psu athletics: Career development
Who: Portland State University Student Athletes
What: Career Development
When: May 2014
Where: Peter W. Stott Center
Why: Much of my life has been a product of my circumstances, a product of the people I happen to spend time with. I am not one to be easily swayed to follow a crowd, I can reason and make choices on my own accord, but everything that has gotten me to where I am, to where I am going has been a gift from someone else. I would not be at Portland State if it were not for volleyball, for an invitation from a coach. I would not be playing volleyball if it were not for the generosity of my parents who spent countless dollars and hours putting me through practices, tournaments and camps. I would not have the money to play volleyball were it not for my father's career, were it not for his education, were it not for his drive and dedication, were it not for the long list of people and resources who preceded him and those that preceded them. I am here not by my own accord, not by my own might, not by the grit of my teeth. I have played a role in that I am me, and no one else could be me, but I am not the only battery in the pack, the only cog in the wheel, the only key to my very own destiny. No, I am the product of the people around me.
My entire life has been a gift, and the more I ruminate in the thought, I discover how much a product of circumstances and the people surrounding me that I am. I am highly capable in thinking, reasoning, and decision making, but there have been opportunities afforded to me that would not have been without the small details that have seemed to simply fall in place, often by the hands of others, offering me space to explore, discover, create, innovate and grow.
This perspective allows for gratitude. Because all I have to put my name on has been a gift, it never hurts to give it away, it really only feels right to walk it right back out of my door and land it in someone else's lap.
Athletics has been one of my favorite gifts of all. The countless hours of practices, the injuries, the sleepless nights from juggling school while traveling to compete, the daily grind of waking up and deciding to do it all again has been worth the gain. The gain is something that's almost inexplicable, just out of reach like a phrase just on the tip of your tongue but impossible to recall. You almost just have to be a student athlete to grasp it. It's the team that turns into family, it’s the network of athletes you maintain post collegiate athletic career, the progress you made in the weight room that you never imagined possible, it’s the pushing past your limits to discover that you can exceed much further boundaries than those that had been set, its being a part of something much bigger than you could ever be by yourself, it’s the lessons you learn, the things you discover. Its so much more than just a game.
Having received such a profoundly impacting gift, my aim is to give as much into and as much of it as I can. The Stott Center is like a second home, and with all of the time I spend there, I get to see many sides of the student athlete life. Finishing your athletic career, facing graduation, attempting to even consider a non-student athlete lifestyle can be an intimidating task. But with some encouragement and guidance, it doesn't need to be quite so hard.
To address the issue of how student athletes can make a smooth transition into life post graduation we started to get the ball rolling by putting on a career panel discussion and networking event with professionals from the Portland area. The numbers were small, but so is the spark that starts a flame.
My contribution seems small in grander scheme of things, but then so does a pixel out of a picture or one of the thirty five thousand pebblings on the surface of a basketball. A few emails and some invites were sent. People came and people went. Stories were shared, wisdom was gleaned, connections were made, the world spins on, and I'm reminded that this isn't all about me.
What inspired any of this action was watching my companions, my teammates, my friends, my fellow student athletes start walking into the unknown of what comes after four or five years of pouring everything into their collegiate athletic career. It's intimidating. And sometimes you can get so caught up in excelling in the present moment, you forget about preparing to excel in your future endeavors. So out of this a vision to provide career development and networking support to student athletes at Portland State University.
As the term comes to an end, I don't believe I can walk out of the classroom because the classroom seems to extend far beyond the four walls where we met each week. To continue effecting change would be a high honor , but my greatest aim is continue to be affected to change and create space to cultivate change. My motivation stems from compassion. I think that the love and grace and generosity that has been shown to me has impacted me in such a way that I hope to share it with others. I almost can't help but share this with others, and I believe it will be sustained through a continual seeking to pass it on to others.
To experience a community of individuals so committed to making this world a little better in each of their corners, to experience a tiny piece of many different movements has been quite the treat. To play a role in creating a space to benefit the others is a joy, and I hope that it remains a significant piece of my life for a long while.
