There are about 800 varsity student athletes enrolled at Penn State. There are about 1,800 students enrolled in the Schreyer Honors College. For the few students participate in both, that requires a special kind of commitment.
Being admitted to the Schreyer Honors College requires submitting a separate application that includes essay questions, short answer questions, teacher recommendations and a high school transcript. Standardized test scores and grade point averages are not considered for admittance in the Honors College.
Marisa Deichert, a sophomore biomedical engineering major and track and field athlete, said the honors college school work is a tremendous time commitment.
“The amount of time I spend doing school work each night varies, but on average I would say I spend about five hours outside of class time,” said Deichert.
She said she dedicates about three hours daily at track and field practice. As a distance runner, Deichert is also a member of the cross-country team. This means she is technically in competition season for the entire year.
The Schreyer Honors College requires that students maintain a 3.4 GPA and complete 35 honors credits by the time they graduate. In addition, they must submit a thesis one month prior to graduation.
Colleen Conway, a sophomore mathematics major and field hockey player, also finds it a challenge to strike the balance between her school work and athletics. She wishes she had more time to invest in her classes.
“Most people in Schreyer have so much time to put toward their classes, but I feel as though I have no time to really study hard in- season,” said Conway.
Although the balance between school work and athletics is challenging, the lessons learned make it worth it, the student athletes said.
“It has taught me the importance of time management, discipline and just becoming more efficient in getting things done,” said Deichert.
Being disciplined and learning how to manage her time are not the only advantages that come with being a part of the honors college. Diechert also enjoys having the opportunity to get to know people other than just her teammates.
“My favorite part about being both an athlete and being in the honors college is being able to meet so many different people with diverse backgrounds.”
Editor’s note: Lisa Bennatan, a Centre County Gazette intern, is a track and field and cross-country teammate of Marisa Deichert.
