Compete With Purpose with Ari

Transcript

Alright, everyone, it’s time to meet Ari. She’s a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in marketing and she’s a volleyball athlete. New NW’s volleyball team is the winner of 13 consecutive conference championships and recently competed in the Elite eight NCAA national tournament. Take it away, Ari.

– Thanks, Alex. Hey guys. I decided that I wanted to play college volleyball after my sophomore year of high school, except I didn’t know what my next steps were. I went to a really small school where not a lot of people went on to play college athletics. I ended up touring about 15 different schools. After my first visit at Northwestern, I liked it, but I wasn’t entirely sold. It was after my second visit that I realized the best thing about this campus is the people. The team and staff that facilitated my visit had a huge impact on my decision to come to Northwestern. As an athlete, it’s easy to tell when people care more about how you’ll benefit their program than who you are as a person, but everyone at Northwestern made it clear that they cared about me as a person and a student before an athlete. It was really refreshing. After three years, I can say that hasn’t changed at all. Northwestern is such a community based campus and that’s what made my decision so easy. One of my favorite things about Northwestern’s community is seeing everybody come together at sporting events. Game days normally have a large turnout and it’s so fun playing in front of so many familiar faces. It makes home games feel like I’m really at my home. I know the connections I’ve made at UNW and the friends I’ve met here will follow me into the outside world after graduation. I’m so glad that I chose a campus that has equipped me not only with a degree, but with lifelong friends that’ll be by my side as I move into the next chapters of my life. Back to you, Alex.

– Thank you, Ari, and thanks for sharing your experience as a student athlete at Northwestern. It’s so cool to hear about how the community comes together for sporting events and how you’ve been cared for as a whole person spiritually, mentally, and physically. Thanks again, Ari.