UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- As Penn State student-athletes, health policy and administration (HPA) majors Kendall Pierce, Sarah Wilkie, and Alicia Walker value teamwork, whether in competition or in the classroom.
Pierce, a junior and member of the women’s volleyball team, understands the significance of her presence at Penn State.
Her father was a member of the Penn State men’s volleyball team, who later competed professionally in Switzerland, where Pierce was born before the family moved to Eden, New York. Her mother was a member of the Penn State track and field team. Now, Pierce is part of the family tradition.
“I decided to attend Penn State as an original ‘recruited’ walk-on for volleyball and turned down my other full-ride offers to other Division I schools. Given the chance, I would not change a thing about my decision,” Pierce said. “My younger sister Lainy is now a freshman on the volleyball team and my brother, who is a junior in high school, has already committed to playing volleyball on the men’s team in two years.”
During Pierce’s freshman year, the women’s volleyball team won the Big Ten Championship and made it to the NCAA semifinals. Her sophomore year, the team won the Big Ten Championship again before going on to win the NCAA National Championship. During the 2013 season, Pierce played in 35 matches, recording seven aces and 21 digs.
“Being a student-athlete here at Penn State is such an honor. Putting my jersey on each time is an indescribable feeling. It also puts a lot of weight on our shoulders that we are representing something much bigger than ourselves, but our program has always had such an amazing support system and fan base rooting us on,” Pierce said.
Pierce said many of the skills important on the court are also important inside HPA classrooms.
“What I enjoy most about being a student-athlete is connecting my athletics to real life scenarios and my education. I was fortunate enough to hear about our incredible HPA major that Penn State offers while I was in high school. It seemed like the perfect fit for what I really wanted to dive into and study,” Pierce said. “Since then I have found myself to be passionate to learn more and understand how teamwork works in the health care setting.”
In HPA classes, Pierce said there is an emphasis on the importance of teamwork, good communication and listening skills, and leadership.
“This is both true on and off the court, in the future workforce and in general with people, and I have found myself integrating what I learn in the classroom into my playing and relationships with my teammates and coaches,” Pierce said.
Pierce hopes to become a medical device sales representative and intends to graduate in December, following her senior volleyball season.
Wilkie, a junior and Schreyer Honors Scholar, is a defenseman on the women’s ice hockey team. She joined the team as a freshman, having the privilege to be part of the first recruiting class and inaugural team. Before Penn State, she attended the Williston Northampton School, where she served as team captain for ice hockey, field hockey and lacrosse. This season, she was elected assistant team captain.
“I love being a student athlete because it allows me to get my education while also competing at the highest level,” Wilkie said. “Being a student athlete also gives me the opportunity to represent Penn State in an unique way.”
Wilkie has great interest in health and physical wellness, so selecting HPA as a major only seemed natural. She said the HPA program opened her eyes to the complexity of health care.
“I really enjoy the major that I chose and am excited to begin a career in the field. One thing I love about health care is its dynamic nature; it is always evolving, allowing for constant learning opportunities,” Wilkie said.
There are many skills Wilkie acquired while playing ice hockey that she said transfer into the classroom and vice versa.
“Many of the HPA courses are built around team-based projects. I have been successful in working with classmates and leading groups in cooperative team efforts in these projects,” she said. “Working in multi-disciplinary teams is an important skill taught by HPA in preparation for work in the field. Learning teamwork as an athlete prepared me to utilize it in the classroom and in the workplace in the future.”
Wilkie of Ashby, Massachusetts, has received several honors during her time at Penn State, including the 2014 Big-Ten Distinguished Scholar Award, the 2014 Student-Athlete Academic Excellence Award given by Penn State Student-Athlete Advisory Board, the 2014 Academic All Big-Ten Honoree, and the 2013 and 2014 College Hockey America All-Academic Team.
Walker, a senior with a minor in business administration, is an outfielder for the women’s softball team. Her accomplishments include making the dean’s list three years in a row, the Academic All-Big Ten Honors her sophomore and junior year, the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award Honor her junior year, National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America and the Scholar-Athlete Award her junior year.
Walker, who is from Los Alamitos, California, enjoys the combination of collegiate athletic competition and a top-notch education in the areas of health care policy and business.
“I love having the privilege to represent one of the most respected and prestigious universities in the country as a student-athlete,” Walker said. “I like having classes that are geared toward business but focus on the health care industry. I have always been interested in both health care and business, so I have enjoyed my classes while attending Penn State.”