#PeopleofSTEAM: Meet Sarah

Sarah Jin, the Assistant Director of Admission for Rice University in Houston, Texas, is a FIRST^® alum dedicated to making the university admission process more intuitive, less intimidating, and more accessible for all.  

An alum of FIRST^® Robotics Competition Team 649, “M-SET Fish,” Sarah uses STEAM skills learned from FIRST to solve problems and collaborate with her colleagues, as well as to better understand the students she interacts with. In her off-time, Sarah loves speed-building LEGO^® sets and IKEA furniture to continuously challenge that side of her brain. When she attended Rice as an undergrad, Sarah majored in Psychological Sciences and minored in Engineering Design to build on her experiences learned at FIRST. 

Eager to share her city and its rich history and hidden gems with others, Sarah is ecstatic about the FIRST^®  Championship being held in Houston once again this April. Keep reading to learn more about her pathway to STEAM and stay tuned over the next couple of months to hear more from Sarah and other Houston locals as we count down the days to the big event. 

FIRST Staff: Can you share some information about your current role at Rice University?

Sarah: As an Assistant Director of Admission, I work to recruit and evaluate undergraduate applicants to Rice University in Houston. When I am not poring over essays or crunching data to build recruitment strategies, I am traveling all over the country, working with students, teachers, counselors, and community organizations to provide transparency about the college admission process.

FIRST Staff: What is your favorite part of your current role as Assistant Director of Admission at Rice University? 

Sarah: There are so many things I love about my work, but my favorite part has to be getting to interface directly with students and families. As a proud Rice alum, I love sharing my experiences and helping students envision themselves here. I also know firsthand how challenging the college admission process can be, so being in a position to provide clarity and transparency to alleviate that stress is incredibly meaningful to me. On top of that, I am proud to work with coworkers and industry colleagues who share a passion for fairness and innovation in higher education. 

FIRST Staff: How do you use STEAM skills in your everyday work and life?

Sarah: STEAM is everywhere! Even though I do not work in a STEM field, I approach problem-solving in my work like I am working through an engineering challenge, using frameworks and collaboration skills I learned through FIRST. Being able to “speak engineer” has also come in handy, both when I read essays from engineering students and when I work with our Systems team to troubleshoot code. 

In my off time, I love working on home improvement projects and speed-building LEGO sets or IKEA furniture to scratch my tinkering itch. Oh, and my love of dancing to "Cotton-Eyed Joe" and "Cupid Shuffle" at FIRST Robotics Competition events has evolved into weekly line dancing lessons here in Houston! 

FIRST Staff: Can you share your thoughts on the impact of your work in higher education?

Sarah: Higher education is an incredibly important space for students to develop their skills, knowledge, and networks, STEAM or not. I love reading application essays because we get to learn how students see themselves changing the world and how college plays into that vision. To do this at a place like Rice is truly inspiring because I know firsthand how much innovation happens here and being a part of conversations to bring the best and brightest students together to collaborate feels like incredibly impactful work. 

FIRST Staff: If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

Sarah: I definitely had a lot of impostor syndrome as a woman in STEAM – exacerbated by joining the FIRST team much later than many of my peers. I was constantly worried about slowing people down or asking “dumb” questions, and it took me a while to internalize the fact that my teammates were genuinely eager to help and teach. If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self, I would tell her to think about how much she loves helping others, and trust that others feel the same way. I would tell her to be bold and take up space unashamedly, and others will naturally grow to accommodate. 

FIRST Staff: Have you participated in a FIRST Championship before? If so, what was your experience like? 

Sarah: I have volunteered at FIRST Championship in Houston a few times as an alum, and it is always so exciting to see the sheer variety of ideas in how teams approach the challenges. When I was not on duty, I loved walking around the pit and asking questions, especially of teams who have flown in from all over the world and just listening to their stories!  

While not a FIRST Championship story, I have a cherished memory from our regional competition, where my teammate and I decided to surprise our team by singing and playing the National Anthem on the opening day of the competition. The bus ride was a lot of secretly emailing the organizers and trying to keep the clarinet hidden. It was an idea born out of whimsy and a little bit of chaos but is now one of my fondest memories. 

FIRST Staff: As a Houstonian, what does it mean to you to have the FIRST community come to your city for FIRST Championship? What makes Houston a special place to host the FIRST Championship?

Sarah: Houston is a place where people from all over the world come together with their perspectives and ideas to learn from one another — just like FIRST Championship! I also feel like it is an underrated gem; I would argue that Houston is the best foodie city in the country and every year I am thrilled that a new cohort of FIRST community members get to experience it.

FIRST Staff: What is one piece of advice you would give to teams attending the 2025 FIRST Championship?

Sarah: Admission Officer Sarah says come visit Rice!* FIRST alum Sarah says competition and winning is great, but being at FIRST Championship is an incredible opportunity to learn. In your off time, talk to people outside your team! Swap stories and stickers! The connections you will make at FIRST Championship will last a lifetime. 

Are you a person of STEAM? Share your story with #PeopleofSTEAM on social media or send us your story at marketing@firstinspires.org. 

*Stay tuned for a blog about educational opportunities and tours in Houston coming soon!