Kristina Santaga: Driven to Boston

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

There may be a challenge out there that Kristina Santaga ’13 isn’t capable of meeting, we’re just not sure what it is.
The Green Bay native graduated with a BS in Biology in 2013. She was two-sport athlete – soccer and track & field – and today she’s in the College’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

On Monday, April 14, she was among the thousands of runners in the Boston Marathon. This year marked the first Boston Marathon since a terrorists’ attack near the finish line in 2013.

“I had so many of my fellow nursing students follow my run and text me before and after my race,” she says. “It was such an amazing experience to be there this year, so inspiring.”

“I ran proudly in an Edgewood College jersey and heard the crowd yell ‘go Eagles’ throughout my race. Being cheered as an Edgewood Eagle means a lot to me and helped me when it got tough,” she says.

“I kept thinking that, without Edgewood College and the wonderful professors, coaches, and staff, I wouldn’t be so driven to follow my passions. The compassionate, encouraging, welcoming, and spiritual atmosphere at the Boston Marathon reminded me of the Edgewood College atmosphere every day I arrive on campus.” 

Spring Break in Florida!

The Edgewood College softball team spent their spring break in Florida at the Gene Cusic Classic and brought home a record of 6-3. After dropping their first two games, the Eagles won six in a row, their longest win streak since 2008.

The Eagles flew out of Milwaukee and continued a tradition on the ride to the airport from Madison. All freshman picked out a number for their karaoke single and serenaded the team.

After a long week, the team was rewarded with a day off. The Eagles hit the beach and then went out for dinner at Bahama Breeze. There is not enough room in this post for all of the pictures and selfies that were taken, but here are a few samples...

 Edgewood College is scheduled to kick off their conference schedule the weekend of March 29 in Illinois. The Eagles play Benedictine University on Saturday and then Aurora on Sunday, March 30. Hopefully the weather will cooperate! Live stats can be found on EdgewoodCollegeEagles.com.

John Fahey: "I wouldn't trade it for any job in the world"

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

Hometown: Oregon, Wis.
Academic: Business, Marketing concentration ‘08
Notable: Video Scout - Golden State Warriors (NBA)

Four years of basketball at Edgewood College may not have led John Fahey to a career as a professional basketball player, but that did not stop him from ‘making it’ in the NBA.

“I am currently in my fourth season with the Golden State Warriors. As a Video Scout I’m in charge of breaking down upcoming opponent game film: play sets, play calls, player tendencies and team tendencies. We create all the film the team watches prior to games and practices as well as assist coaches during team meetings, film sessions, workouts, and practices. It’s an extremely involved job that requires long hours. Most days tend to be about 14-16 hours a day in the office. But it allows such exposure to the game and a tremendous environment to learn that at no point in my four years have I ever once considered my job work. I wouldn’t trade it for any job in the world.”

Fahey credits Edgewood College for many of the skills he uses day in and day out. “I graduated with a Business Marketing degree. My time at Edgewood College helped me prepare for my next step regardless of my concentration in school. As a student-athlete I learned how to build relationships and work together on and off the court, which has proved to be very important in all aspects of life, especially my field. I had some amazing teachers and coaches at Edgewood College that had a large impact on helping me reach this position, and become the person I am today.”

Like most things in life, Fahey’s job comes with challenges, but it is the rewarding aspects that make his position with the Warriors a true dream job. “The most challenging part of my job would be the amount of work that you put in on a daily basis to prepare for upcoming opponents. With games almost every other day and even sometimes back-to-back nights the preparation we put into games is extremely detailed and very time consuming.”

“There are some very rewarding parts of my job as well. The relationships that I’ve built and the places the game of basketball has taken me stand out the most. I’ve had the opportunity to work with people who’ve been role models to me since I began watching the game. I’ve also enjoyed the chance to get to know these people on a personal level, and learn from their journeys. It’s crazy to think that a small orange ball has taken me all over the U.S. and even as far as China this year for two pre-season games against the Los Angeles Lakers, something I never imagined. But at the end of the day being the competitor I am, being part of a team is something that will always drive me. To be able to do something I love and be with a group of coaches and players all fighting for the same goal: to be the last team standing in June. Now that would be something special.” 

#UniteToFight: Jim & Catherine Gainey

We would like you to meet Jim and Catherine Gainey. They met at Edgewood College, fell in love and got married. They have two beautiful children.

