As senior student athletes Brooke Ellison and Brie Palmer prepare for graduation, they reflect on their last four years at Winthrop University and their experience as they juggled both academics and athletics.
Brooke Ellison, senior biology major, plays on Winthrop’s softball team. “Being a collegiate student athlete has been one of the most demanding, yet rewarding experiences I’ve ever had,” Ellison said.
“It’s taught me how to push myself and stay determined for whatever I’m working towards. I’ve learned how to handle adversity and challenges that come with being an athlete, but they have made me stronger and helped build my faith. I have learned how to better serve and encourage my teammates to strengthen our team dynamic. This student-athlete experience has shaped every aspect of my life and helped me become who I am today.”
Brie Palmer, senior business administration major, played on the women’s soccer team for the past four years. “Being a student athlete has taught me many things, but the most important thing that I learned through this experience was the value of hard work,” Palmer said. “Being a student athlete wasn’t always easy, but it did tend to always point me in the right direction because I knew my team was behind me, supporting me and cheering me on.”
Both Ellison and Palmer have enjoyed the experience that they gained and shared their favorite parts of being student athletes. “My favorite part about being a student-athlete is the community I have gained here at Winthrop,” Ellison said. “The relationships I have with my teammates are ones that I will cherish long after I graduate. My coaches and the athletic department have helped shaped me to be determined, tough, and passionate about whatever I do. Getting to represent this university and community out on the field has been such an honor that I will always be grateful for.”
“My favorite part of being a student athlete was that I felt as if I was never going through something another student athlete hadn’t,” Palmer responded. “The support system my team provided, as well as my professors provided, kept me on the right path to succeed on and off the field.” Both seniors have exciting plans following graduation. Ellison is planning on applying to physician’s assistant programs within the Carolinas to earn her master’s degree and, soon, pursue a career as an orthopedic physician’s assistant. Palmer is currently applying for jobs and graduate school to obtain her master’s as well. Fortunately, the soon-to-be grads left valuable advice for other student athletes and underclassmen.
“I know it sounds cheesy, but if I had any advice for underclassmen I would say to take the time to enjoy these moments,” Brooke said. “I can’t believe my four years at Winthrop have come and gone already. Put in the extra work even when you don’t feel like it because you don’t want to look back with regrets. Make memories with your friends any chance you get because time flies, but you’ll always have these memories to hold on to.”
“Don’t come into college having a set mindset of what you want to do or be,” Palmer said. “Sometimes what you think might be the definite path sometimes ends up being totally different. Don’t be stressed if you find out what you really wanted to do at first—biology for me—is totally opposite from what you end up with—graduating with a B.S. in business administration. Finally, have fun. These are the best years of your life; make them memorable because it really does fly by.”
