“SU is very important to me,” said Sierra Edwards Traynham ’11. “I love everything about it and I’m glad I made the decision to attend.”
As a member of the Alumni Board of Directors, Traynham is excited to learn more about Shenandoah University and gain a deeper appreciation for her alma mater. She also stays active in the Shenandoah community as a member of the Shenandoah University Black Alumni Network, a newly formed alumni group that came together in 2020.
Traynham is a math teacher for Herndon High School in Fairfax, Virginia. In this position, she teaches three courses to students with disabilities, including Geometry, Algebra 2 and Algebra Functions & Data Analysis.
The most rewarding part of Traynhams’ career is teaching young adults how to be successful in our society. “I enjoy teaching them to not be afraid of math and how it relates to the real world,” said Traynham. She is also an assistant coach for the Herndon Girls Basketball varsity team and is the National Honor Society advisor. Outside of the high school, Traynham coaches for the Fairfax Stars, a travelling basketball team in the Amateur Athletic Union.
Traynham believes alumni should be involved with their alma mater, whether it’s through donations or volunteering their time because “it is important to make an impact, no matter how big or small, in numerous ways” to give the students more opportunities and help expand the university.
In addition to her Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Traynham earned a minor in coaching from Shenandoah, and after taking those classes she realized that was the career path she wanted to pursue after graduation. “I think SU prepared me for real-world experiences beyond belief,” said Traynham. “I didn’t get my Master of Education from SU, but I still believe that my degrees prepared me for teaching high school students.”
Traynham completed her Master of Administration degree from Longwood University, in hopes that it will lead her to an assistant principal or director of athletics position in the future.
Sierra is married and resides in Herndon, Virginia with her family.