Motivated for Life—Eight College of Education Student Athletes Succeed in the Classroom as well as in their Sport

Travis Meade is sick of misconceptions about student athletes. “We are not meatheads,” he said. Meade is an offensive lineman on The University of Iowa football team as well as an Elementary Education major. He’s one of several College of Education student athletes who strives to succeed in the classroom as well as in sports.

Katie Brown, an infielder on the UI softball team, said her passion for sports spurs her to succeed in all areas of her life. “I want to be the best athlete I can be, but I also want to be the best student I can be,” she said. Brown is an Elementary Education major who aspires to become an elementary school principal.

Tyson Blaser, a Secondary Education major and member of the Hawkeye baseball team, said he gets a thrill from succeeding in school. "I like to see my name on the Academic All-Big Ten team at the end of the year,” he said. “That and knowing that I’m making my family proud drive me to excel in the classroom.” But being a student athlete isn’t always easy.

Andy Schulze, a long snapper on the football team and a Secondary Science Education major, said careful time management is essential. “You need to get everything in school done along with all the training and practice and still get a little free time in there to keep from going crazy,” he said. “To get both a first-class education and to be able to play in Kinnick Stadium every fall is something that is hard to explain,” Schulze said, “but it is what keeps me motivated all year long.”

Laura Kremer, a volleyball player and Elementary Education major, said traveling to games with her team sometimes means she has to take a test early, even if that means learning material on her own and being tested on it before it’s been covered in class. But Kremer said her experiences as a student athlete will help her be a better teacher. She’s been able to work with children in sports camps and practice teaching them new skills. “I love having a positive influence on kids and seeing that spark when they catch on to a sport or catch on to a math program,” she said.

UI track team member Eric MacTaggart is also a Music Education major and accomplished trombone player. He looks forward to making an impact in the classroom.
“I’ve been changed by music in so many ways and I would like to help kids have musical experiences that help them appreciate art and music at an entirely new level,” he said. MacTaggart said his running career has taught him important life lessons that will carry over into his career as a band director or music teacher. “I’ve learned about working hard every day and that sometimes you end up failing even if you try your best,” he said. “Some of these things are hard lessons to learn, but I think running has made me a stronger and a more humble person.”

Field Hockey player Lissa Munley said being a leader on her team will help her be a leader in her future career as a middle school or high school English teacher. “I plan to use my problem-solving skills to work with students and colleagues on a daily basis,” she said. “There is so much that I’ve learned on the field that I will be able to use, including my time management and organizational skills.”

Andy Miner, a Secondary Science Education member and UI swimmer, said he’ll bring motivation and a competitive spirit, honed through years as a student athlete, to the classroom. “Every year people are getting faster and stronger in swimming,” he said. “In teaching, more and more is being required in education. If you don’t continue to evolve and adapt with everything else, you’re going to get left behind.” All of the athletes said battling myths about student athletes and dealing with packed schedules are worth the privilege of representing their university on and off the field.