re hangry.”

Biffi said he will remember Stone for her constant positivity. “From seven in the morning until four in the afternoon, I have never seen her sad, angry or even tired,” he said. “She is always there, inspiring us with her contagious smile.”