Grand Marshal Opperman creates a legacy of opportunity
Sarah Opperman welcomes the new Leadership Advancement Scholars at the start of each school year. Helping students across Central Michigan University was always important to Opperman and the Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute does just that.
"I never forgot just what CMU did for me while I was a student, and I wanted to give back where I could, where it makes sense," Opperman, a 1981 CMU alumnus said.
Throughout the four decades since she crossed the commencement stage, Opperman has consistently returned to campus in order to serve CMU students. In honor of that, she and her husband Daniel will be recognized 2026 Homecoming Grand Marshals.
In a statement to Central Michigan Life, Daniel said he’s looking forward to enjoying and supporting CMU’s many Homecoming activities.
“We’ve always supported each other in every way, she’s a great life partner,” Daniel said, in a statement to CM Life, about what it’s like being married to Opperman.
Per a press release from CMU, the title of Grand Marshal reflects decades of engagement, leadership and support for CMU and its students. She and her husband will be the honorary leaders of the Homecoming parade.
Opperman graduated from 1981 with a double major in business and journalism. She worked as a reporter for CM Life during her time at CMU.
She is a first-generation U.S. citizen. Her parents immigrated from England in late 1956 after World War II. As a child, Opperman said she felt the cultural differences between herself and her peers.
“My brother was born in England, so it’s not like it was a foreign language, really foreign culture, but it was surprisingly different,” Opperman said.
She became interested in journalism after she started working for the Frankenmuth News in high school.
During her tenure, she wrote wedding announcements, but her editor saw that she was interested in writing and encouraged her to keep doing it.
A deciding factor into why she chose CMU was because of the journalism program and being able to write in the student paper as a freshman. When taking a campus tour with her mother, a business professor also told her she could do both journalism and business.
“I had kind of this idea of working for the Wall Street Journal someday, and he said, ‘I could see that, ... We can make that happen,’” Opperman said.
During her time at Central Michigan, she said she had great student experiences, with great mentors and good friends.
“I learned a lot, both in the classroom and out because of some of the extracurricular activities,” she said.
Once she graduated, she went on to work in public affairs at The Dow Chemical Company, before retiring as their Vice President of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy. But she was able to continue her connection with CMU past graduation.
“Because of people like Jim Wojcik (former advisor of CM Life)that brought me back as a volunteer, I really got to know CMU better as an adult," Opperman said.
Twenty eight years after her graduation, Opperman was appointed to the Board of Trustees. She served an eight-year term with two years at the chair.
When it was time to make a contribution to the school, she wanted to do something that could benefit any student.
“Whether you’re an athlete, education, whatever it may be, business, anyone could benefit from the leadership program,” Opperman said. “Everybody needs that, no matter where they are.”
In 2017, the Leadership Institute was renamed to the Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute.
The LI offers students many opportunities to get involved, with either Leadership Safari, opportunities to become a Leadership Advancement Scholar or taking on a leadership minor.
Dan Gaken, director of the institute, said Opperman's financial support has "ensured that the Leadership Institute will always be here."
But, he believes the greatest gift from Opperman is the time she spends with students.
“She’s actively seeking opportunities where she can mentor students,” Gaken said. “She is so willing to give her time and expertise and to make sure that students have the opportunity to take advantage of all the benefits.”
Gaken, an LAS alum, has worked at the institute for 27 years. Gaken said knowing that someone has your back, like Opperman does, has reignited his passion for leadership.
"This is a career that, I didn't always know where it was going to take me," Gaken said. "Funny enough, right when I was an undergraduate student, my career goal was to someday be able to come back and work at CMU in the Leadership Institute. I don't know that I would do it for as long as I've done, or have the passion for it that I do, without having someone like Sarah as a mentor and as a role model and as a friend as a supporter."
Opperman's latest endeavor is co-chairing the steering committee for Forge the Future, a national fundraising campaign CMU is calling its "most ambitious" ever. The campaign has already collected over $237 million in gifts, and will continue for the next five years.
Throughout the years, the Oppermans have made several significant contributions to the university. Their donation to the library was a shared gift, a room now dedicated to educational events and tours of campus, the Sarah and Daniel Opperman Auditorium.
"I got advice from a friend who has nothing to do with Central and said, give your money early so you can enjoy seeing the fruits of that," she said. "And that's truly what's happening for Dan and me."
According to CMU's website, Central Michigan honored her with the Centennial Award in 1993 and an induction into the CMU Journalism Hall of Fame in 2006.
But for Opperman, the true honor comes from spending time with students, whether they're in LAS or Wojcik’s crisis communication class.
“The titles and the awards are very nice, but that’s not why you do it, and it's not what brings me joy,” she said.
