By Eli Meschko
Media & Communications Coordinator
There are many different names that someone may think of when the idea of family legacy comes to mind.
There’s the Manning family, the Watts and the Harbaughs in the NFL; Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. in the MLB; and the Warner brothers, Baldwins and Coppola family in Hollywood. The list goes on and on in different industries worldwide.
But for Briar Cliff, three sisters have formed their own legacy. While the university has seen generations of family members walk through campus over its existence, the Glover sisters have left their own unique imprint on The Cliff.
Megan graduated from Briar Cliff in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication and received a master’s in sports management in 2020 from The Cliff. Katie received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and sports management with a minor in legal studies in 2020. The youngest, Sarah, graduated on May 10 as a member of the class of 2025 with a degree in kinesiology.
However, their family legacy isn’t just the fact that they all attended the same university within years of each other. Each of them — at some point — served as presidents of the student body government.
This was never planned. In fact, Sarah said she initially had no plans to follow in her sisters’ footsteps by attending Briar Cliff.
She wanted to forge her own path in college. But after receiving the Presidential Scholarship, it made financial sense to become a Charger.
“During her college search, I think she saw Katie and I going to Briar Cliff as an expectation,” Megan said. “I was always in her ear saying I want you to do what you want, but I think this would be a great place for you. So, I was happy when she decided that’s what she wanted to do.”
“I was really excited when she decided to go to Briar Cliff,” Katie said. “I was excited for her to have a small college experience like Megan and I did, and to build so many deep and lifelong friendships.”
Although Megan and Katie were ecstatic that Sarah chose Briar Cliff as home for the next four years, they had no idea she would become a student body government president like they had.
Sarah didn’t really think about it either during her first three years of school. She had been involved in student government in high school and joined BCU’s student government so she could start being involved in other on-campus clubs.
Rolling into her senior year, the student body government was looking for a new president. She had been considering it, so she decided to run and was eventually selected to serve as the president.
“It was scary at first, because I had to go to board meetings with all of these really important people and I’m just a student,” Sarah said. “It’s also been fun getting to go do those important things and speak up on behalf of the students.”
Being good at advocating for others is actually something that she learned about herself while she served as the president. She learned many other things about herself, including using her voice to be a leader.
Similarly, both Megan and Katie learned different leadership styles and how to interact with a variety of people. Their shared experiences have prepared them for the professional world through the lessons they’ve learned while serving as the president.
They each understand that the people of Briar Cliff come from all walks of life. Some grew up in similar situations as them — whether socioeconomically, lived experiences or status-wise. Meanwhile, many others have differing experiences.
“It’s a big part of the Franciscan values — being able to think about what was best for people that weren’t necessarily us,” Katie said. “It was something we could lean into as the student body presidents in those rooms and conversations.”
They all agree that Briar Cliff means so much to each of them in both similar and unique ways.
The university has been a great place for personal growth through the interactions and lifelong friendships they’ve each made. Through rigorous classes and coursework, the university has provided an ideal place for professional growth.
For Sarah, the academic challenges have prepared her for graduate school, where she plans on attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Katie said that her experiences at sporting events and interactions with a diverse group of people are something she looks back on fondly.
“I would say the three of us would all agree that our time at Briar Cliff was so beneficial and did so much for us,” Megan said. “The opportunity to give back as student body presidents was a great chance to give back to a place that means so much to our family.”
At a university where tradition and values run deep, the Glover sisters have created more than just a shared college experience – they've crafted a legacy of leadership, service and sisterhood.
While their individual journeys may have started with different goals, together they’ve built something uniquely theirs: a mark on Briar Cliff that goes beyond academics and student government.
It’s a legacy not just of family ties, but using their voices to lead, to advocate and to lift others — even when they might have thought otherwise when they first started college.
“I came into college as an introvert,” Sarah said. “Now, I'm the most extroverted person and won't hesitate to strike up a conversation."