Being a Student-Athlete
Signing on with Kent State has been a huge accomplishment for me, and the experience has been incredible from day one.
While I love being a DI athlete, and everything about field hockey, I am also here to develop myself professionally — another big reason why I chose Kent State.
When I first arrived, I wasn't sure what academic path I wanted to pursue. I loved the fact that Kent State offered a diverse and wide array of majors and degree programs.
But with so many interesting course offerings, it was difficult to decide. Back when I was a kid, I’d try as many sports as possible, just trying to get a feel for what sparked my interest.
So, when I started at Kent State, I took a similar approach academically. I began taking entrepreneurial-focused classes and then eventually switched over to the marketing program after having taken several interesting marketing courses.
Throughout my coursework, my Kent State professors emphasized the importance of students to seek out real-world experiences to find a career you are passionate about.
Soon enough, I wanted to experience what a marketing career would be like outside of the classroom. I was very fortunate to receive an offer for a summer marketing internship with one of the top global bio-pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer! I supported the Hemophilia marketing team within the Rare Disease organization.
The experience was truly amazing, working with so many talented colleagues, learning about the rare blood disorder, Hemophilia, and about the upcoming advancements being developed by Pfizer to continue to improve patients’ lives who suffer from the disorder.
In addition to the marketing skills I developed while working at Pfizer, I also took to heart one of their core company values — courage. The experience has taught me the importance of having the courage to speak up, and to also be courageous in asking for help when I need it. For me, it is thinking about how I can apply the value of courage every day in my life, in the classroom, and on and off the field. While I don't know what the future holds, this experience has really given me some perspective, and has grown my interest in this industry. Upon graduating, I hope to continue having even more valuable career experiences such as my experience at Pfizer.