Hopkins Welcomes 2026 Distinguished Alumna, the Honorable Sarah Merriam ’89

The Honorable Sarah Merriam ’89 returned to the Hill on Monday, April 20, to be honored as Hopkins’ 2026 Distinguished Alumna.

A New Haven Native, Merriam’s esteemed law career includes serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Merriam currently serves on one of the nation’s highest courts, where she reviews decisions from federal trial courts across the region. Her cases have included criminal sentencing, financial fraud, cryptocurrency and digital assets, as well as federal securities and banking law. Appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022, she previously served as a U.S. District Judge and, before that, as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Connecticut. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly a decade as an Assistant Federal Public Defender.

During an all-school assembly, Merriam shared three pieces of advice with the Hopkins community. First, she advised against worrying about “resume building,” encouraging students to pursue diverse experiences rather than focusing solely on career-oriented activities.

“You don't have to start your professional life now. It's okay to do random stuff that's not part of a serious life plan,” she explained. “It's okay to have a little fun. You have your whole life ahead of you to do serious business.”

Merriam credited the jobs she held when she was young as helping her understand more about life. These experiences included scooping ice cream, being a live-in nanny, and fueling boats. 

“They all took time away from what looked like my natural trajectory, but I still ended up here,” she said with a smile. “It'll all work out. Take your time, do interesting things with interesting people, do things you enjoy and learn from all of it.”

Merriam also emphasized the importance of surrounding oneself with good people. She talked about how she collected friends from diverse backgrounds and locations throughout her life, from childhood schoolmates to colleagues met in unusual circumstances.

"It doesn't matter so much what you do. It matters who you do it with," she said. “You just don't know where you're going to find your people and when you meet them, keep them. You'll support each other, you'll entertain each other, and you'll learn from each other.”

“I'm not sure it was the right answer or a great answer, but it all worked out,” Merriam said. “And all of those serious and meaningful values are complemented and enhanced by humor, flexibility, and creativity.”

Following her assembly speech and a Q&A session with the student body, Merriam spent the morning on campus engaging more with students and faculty. She visited Dan Levy’s Constitutional Law class and Tim Phipps’ AP US History class, took a campus tour led by Annabel O. '28, and finished her visit by spending time with the community at lunch.

Enjoy our new series, Back to Class, where alumni returning to the Hill answer questions and reflect on their Hopkins experience.