Ele Valencia - Women's Soccer

Ele Valencia is a senior captain on the Carnegie Mellon women’s soccer team. Ele is pursuing a double-major in psychology and biology and will graduate in May.

The greatest surprise in my undergraduate career here at Carnegie Mellon is that my education has extended far beyond the classroom and on to the soccer field. While one may be led to believe that being a varsity athlete at a world-renowned institution is impossible, soccer has actually served as a channel through which I have been able to escape the rigors of the academic environment. Even more, my experience as a member of the women’s varsity soccer team has been integral to my character development.

Every student here at Carnegie Mellon can strongly, and undoubtedly, attest to the fact that the extremely challenging work coupled with exceedingly high expectations is a defining feature of the academic environment. I had my very own convictions regarding the possibility of being successful both in the classroom and on the turf; however, much to my astonishment, I do not believe that I would have had the academic achievement that I have without soccer. Soccer has provided me an outlet to release the frustrations and stresses experienced as a student. Not only do I find enjoyment in playing the game for which I have been impassioned about my whole life, but I really appreciate the time I get to spend with such amazing individuals whom have become great friends to me—my teammates. We have created invaluable memories together, some of which have been emotional like our victories, as well as our losses, and some of which have been lighthearted and fun like our pre-game ritual of jamming out to music in the locker room.

In addition to the unforgettable memories that I have made, my experience as a student-athlete has been a learning forum through which I have developed skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. As a player, I have had a great transformation beginning my collegiate soccer career as a bench warmer and concluding it as a captain. I would not have had such a transformation had I not learned the value of being disciplined, perseverant, and hard working, nor had the opportunity to be so profoundly impacted by both my teammates and coaches. As I am preparing for what I hope to be a future in medicine, I have discovered that my experience as a teammate, not just as a student or an athlete, has bestowed me with indispensable tools that I will be able to utilize in every aspect of my life.