Shumway Earns XC Student Athlete of the Year
Pittsburgh, PA ~ For just the fourth time in school history, a Paul Smith's College athlete has won the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Student Athlete of the Year. The coveted award is given out once per year per sport to the student athlete who best exemplifies not only athletic success, but excellence, leadership, and community impact.
Brooklynn Shumway (Bloomingdale, NY) has been chosen as this year's USCAA Women's Cross Country Student Athlete of the Year.
"Brooklynn exudes positive energy to her peers on the team each and every day," said cross country coach Jim Tucker. "She never boasts about her academic success as she is the epitome of humble. She never talks about herself and has a very keen eye as she watches her teammates to ensure that she is aware of anyone who is having a bad day."
Through Shumway's junior season, she's maintained a 4.0 GPA while going the extra mile on the course and in the classroom. Even after breaking her arm in a hockey game earlier in the season, she didn't let that affect her ability to be a good teammate. She also showcases her strong character and dedication to others through community service. Brooklynn has worked at Will Rogers over the past two summers, a retirement community in Saranac Lake where she interacts daily with the residents there.
"I really enjoy it because I get to work and interact with some great people... allowing me the opportunity to help others do things they need assistance with and to be a listening ear to our seniors who often spend many hours alone. They truly enjoy sharing their really interesting stories with someone!" said Shumway.
In addition to the community service at Will Rogers, Brookylnn spends her days as Bible Study Leader for her congregation in Bloomingdale, also serving as the saxophonist for special occassions.
"Our church provides support to missionary works across the country and across the world," continued Shumway. "In support for those in need, I have made blankets for the homeless in Philadelphia (for Emmanuel Inner City Outreach) and for the AscentCare Pregnancy Center in Lake Placid."
Brooklynn has her sights set on a career in science and the environment, noting that since high school she has had a deep interest in the subjects. The ability to study so close to home at a hands-on, science-based school allows the Narural Sciences major the opportunity to continue serving the community in so many ways while staying connected to the area in which she grew up.
"Paul Smith's College has provided me with the unique experience I was looking for: I get to study what I love under professors who are very knowledgeable," she said. "I've had the opportunity to count animal tracks in the snow, perfrom sediment coring on Lower St. Regis Lake, and make a trebuchet. It is my hope that I will be able to one day work in a research lab, applying what I learned to make the world a better place."
Shumway is on the a path to do just that, and her strong moral compass and character is setting her up for a lifetime of success. She has represented Paul Smith's College exceptionally, as this year's USCAA Women's Cross Country Student Athlete of the Year.
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At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith's provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.