Volunteer Spotlight
Susan Church Zibell
Susan Church Zibell ’97 grew up in Hartford County, but she didn’t discover Trinity College until her junior year of high school. She had already built her life around sports, competing in soccer, gymnastics, and softball. A standout shortstop, she caught the attention of Trinity softball coach Richard Ellis, who urged her to visit campus. “I fell in love immediately with the beauty of the Long Walk and all that Trinity has to offer,” Zibell recalls.
She arrived planning to play only softball but soon walked on to the soccer team. Upper-year teammates showed her it was possible to balance multiple sports with academics and other activities. “They were so encouraging,” Zibell says. “Every experience gave me opportunities to reflect and grow.”
Softball, though, remained her anchor. She spent all four years on the team, serving as captain for two. Ellis became a defining mentor. “He taught me how to take lessons from the classroom, the field, and life, and to make sure I followed a lifelong learning process,” Zibell says. Ellis left Trinity before she graduated, but during her senior year, Zibell received an award created in his honor. “It’s a wonderful way to stay connected to his legacy,” she says.
After arriving with no clear major, Zibell immersed herself in Trinity’s liberal arts curriculum. She gravitated toward humanities courses that were cross listed with religion and ultimately chose religion as her field of study.
“The professors were amazing,” she says. “They had that balance of being scholars, researchers, and published authors, as well as encouraging the journey of continuing to learn.”
Professors including Ellison Findly, John Gettier, and Frank Kirkpatrick sharpened her critical-thinking skills and broadened her world view, and she cultivated an appreciation for interdisciplinary studies.
Zibell spent the fall of her junior year in Austria. Energized by the challenge of learning a new language and culture, she found it an ideal setting to apply Trinity’s lessons in empathy and perspective. “I was able to look at global systems and social issues that were complex and changing,” she says. “That ability to gain confidence and independence while becoming adaptable and self-reliant was incredibly transformative.”
Zibell knew she wanted a career shaping people’s lives. She coached at a local YMCA before earning a master’s in education. For more than 25 years, she has worked in Connecticut public schools, teaching elementary and middle school and serving in various leadership roles.
“As a teacher, I love connecting people and ideas and opportunities,” Zibell says. “Giving students a chance to dream, ask questions, and think bigger than they ever thought possible.”
That drive to connect kept her close to Trinity. After graduating, she volunteered as a class agent and then joined the Trinity Club of Hartford (TCOH) in the mid-2000s, relishing chances to link alumni with the College, the city, and one another.
For the past two years, Zibell has served as president of the TCOH, having held previous roles as vice president and secretary. Whether hosting events about current programs at the College or sponsoring outings such as a night at the Hartford Yard Goats, she values every chance to bring Bantams together.
“Sue leads not just with dedication but genuine care for every member,” says past TCOH president Francesca Borges Gordon ’82. “Her commitment to fostering meaningful relationships, promoting alumni engagement, and advancing the mission of TCOH has left a lasting impact.”
Recently appointed to the Executive Committee of the Trinity College Alumni Association, Zibell is excited for yet another way to stay involved.
“It goes back to being grateful that Trinity provided me with opportunities and paths I didn’t know existed,” Zibell says. “Knowing I’m contributing something small and collectively we’re working to create something enriching for future generations—that’s why I continue to do what I do.”
—By Eliott Grover
—Illustration by Kathryn Rathke
