Anna Kegel

“My decision to attend Carthage was based on the school’s nursing program, beautiful campus, and lake view. The nursing program is amazing because it gets you ready for the clinical experience sophomore year, and the professors are nothing but supportive. They want to see all of us succeed as students.”

“Being a Firebird means supporting my fellow Firebirds from other Carthage sports teams; this defines the culture of our campus. I believe that the best way to do that is to be an active participant. That means showing up at events and supporting other students, even when I’m not competing. We’re all in this together, and we all depend on one another to be successful.”

“My favorite team memory is when I competed in the long jump during an indoor conference. On my final jump, I jumped 5.52 meters to secure first place! Everyone was jumping and cheering for me. This was such an amazing experience, and little did I know I would go on to qualify for the indoor national championship the following week.”

“Being a student-athlete has shown me the importance of skills such as time management. I have learned that it is important to plan when I can complete certain assignments and study to stay on track. I found that getting my schedule from coaches early is helpful for making my plans. It can be very challenging to balance everything, but I do manage to keep up thanks to the flexible Nursing Department and supportive coaches.”

“Not only are my coaches supportive of me, but they are role models who show me how to approach hard work and discipline. They have guided me through injuries, tough competitions, and bad days. Plus, my professors support me both in and out of the classroom. They ask me for my track schedule to cheer me on at my meets, and the Nursing Department even reposted my conference win on their Facebook page. Going DIII was huge because I knew my school, coaches, and professors would support me. Knowing so many people are in my corner has made everything so much easier.”

“My favorite athletic facility on campus is the indoor track because of how much I am there. The facility is one of the nicest in all of our conference, and I am lucky to say that we host four to five home meets here a year. I am so glad we have the privilege of having such an amazing facility on campus.”

“As a student ambassador, I am always giving tours around campus. I am also involved with Carthage Association of Nursing Students, a club in which nursing students can volunteer for certain organizations in both Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Additionally, the Office of Residential Life employs me as a resident assistant. This is where I build a community on my floor with my residents while providing safety.”

“My career goal is to become a registered nurse in the emergency department. I think my student-athlete experience will help me in my career because it’s helped me become a leader and has taught me to communicate and work with people while being a team player.”

“Stay on top of your schoolwork as much as you can. You have lots of free time in college, but learning to use that free time wisely is crucial. Make sure to communicate with both your coaches and professors about classes, practices, and competitions. Work hard, and as always, have fun; that’s why you’re here.”