19/08/2025
Aug. 28, 1980, was a day of firsts for Sara Bindrum. It was the day her oldest daughter started kindergarten, and she started a new job at the University Health Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
“I remember thinking, ‘this is a new chapter for both of us,’” Sara says. “And I’ve loved it ever since.”
That chapter of new beginnings turned into a career spanning nearly half a century, filled with quiet leadership, tireless dedication and a deep love for the students the health center serves. She celebrates her 45th service anniversary this month.
As a purchasing associate, Sara is one of most senior colleagues at the health center and is known as the go-to person for just about everything—ordering supplies, stocking clinic rooms, handling maintenance issues, sterilizing equipment, serving on the safety committee, planning holiday events and mentoring student workers.
“I almost always chose freshmen so I could work with them for four or five years, and most of them were planning a career in the medical field,” she says. “They got to see the back side of health care and how every department plays a role in patient care. We’re all one big family.”
Outside of work, she enjoys going to senior Fridays at the local movie theater with her husband, John. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last October. They have two children and two grandsons.
Reflecting on her career, Sara says she’s grateful for the journey.
“My life is fulfilling,” she says. “I always say I have two families, my work family and my immediate family, and they’re both very important to me.”
Sara plans to work another year or two before retirement. When asked what advice she’d now give to other colleagues who are just starting their career at Nebraska Medicine, her response was simple: “Get involved. Build personal connections. Look for something that gives you joy and take pride in it.”
Thank you, Sara, for decades of extraordinary care!
