April-Vanderbilt Student-Athletes of the Month

*The Student-Athletes of the Month are selected on the basis of the all-around student-athlete...effort and excellence in academics, leadership, integrity, dedication to team, campus involvement, community service, and the ability to serve as a role model for current and future VU students and student-athletes.

April 2005

Therese Griner - Women's Bowling

Why did you choose to attend Vanderbilt?
I chose to attend Vanderbilt University because of its well-known reputation in the area of education. As a math education major, I want to challenge myself and allow myself the opportunity to learn from the best professors in the field, and Vanderbilt is definitely the place for that. My oldest brother also attended Vanderbilt for its education program and loved both the academic and social aspects of it, so Vanderbilt came highly recommended from someone I trust.

What are your career goals?
My career goals are to someday be a high school mathematics teacher in a private, Catholic school back home in St. Louis or here in Nashville. In the next five years, I plan on continuing my education by attaining my Masters in math education or mathematics from Vanderbilt or Washington University in St. Louis. However, before all this happens, I hope to teach English for a year in Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. By spending a year in Japan, I hope to gain experience in the classroom and also learn from the Japanese teaching methods by observing math classes in my free time.

What does it take to be academically successful at Vanderbilt?
In order to be academically successful at Vanderbilt, I believe you need to have time management skills, a desire to learn and improve your education, and most importantly, a variety of activities that fit your personality. Studying hour after hour can burn any student out, so it helps to take breaks by volunteering around campus or the community. Plus, not to sound too cliché, but feeling good about what you are doing for others makes it easier to focus on your studies, as long as helping others still leaves enough time for studying.

How do you manage your demanding schedule?
Over the years, I have learned that in order to handle a demanding schedule, I must use every minute that I am given. Whether I use that time to reply to my e-mails, to catch up on reading, or even to stop and take a couple long, deep breaths for myself, I am taking advantage of the little time of each day. In between studying for classes (or in the case of Spring semester, teaching 105 sophomores and juniors at a nearby high school), practicing at the lanes, working at the library, and hanging out with my friends like any normal college student should, time is of essence, and I switch up my activities so that I never get burnt out from doing too much of anything at once. Most importantly, I have learned that stressing is never a good thing, and the best way to rid myself of stress is to have a good laugh with my friends.

What is your ritual before taking a test?
My rituals for test-taking differ for each subject area. For my sociology tests, I study and memorize my notes and facts from the readings, and even sometimes rewrite notes for hours until I can recite backwards and forwards facts and statistics concerning criminology, cultures, and the like. For my math tests, however, studying consists of working out problem after problem for hours on end. Teachers recommend studying the material for ten hours, but sometimes it’s hard to find ten free hours in one week, let alone a few days before a test! For any test, I take frequent breaks while studying so my brain can relax (even math majors can get a headache from doing too much math), and then I walk in the next day prepared and relaxed to tackle and ace my test.

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." -Edward Everett Hale

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Why Therese is a Student-Athlete of the Month . . .
Therese is an incredible addition to our inaugural women's bowling program. Not only does she hold an impressive GPA in her field of study, she is also a leader on the lanes. Even though she will have a short time with the program because she is a senior, the ripple effect she has created with her work ethic and determination will continue to affect this new program for years to come. --Wes Maas

Jason Holwerda - Men's Basketball

Why did you choose to attend Vanderbilt?
The main reason I chose Vanderbilt was because of the people. On my visit, I got along well with the basketball players, the coaches, and the athletic support staff. Furthermore, Vanderbilt offers the unique opportunity of playing in one of the best conferences in college basketball (SEC) and also being able to earn a degree from a prestigious institution.

My ultimate goal is to own and run my own golf course. The path I will take to turn this goal into a reality is yet to be determined. I would also like to stay in Tennessee, either in Nashville or Chattanooga.

The single most important aspect for a student-athlete to succeed at this institution is to have good time management skills. You have to realize how much time it takes to accomplish the things you need to do, then stick to the schedule.

Take one thing at a time. It is easy to become overwhelmed with everything on your plate, but worrying about things in the future will only deter the task at hand.

“Before you criticize someone you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you will be a mile away wearing their shoes.”

“The strength of the pack is the wolf, but the strength of the wolf is the pack.”

Why Jason is a Student-Athlete of the Month . . .
Jason exemplifies the essential student-athlete, not only here at Vanderbilt University, but across the Southeastern Conference. He has excelled both in the classroom and on the basketball court. His commitment to both academics and athletics is respected by faculty and staff, his peers in the classroom, and his teammates. Because of his hard work, determination, and commitment, there is no doubt that Jason will accomplish his goals as he continues to play the “GAME OF LIFE”. --Neal Clark

Past Recipients...

January 2005

Academic Support for Student-Athletes | Vanderbilt University
Department of Student Athletics | 2601 Jess Neely Drive | Nashville, TN 37212
Phone (615) 343-0444