At Summer Search’s 35th Anniversary Celebration, our community gathered not just to honor a milestone—but to honor and celebrate an individual whose life, led with significance, has shaped the very heart of this organization.

Sasha Kovriga, one of the original 14 young people who joined Summer Search in 1990, returned to the stage three decades later as a mentor, board leader, and guiding voice whose influence can be felt in every corner of our organization.

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A Friendship—and a Conversation—That Changed a Life

Former Summer Search CEO, Jay Jacobs began his remarks by recalling the day he met Sasha more than 30 years ago, when Sasha was a philosophy graduate student in Boston. They spent the evening talking about gratitude—about Summer Search Founder, Linda Mornell’s admonition that you must say “thank you” seven times for it to be heard once.

What began as a philosophical debate soon became a question that would echo through their lives—one of the most important and ongoing conversations in Jay’s life: What would it look like to live in a way that gives back sevenfold to the people who made your path possible? They laughed, they did the math, but something profound took root. Jay said he still thinks about that conversation several times a year—and that the best parts of his own leadership have been shaped by it.

Over the next three decades, the conversation continued through career changes, births of children, cross-country moves, and countless moments of showing up for one another. Summer Search was always there too, woven into their shared purpose.

How Do You Summarize 20+ Years of Service?

When Sasha joined the Summer Search Boston Board in 1998, he became not just a volunteer, but a force—offering clarity, heart, and a kind of moral courage that helped redefine what this community could be.

His impact was particularly transformative in reimagining the alumni program. At a time when alumni were young and still finding their footing, Sasha pushed us to believe something bigger: That the opportunity to give back is a fundamental expression of dignity. That to only receive—and never be invited to contribute—diminishes a person.

He saw what others didn’t yet see: that our alumni would become a thriving, powerful, generous community. And today?

• More than 6,000 alumni
• $3M given or raised by alumni in the last five years
• Dozens of alumni serving on our staff, boards, and in leadership positions
• 200+ alumni and supporters coming back together for a weekend of connection, reflection, and learning

Jay said it simply: “Thank goodness we listened to Sasha.”

Choosing a Life of Significance

Jay shared a memory of helping Sasha revise his business school applications years ago, when Sasha finally revealed the heart of his ambition: “I want to live a significant life.”

Jay reflected on how Sasha helped him understand the difference between success and significance. Success is worth striving for, he said—but significance is rooted in how we expand our “circle of moral concern” to include others, especially those whose lives we can help transform. Sasha’s life is a testament to that truth.

 

Why Summer Search Has Endured: Sasha’s Reflections

When Sasha spoke, he shared three powerful reasons he believes Summer Search has survived—and thrived—for 35 years.

1. We Focus on One Young Person at a Time

Linda didn’t set out to fix societal problems.
She set out to change one young person’s life.
And then another.
And another.

That clarity remains our compass.

2. We Build a Big Tent

Summer Search has always welcomed people with different perspectives but shared values. Sasha urged us to remember that disagreement doesn’t make anyone morally flawed—just human. The reality is that whatever their views are, many are simply trying to make sense of a very complex world – with few black and white answers. Our diversity makes us stronger.

3. We Stay Unapologetically Optimistic

Sasha reminded us that despite every challenge, this moment in history is still the best time to be alive. Our students face extraordinary obstacles, but with support, they can overcome anything. Hope is not naïve—it’s necessary. “The World Doesn’t Need Saving. People Do.”

Sasha ended with a message that will stay with us for years: If someone asks, “What are you doing to save the world?” the right answer is: “Nothing.” The world will take care of itself. What the world does need is for us to take care of one another—to support each other, to lift each other, to help each other lead the fullest lives we can. And that is what Summer Search has done for 35 years.

As we celebrated this anniversary, we weren’t just honoring the past—we were honoring the people who have shaped it. People like Sasha, who remind us that gratitude is action, leadership in service, and significance is a choice you make every day.

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