Athlete Services

I created the goal early on for myself that I wanted to work hard enough to earn a spot on a NCAA Division I team. I knew that track and field could be the way I opened the door to a beautiful opportunity at a wonderful school. Figuring out the process of college was difficult at first as there wasn't much guidance for the path I wanted to walk down. Nearly no one from home pushes onto that next level of athletics plus being a first-generation college student added that extra bit of uncertainty. I'd looked at several colleges and Bucknell University stood out like none other. I knew after walking around campus and seeing the town of Lewisburg that Bucknell would be home for the next couple of years. Everything felt right from the atmosphere of the town to the focus on academics and the support of the coaching staff. I knew I'd thrive in Lewisburg and that intuition was true. I found another family at Bucknell and by far that has been the greatest benefit of being a student-athlete.

Arthrogryposis occasionally creates slight problems when designing workouts to prepare me for competition. The coaching staff at Bucknell University have been so helpful in finding out what works. The one-on-one attention I've been able to receive was game changing as I've become far faster and much stronger. The vast majority of my time is spent training and racing alongside able-bodied athletes as if my disability does not exist. The dynamic of receiving the next level of training with other high-performing athletes while also having the option to work closely with knowledgeable coaches has worked perfectly for me as I've prepared for Para track and field. Competing collegiately has given me the chance to continue challenging my abilities through offering the resources necessary for my success as an athlete.

College was an eye-opener for me and there is no doubt that this experience drastically changed my life. Growing up in small town in rural America where poverty ran rampant taught me lots of lessons about life but ultimately that reality ends up becoming a vacuum that many find impossible to escape. Seeing what the rest of the world has to offer and getting the chance to work towards obtaining the bounties of the world for myself through a college degree is something I am thankful for every single day. Inside the classroom I've worked to understand the mind and the best ways to teach others, but outside I've been able to gain a better understanding of the larger world that I can use to position myself into a place where giving back to others is easy.