Pursuing Excellence On and Off the Field

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Undergraduate student-athletes in the College reflect on their proudest sports moment and how their classes supported their athletics.

Image of Kai Muniz running on the track
Kai Muniz

Exercise is one aspect of staying healthy, so athletes pursuing degrees in the College of Health and Human Services are a natural fit. Six undergraduate students in the College of Health and Human Services were honored at the Peter N. Stearns Provost Scholar Athlete Awards ceremony on March 22. The ceremony recognized student-athletes who have maintained a GPA of at least 3.75 while continuing to represent Mason in their respective sports. Community health majors Ashley Dawson (cheer), Briana Dawson (cheer), Stephanie Der (volleyball), and Kai Muniz (cross country); nursing major Jessica McRae (track and field); and social work major Casey Nelson (track & field) were honored at the awards ceremony.

Being a college athlete requires dedication and hard work. The scholar-athletes found their College coursework has been helpful in their sports and with their teams, while their athletics also helped with their coursework, regardless of their major.

“My courses taught me how to roll with the punches and learn to understand my fellow teammates based on their own unique pasts. Public health is all about working together and guiding people towards their best possible outcomes and the classes I have taken has made me more conscientious about my actions as an athlete,” said Muniz ’22, Bachelor of Science in Community Health.

Image of Casey Nelson throwing a shot put
Casey Nelson

“Regarding athletics, my studies of social work have allowed me to see the importance of balancing the multiple demands of being a student-athlete. Additionally, it has allowed me to become more understanding and empathetic of challenges that student-athletes face regarding mental health, injuries, and other setbacks,” said Nelson ’22, Bachelor of Social Work with a minor in public health.

“Being a student-athlete has prepared me for the harder classes in my major because I was able to work hard and do well in the classes,” said McRae ’22, a Nursing major.

They have created many memories throughout college, and these athletes especially remember the big moments that contributed to their respective team’s success.

“My proudest sports moment at Mason would probably be toeing the line [being on the starting line] at the regional cross country meet with the guys. It's a grueling season and getting to see all our hard work pay off and run in Louisville on such a storied course with the people I've grown to love was so special to me,” said Muniz, who typically ran the 1500, the mile, and the 5K.

“My proudest moment at Mason would be winning the hammer event at the A10s championship last spring,” said McRae, who also competed in shot put and the weight throw.

Image of Jessica Mcrae
Jessica McRae 

“My proudest sports moment at Mason was during my freshman year when I was competing at the A10 Conference Championship meet at the University of Massachusetts in 2019. I placed 8th in discus scoring a point for my team. I was very happy to contribute as a freshman to my team winning at Conference. Every point counts!” said Nelson, who also competed in shot put and the weight throw.

Professors are the coaches of the classroom who help students learn new skills and motivate them with new knowledge. For the ceremony, students were asked to identify their favorite faculty member who had impacted their college career. The student-athletes are thankful for what they’ve learned from their professors.

“Dr. Freedman is an outstanding professor. He does an excellent job engaging students by fostering a safe and inclusive classroom environment for everyone to respectfully share their thoughts and ideas. His immense passion and enthusiasm for students and their professional growth is greatly appreciated,” said Nelson, who is president of the Social Workers at Mason club.

“My favorite teacher in my major is Dr. Ali Weinstein. She presented the course content so well and gave us comprehensible situations to apply what we were doing in class in real-world scenarios. Talking with her gave me a lot of insight towards future careers,” said Muniz.

“My favorite teacher is Professor Frese because she is great at explaining pathophysiology to her students, and I feel like she really prepared us for what expect in real nursing situations,” said Mcrae.

Congratulations to all our student-athletes and best of luck in your future careers.