Editor’s Note: As Commencement approaches, we are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2025 graduating students over the coming days.

Major: BS, Sport Management
Hometown: Holly Springs, North Carolina

Q: Why did you choose UConn?

A: I committed to come to UConn without ever stepping foot on campus. I had a virtual visit, and although the campus is beautiful with state-of-the-art athletic facilities, the culture was most captivating. UConn had exactly what I was looking for and more. From an academic standpoint, it had the major that I was looking for. From an athletics standpoint, I valued the desire to bring a softball championship back to Storrs and honor its great history. In my first conversation with the head coach, I knew immediately that she cared about recruiting great people as we talked about everything other than softball. Not only did I want to play at a high level while earning a degree, but I wanted to be a coach in becoming the best player and person I could be.

Q: What’s your major or field of study, and what drew you to it?

A: Sport Management. What drew me to the program was their mission statement. “Our mission is to graduate scholar-practitioners and researchers who have the knowledge, skills, and values to lead the sports industry in the 21st century and who envision sport as a vehicle for positive social outcomes.” Sport was a big part of my development, and I wanted to be a part of and learn from the best of the best, as UConn Athletics has a rich history of competitive excellence.

Q: Did you have a favorite professor or class?

A: My favorite class was Sport-Based Youth Development, taught by Justin Evanovich. Part of this course is partnered with UConn Husky Nutrition and Sport, which is a unified approach to addressing state-level SNAP-Ed goals and objectives while leveraging the strengths and expertise of each agency and honoring Husky Nutrition and Sport’s core values: Relevancy, Relationships, and Representation.

Q: What activities were you involved in as a student?

A: Captain of the UConn softball team; Athletes in Action, a Christian ministry on campus that serves athletes in their walk with Christ; Goal line project, supports the academic and personal development of elementary and middle school students in the surrounding communities; Team IMPACT matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams, creating a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved; alumni committee for the UConn softball team – building a bridge between all those who came before us and laying the foundation of the program; and UConn game day operations – student assistant for game day operations and faculty management.

Q: What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?

A: How pretty the campus was! Again, I never came on a visit, so when I arrived for the first time, I came through the main entrance by Horsebarn Hill and thought, “What are those cows?!!”

Q: What are your plans after graduation/receiving your degree?

A: I will be pursuing a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs at UConn and working as a graduate assistant for the Office of Institutional Equity/Title IX.

Q: How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in life?

A: Professionally, I have had many opportunities to network and grow my skills, as well as attend conferences and forums.

Professionally, I have had many opportunities to network and grow my skills, as well as attend conferences and forums. — Alexis Hastings

Q: Any advice for incoming students?

A: The time you put into your classes and studies will prepare you for the future. After all, you are spending money on being here. Make the most of it. Get involved, meet so many people, journal your journey, and enjoy every moment because it goes by fast.

Q: What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?

A: Yoga on Horsebarn Hill, go to the Dairy Bar, watch a UConn softball game, rent a paddleboard from the UConn Rec Center, and go to Mansfield Hollow State Park.

Q: What will always make you think of UConn?

A: March Madness and navy blue.