Dear Northwestern,
Four years ago I was given the opportunity of a lifetime, to attend Northwestern University. Being a student-athlete, my experience here was not quite like the typical college student. I had the chance to not only study at one of the best Universities in the country, but also to compete at a highly competitive level in the Big Ten.
Throughout these past four years, there has been nothing about this experience that has been easy. As I am sure most other college graduates would say, I was challenged in ways my high school self could not have even dreamed of. What stands Northwestern apart from all the other academic and athletic intensive programs is that I never met these challenges alone. Each year I spent on campus, I found more and more people in the Northwestern community that were more than willing to help me achieve my goals.
I am grateful to have been given the privilege to learn from world-class professors in both the economics and political science departments, and I am grateful for my academic and athletic advisors who helped me discover my academic path. I am grateful for my coaches and training staff who not only did everything they could to help me achieve my athletic goals, but also pushed me to develop into a stronger, more confident woman. Finally, I am grateful for the athletic department staff that has made it their mission to make Northwestern home for not only me, but also the 500+ other athletes on campus.
I am ready to take my first steps into the adult world because of the Wildcat family, and as I leave campus I am so proud to wear the purple N!
GO CATS'!
Sincerely,
Emily Launer, Women's Swimming & Diving