The 177th graduating class of Sacred Heart Greenwich was encouraged to listen, to not fear making mistakes, to be authentic, and to embrace innovation as they set forth in a new chapter of their lives.

In her commencement address, Linda Sanford, former IBM senior vice president of enterprise transformation, told the 69 graduates: “You are the future leaders. These skills, along with your Sacred Heart education, will prepare you not only for successful careers, but also to lead with courage, compassion and purpose in an ever-changing world.”

The commencement ceremony at the all-girls independent Catholic school was held on June 5 at the campus on 1177 King Street.

President of Sacred Heart Greenwich, Michael F. Baber, said the school was honored to have Sanford, considered a pioneer in advancing women in technology, as the commencement speaker.

“Her commitment to innovation, leadership and expanding opportunities for women reflects the very heart of our mission,” he said. “We appreciate the wisdom and perspective she shared with our graduates as they prepare to lead with purpose and confidence.”

During her four-decade career at IBM, Sanford played a pivotal role in driving innovation and leading large-scale organizational change. As senior vice president of enterprise transformation, she leveraged her expertise in operations research to redesign key business processes, helping IBM adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving global marketplace.

In her address, Sanford said: “Sacred Heart Greenwich continues to focus on the spiritual, intellectual, moral and social formation of each and every one of you. I saw this and felt this in my interaction with you. So, never let go of what you learned here at Sacred Heart Greenwich. Lead with heart and act with purpose. Take it with you as you now enter the next important stepping stone of your life.” 

Sanford talked about her four decades at IBM and the lessons she learned about leadership, resilience, solving difficult problems and embracing change rather than fearing it. She also has ties to the Sacred Heart Greenwich community as the grandparent of a student in the Middle School.

She shared four lessons culled from her life and career.

First, she encouraged the young women to actively listen and said: “While engaging with others—be it in the classroom, in your job or in your home—we often are thinking about our own personal point of view, which is important. But we also need to listen to what the others are sharing. And when we do that, we take the best of everyone’s thinking—where one plus one is greater than two.

Second: “It’s okay to make a mistake, but only if you learn from it.” She told the graduates to try new approaches even though they may “hit a bump in the road along the way.” That should not stop them from moving forward, while first understanding the “root cause of the problem,” what happened and why, and making adjustments to prevent it from occurring again.

Third, she said, “Be yourself — your authentic and unique self.”

“Coming from a career in technology, I do believe technology can drive innovation; however, even more important today, the world needs us all to work together, bringing our unique insights to the table in a way that enables us to draw on the best of everyone’s thinking,” Sanford said.            

Fourth, she urged them to embrace innovation: “The world and technology are changing faster and faster. In today’s world, if you resist change, you very quickly become obsolete. If you embrace change, you survive. If you initiate change, you lead. So, it’s best to be agile.”

Among the 2026 graduating class were nine “lifers,” who attended Sacred Heart since Lower School, along with 12 student-athletes, who will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. School officials said members of the Class of 2026 have earned recognition from many organizations, including the National Merit Scholarship Program, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the American Scholastic Press Association, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the YWCA.

Valedictorians Arianna Chin of Peekskill, NY, who will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Clare Junius of Greenwich, who will attend Princeton University delivered remarks at the ceremony, along with Salutatorian Lexi Parsons of Bronxville, NY, who will attend Boston College.

Clare Junius said she enjoyed meeting so many great people during her time at the school.

“The community truly made my experience special,” she said. “Sacred Heart Greenwich has prepared me well for college by creating an environment, where I feel confident trying new things and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone.”

Founded in 1848, Sacred Heart Greenwich is an all-girls independent Catholic school that educates and empowers students to pursue faith, leadership and service. It provides “a challenging, empowering, and inclusive learning environment for girls and young women from kindergarten through twelfth grade to prepare them to become confident, intelligent, and compassionate global leaders.”

For more information, visit www.shgreenwich.org