Make It What You Want: West Coast Volunteer Builds Davidson Connections
June 11, 2025
- Author
- Danielle Strickland
Lauren with classmate Katie Lew McGuire ’16 in Sonoma
On her Davidson College visit, Lauren Schassberger ’16 bought swag to take home to New England – it was the only school that inspired her to take a piece of it when she left.
She didn’t know then it was where she would land, but the political science major embraced her Davidson experience. Her time as a student was highlighted by involvement on Club Crew and Rusk Eating House and as president of the Union Board.
After graduation, Schassberger stayed on to work with the college events team. She was on track for law school, but began questioning that plan as she studied for the LSAT.
“I was miserable,” she said. “I realized that’s not what I wanted to do, and I figured there had to be other things that would bring joy.”
Today, Schassberger lives in San Francisco and works as a senior program manager at Palo Alto Networks, following a few years with consulting firm Force Management. She found an engaging career path and discovered even more joy as a volunteer for Davidson. For the last two years, she has served as the young alumni and communications chair for the San Francisco Chapter.
Lauren with her partner Cosmo Wolfe in Marin, overlooking San Francisco
“When I first moved here, I reached out to the chapter president and started helping out,” she said. “Then I moved into a more official position. Volunteering gives me the capacity to bring people back into the Davidson circle, personally and professionally, and I’ve made great connections of my own along the way. Being so far away from Davidson’s campus, physically, it allows me to find ways to still engage and feel the Davidson spirit.”
She welcomes any opportunity to remind others of the strength of the Davidson community and has helped organize events like “Women in Tech,” which featured alumnae who discussed their experiences as start-up founders and as women in male-dominated spaces. The chapter aims to sponsor or partner on at least four events each year.
Schassberger offers advice to anyone considering a volunteer role: “You can make it what you want, and it doesn’t have to be an all-consuming job. You can’t get too wrapped up in exactly what it has to mean or look like — not everyone will take you up on your offer to connect, but for those who do participate, it’s rewarding to be together.”
