Surprising Lessons from Former Student Athletes
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How does ice hockey prepare ER doctors or competitive volleyball inspire volunteering? The Where Are They Now? article series by MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation spotlights alumni that have left MIT to do everything from treat gunshot wounds to consult for software companies. Former student athletes share their memories on and off the court and talk about some surprising ways sports have inspired them after retiring their uniforms. Here are some highlights:
There are a lot of similarities between emergency medicine and athletics.
Stephanie Brenman ’09 was on the women’s soccer, lacrosse, and ice hockey teams while at MIT. She went on to earn her MD from Stanford Medical School. As part of her residency, she worked in an emergency department treating patients “with everything from in-grown toenails…to gunshot wounds and cardiac arrests.”
“There are a lot of similarities between emergency medicine and athletics, especially being a team captain or in any leadership position on the field, such as a soccer goalkeeper: clear and concise communication with your team is of utmost importance, especially in high-pressure situations, and can be the key to failure or success.”
My life would be markedly different from what it is today were it not for Coach Paul Dill, his crew of assistants at the time, and the MIT volleyball family.
Caine Jette ’11, a Course 6-3 Computer Science and Engineering major, shares how competing on the MIT Men’s Volleyball team has enriched his free time after graduation.
“My involvement with the volleyball program at MIT has strongly shaped the path I've carved since graduating. The year after I graduated, I stayed in Boston and assisted with the women's volleyball program, helping run practices and keeping stats at games. This sparked a passion for coaching that I have continued to pursue; since moving to Seattle, I've coached club volleyball for five seasons, ran a high school volleyball program, and have been involved in growing a beach volleyball program in the area. My life would be markedly different from what it is today were it not for Coach Paul Dill, his crew of assistants at the time, and the MIT volleyball family.”
Being sidelined was incredibly frustrating (especially since Harry Potter’s arm was fixed in one night).
Michelle Dion ’13 (pictured above) has a passion for sports that encouraged her to study engineering. She played field hockey at MIT while earning a degree in Course 10B, Chemical-Biological Engineering.
“When I was 12, I injured my elbow while training competitively for figure skating and couldn’t play any sports for several months. Being sidelined was incredibly frustrating (especially since Harry Potter’s arm was fixed in one night), and I couldn’t imagine being unable to participate in my favorite activities because of a medical issue. As a result, I wanted to pursue a career that would enable me to help others pursue their passions regardless of physical or mental limitations. Working in biotech research and development allows me to achieve this dream on a daily basis.”
Did you play sports for MIT? Share your story.
