By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

Thanks to State Farm’s marketing department, Americans can swiftly finish the phrase “Like a good neighbor” with “State Farm is there.” But, if you are fortunate enough to be in the village of Sarah Soden Armstrong, you know that the real ending should be “Like a good neighbor, Sarah is there.” 

Need someone to cover a registration table, coordinate a meal train, or organize donations? Not only will Armstrong volunteer, she’ll arrive 30 minutes early to help. In search of a basket to include in a fundraiser raffle? She’ll have one assembled and delivered in less than 48 hours. Looking for an out-of-print textbook, a plumber, or how to start saving for retirement?  She’ll reach out to her network of contacts, research the best options, and prepare a summary of her findings. 

But it’s not just Armstrong’s family, friends, and neighbors who are the recipients of her giving spirit; her SUNY Broome colleagues are beneficiaries as well. Armed with a smile, helping hand, and, more than likely, freshly-made baked goods, Armstrong quickly cemented her reputation on campus as a colleague who genuinely embodies the values of SUNY Broome – community, equity, integrity, and learning. 

Armstrong was born and raised in Windsor, New York. The only daughter of two teachers, she was lovingly surrounded by books from an early age. (The ultimate punishment in the Soden household was to be forced to sit on the couch without reading material.) Affectionately nicknamed the “living dictionary” by her classmates, Armstrong soon transitioned her love of reading into a love of writing. At 11, she was selected to join the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin’s student press corps. As an adolescent reference point for the community, Armstrong wrote on topics ranging from local events to teen issues and human interest profiles. 

“At that time, everyone read the daily paper, so I regularly received positive feedback and reinforcement from teachers, neighbors, and community members,” Armstrong reflected. “I’m a great example of the power of early career exploration for kids and teens. Thanks to the Student Press Corps, I had a hefty portfolio before I even graduated from high school.” 

When she wasn’t engrossed in a novel or hunting down a lead for her next article, Armstrong had a front-row seat to generations of Soden altruism. Her grandmother, Geneva Soden, spearheaded the “Help A Child Committee,” a community clothing closet run out of the second floor of the family’s Deposit barn. Her grandfather Irv was the first site supervisor for the Deposit Senior Center in the 1970s. Her dad, also Irv, will celebrate 50 years in the volunteer fire service in 2026. He devoted many years to serving as the chief of the Ouaquaga Fire Company and currently serves as fire police captain for the Town of Binghamton. Her mother, Marie, was Armstrong’s first example of “showing up and doing the thing that needed to be done.” Whether cleaning for a sick neighbor, dropping off food after a friend’s surgery, or celebrating a new baby with a gift, Marie was there. Inspired by her family’s call to help, Armstrong followed suit, never hesitating to offer her time, skills, and energy to support the needs of her community.

“I recently saw a shirt that said  ‘aggressively helpful,’ and thought, ‘that sounds like me.’ I’m naturally very organized and just organically want to be of service,” Armstrong explained. “If there is something I can do to help, I do it. I want to make the quilt, design the sign, bake the cookies, and drop off the care packages.” 

For the past 25 years, Armstrong and her parents, Irv and Marie Soden, celebrate the giving spirit of their matriarch, Geneva Soden, by preparing a baby basket full of newborn and postpartum essentials. Each August, in honor of Geneva’s birth month, the Soden family teams up with Guthrie Medical Group Endicott to connect the basket with a mom in need. “We have a 25/25 streak of making moms cry (happy tears, of course).”

After graduating third in her class from Windsor High School, Armstrong attended Moravian College (now University) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to study journalism. Upon graduating, Armstrong launched her more than 25-year career in public relations and corporate communications within the healthcare sector, lending her expertise to Guthrie Healthcare System and United Methodist Homes. 

A true wordsmith with audience segmentation, Armstrong’s strongest skill was (and is) her ability to take complex concepts and make them digestible for different groups of readers. 

“A friend once described my work perfectly, and I’ve been borrowing this description ever since,” Armstrong laughed.  “‘Sarah doesn’t do open heart surgery, but she can explain it in three easy steps.'”

When Armstrong and her husband welcomed the first of their two children, she transitioned to freelance writing, primarily serving healthcare clients. 

In fall 2022, with both sons in school, Armstrong quietly began to explore new professional opportunities. When a friend encouraged her to apply for a position in SUNY Broome’s Office of Workforce Development & Continuing Education, she was cautiously intrigued. Though initially hesitant to deviate from medical writing, she applied, believing that if it was meant to be, it would…and it was.

Armstrong soon realized that joining the Workforce Development & Continuing Education team allowed her to play to one of her best strengths – her natural ability to connect people to people, people to resources, and people to things. 

Her role on campus is multi-faceted: You may find her explaining the benefits of earning a microcredential to an individual looking to retool or upskill.  Next, she’s guiding a group of the region’s middle schoolers through engaging, hands-on career exploration activities. Then, she’s coordinating a special campus visit for a group of students from the American Civic Association. Whether she’s offering personal support, or facilitating a warm handoff to a colleague or resource across campus, Armstrong’s efforts are fueled by the same intentions – her genuine investment in the success of others. 

Armstrong is often the first volunteer for campus events or initiatives, not simply because she is “aggressively helpful,” but because she ardently believes in the mission of her community’s college. A lifelong Broome County resident, Armstrong loves that she gets to do her part to promote the educational growth and economic development of her home region. When asked for suggestions on how to support members of the community, Armstrong answered with simple but tangible actions:

“Do the thing you can do. Use the tools that you have. See the need and then shovel a driveway, pick up groceries, or run an errand,” Armstrong said.  “What might be a small gesture to you may be a huge help to others. The one thing that I hope that my sons remember about me is that I was a good neighbor.” 

Feeling inspired by Sarah? One of Armstrong’s favorite services on campus is the Hornet Hope Center, SUNY Broome’s on-site food pantry and clothing closet. The Center is a stigma-free space full of fresh and non-perishable food, personal care products, household items, and clothing for babies, children, and adults. Donations are always appreciated! For more information, visit The Hornet Hope Center. 

Armstrong’s roles in the community include serving as the Vice-President of the Glenwood School Community Association (like a PTA) for Vestal’s Glenwood Elementary School and founder of The Village, a mom’s group rooted in the belief that “it takes a village to raise a mom.” Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

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