Combining great academics with great athletics

In 2003, Laura D’Andrea was searching for academic institutions where she could get a great education and play softball. She chose Washington University because “there aren't many schools that combine great academics with great athletics.”

At that time, the softball program at Washington University was only three years old. Today, the varsity program is established as a nationally recognized program and, in 2007, the team advanced to the College World Series for the first time.

Balancing academics and playing a collegiate sport is not a simple thing. Softball is a year-round commitment with year-round work outs and an intense practice schedule in the spring. Laura explains, “I learned early on that I needed to carefully manage the time I had when I wasn't at practice or games.”

She also attributes her success to sensitivity from her coaches and professors. The coaches “understand when it comes to schoolwork. They take the ‘student-athlete’ label seriously and are very concerned about everyone on the team being able to make it to all their classes, get their work done and achieving success in the classrooms as well as on the field.”

Laura believes her professors and advisors also realize her commitment to both school and softball. “People at Washington University and within Arts & Sciences seem to really want you to succeed in as many different areas as you can, and will go the extra mile to help you do so.”

Between her studies or practice schedule, Laura has participated in a number of research activities like working with Psychology Professor Jeff Zacks in his Dynamic Cognition Lab. Recently she also had an opportunity to run a project she proposed and present the study at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. “It allowed me to become involved with every part of the research process. Being exposed to the entire process not only convinced me that I want to continue doing research in the future, it also gave me great research experience.”

After graduation, Laura plans to attend graduate school in the University of Illinois’ Human Factors program. “I'm taking away great friendships, a fantastic education from a university that allowed me to become involved with all different kinds of research and take really interesting classes, and an experience with my softball team that's surpassed everything I expected from it.”

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