What: Career Development
When: May 2014
Where: Peter W. Stott Center
Why: Much of my life has been a product of my circumstances, a product of the people I happen to spend time with. I am not one to be easily swayed to follow a crowd, I can reason and make choices on my own accord, but everything that has gotten me to where I am, to where I am going has been a gift from someone else. I would not be at Portland State if it were not for volleyball, for an invitation from a coach. I would not be playing volleyball if it were not for the generosity of my parents who spent countless dollars and hours putting me through practices, tournaments and camps. I would not have the money to play volleyball were it not for my father's career, were it not for his education, were it not for his drive and dedication, were it not for the long list of people and resources who preceded him and those that preceded them. I am here not by my own accord, not by my own might, not by the grit of my teeth. I have played a role in that I am me, and no one else could be me, but I am not the only battery in the pack, the only cog in the wheel, the only key to my very own destiny. No, I am the product of the people around me.
My entire life has been a gift, and the more I ruminate in the thought, I discover how much a product of circumstances and the people surrounding me that I am. I am highly capable in thinking, reasoning, and decision making, but there have been opportunities afforded to me that would not have been without the small details that have seemed to simply fall in place, often by the hands of others, offering me space to explore, discover, create, innovate and grow.
This perspective allows for gratitude. Because all I have to put my name on has been a gift, it never hurts to give it away, it really only feels right to walk it right back out of my door and land it in someone else's lap.
Athletics has been one of my favorite gifts of all. The countless hours of practices, the injuries, the sleepless nights from juggling school while traveling to compete, the daily grind of waking up and deciding to do it all again has been worth the gain. The gain is something that's almost inexplicable, just out of reach like a phrase just on the tip of your tongue but impossible to recall. You almost just have to be a student athlete to grasp it. It's the team that turns into family, it’s the network of athletes you maintain post collegiate athletic career, the progress you made in the weight room that you never imagined possible, it’s the pushing past your limits to discover that you can exceed much further boundaries than those that had been set, its being a part of something much bigger than you could ever be by yourself, it’s the lessons you learn, the things you discover. Its so much more than just a game.
Having received such a profoundly impacting gift, my aim is to give as much into and as much of it as I can. The Stott Center is like a second home, and with all of the time I spend there, I get to see many sides of the student athlete life. Finishing your athletic career, facing graduation, attempting to even consider a non-student athlete lifestyle can be an intimidating task. But with some encouragement and guidance, it doesn't need to be quite so hard.
To address the issue of how student athletes can make a smooth transition into life post graduation we started to get the ball rolling by putting on a career panel discussion and networking event with professionals from the Portland area. The numbers were small, but so is the spark that starts a flame.
My contribution seems small in grander scheme of things, but then so does a pixel out of a picture or one of the thirty five thousand pebblings on the surface of a basketball. A few emails and some invites were sent. People came and people went. Stories were shared, wisdom was gleaned, connections were made, the world spins on, and I'm reminded that this isn't all about me.
What inspired any of this action was watching my companions, my teammates, my friends, my fellow student athletes start walking into the unknown of what comes after four or five years of pouring everything into their collegiate athletic career. It's intimidating. And sometimes you can get so caught up in excelling in the present moment, you forget about preparing to excel in your future endeavors. So out of this a vision to provide career development and networking support to student athletes at Portland State University.
As the term comes to an end, I don't believe I can walk out of the classroom because the classroom seems to extend far beyond the four walls where we met each week. To continue effecting change would be a high honor , but my greatest aim is continue to be affected to change and create space to cultivate change. My motivation stems from compassion. I think that the love and grace and generosity that has been shown to me has impacted me in such a way that I hope to share it with others. I almost can't help but share this with others, and I believe it will be sustained through a continual seeking to pass it on to others.
To experience a community of individuals so committed to making this world a little better in each of their corners, to experience a tiny piece of many different movements has been quite the treat. To play a role in creating a space to benefit the others is a joy, and I hope that it remains a significant piece of my life for a long while.
