NCAA Women

‘It shows your commitment to academic excellence’: Nearly 70 Sun Devils Balance Athletics and Academics in Barrett, The Honors College

‘It shows your commitment to academic excellence’: Nearly 70 Sun Devils Balance Athletics and Academics in Barrett, The Honors College


Outside of the course workload itself, much of the challenges for Sun Devil student-athletes in Barrett centers around balancing it with rigorous athletic schedules. Early morning weight-training sessions followed by mid-day practices see classes sandwiched in between. 

Of course, then, it feels nice to have helping hands nearby.

Mason and Nunley each have more than a half-dozen teammates in their respective sports who are also in Barrett, as does Emily White, a junior on the Gymnastics team.

“Our freshmen and sophomores [on the team] in Barrett, I know me and the seniors and the other juniors, we really like helping them out with books we’ve read and giving them some insight and different tips we have just going through the process,” White said.

Nunley has a teammate who shares the same Human Event professor, allowing them to collaborate ideas, clarify questions they may have and generally offer support to one another.

“Instead of just being on your own with it,” Nunley said, “it’s been amazing to have that.”

Gallagher is the lone Barrett representative on the Women’s Tennis team this season, a feeling she’s still getting used to after having teammate Cali Jankowski alongside her last year. Though Jankowski has since graduated, the two still engage in Barrett-related discourse.

These athletes refer to Barrett as a community within a community – another layer to their Sun Devil experience – and a bond that remains intact even after their collegiate careers are over.

“Even now, I still talk to her and she’ll give me advice on certain classes and the thesis,” Gallagher said, “so I’m sure she’ll be around to help me with my thesis. I really leaned on her a lot.”

White is a year away from writing her thesis paper – which presents itself as a tall, intimidating task upfront – but feels comforted at the assistance she has at hand. She’s already met with a trio of senior teammates who are currently writing theirs, and they have offered insight on the paper’s research and development process.

“I feel like once you get started, there are really so many resources that Barrett has for you,” she said.

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