And they have a story to tell about their journey on their life touched by cancer. Hear their story and then make the decision that you will #UniteToFight with Jim, Catherine and Edgewood College at Jam the Gym on February 8.

Denay Hering: "I came back a different person"

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

Denay Hering, a senior Education major from Lake Mills, Wis., had a winter break that was decidedly short on snow. She travelled with a group from UW-Madison to Kenya, to work with the Jirani Project, a nonprofit organization designed to support and provide education for vulnerable Kenyan children. 

“On this trip, something that truly amazed me was how at home I felt in a place that I had never been before,” she says.  “I have never felt happier and more invested in my days than I did while in Kenya. This trip has had such an effect on me that I intend to return in order to pursue my dream of teaching in a different country.”

The group’s work consisted of facilitating a camp for children – much like summer camps anywhere around the globe. “Our job was to create activities from morning until night for the group of nineteen children for about 5 days,” she says. “We provided an array of activities for everyone throughout the camp which included both educational activities and physical games. Everyone had a great time with each other and no one was afraid to act goofy which made it all the more fun.”

Even half a world away, the track and cross country student-athlete felt right at home. “One thing the kids LOVED to do was to play capture the flag. They could have played that all day long. You think us student-athletes are competitive? Play capture the flag with these kids and you’ve never seen people at each others’ throats over a simple game. I was in my element to say the least.”

“At the camp, we all felt comfortable around each other very quickly. This allowed us to form deeper relationships with one another that I’m confident will remain strong for the rest of our lives,” she says. “The kids I met at this camp have left a permanent mark on me. I have never met such resilient and loving people in all of my life. All of the adults and children associated with the Jirani Project were such warm and kind-hearted people who helped to make it a life-changing experience for me.” 

“This experience has taught me so much about myself and has changed my perspective on life. I didn’t expect such drastic changes in the way I think, the way I reflect, and the way I view our society. To see people coming from virtually nothing, yet having such joy in their everyday lives puts the way we live here in perspective. It is astounding what the human spirit can do even in the most heart-wrenching of circumstances. It was truly inspiring for me to recognize that and it has caused me to sit down and think about the way I live my life here.  It is a lesson that everyone can and should learn from. Although I’ve been back for almost a week now, I’m confident that this trip will continue to have me reflecting on my life here and what I can do to make it more joyful like what I experienced in Kenya. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to have such an incredible experience in which I came back a different person that I am proud of.”

Aliou Traore: "I took it as a challenge"

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

If you want to meet someone who takes full advantage of every opportunity, you should meet Edgewood College senior Aliou Traore.

Take a look at his Eagles’ soccer career, for example. After playing minimal time off the bench in two years at Edgewood College, Traore earned a start in the Eagles second to last regular season game of the year.

All Traore needed was an opportunity. He was able to not only score his first career goal, but the first three of his Eagles career. Traore tallied a hat trick in the first 25 minutes but credited teammates with the performance.

“It felt good as I took it as a challenge. Having the opportunity to start a game was a challenge to show that I can play the game. I love this game and I know I am capable of playing well despite my handicap. I want to say that my teammates also help me scoring those three goals.”

The “handicap” Traore speaks of is his main reason for being in Madison. A native of Gagnoa, Ivory Coast, Traore elaborated on his journey. “My move was due to the fact that my brother who has been in Madison over 15 years found a doctor that could help with my arm here in Madison. But as you can see he was not able to help because the nerves had suffered significant damages which led to the amputation. It was my decision to amputate.” Traore has just one arm after an incident left him paralyzed in his right arm, and he was the one to decide to amputate. A tough decision for any young adult to face, but Traore has not let that stop him from doing the things he loves.

“I am involved with the AAM, and I’ve been accepted to be a board member of the AAM – African Association of Madison." Prior to Edgewood College, Traore spent two years at Madison College. “At MATC I founded a club called the ASA – African Student Association - and was the president for two and a half years.”

Following his time at Madison College, Traore looked to Edgewood College to complete his undergraduate degree. “Edgewood College would accept most of my credit and offered scholarships (including the Transfer Partnership Award, designed especially for transfer students from Madison College and UW System 2-year colleges). If it was not for the scholarships, I don’t think I would have been here. I am also so grateful for the Predolin Scholarship.”

Even as graduation approaches, Traore has developed a strong affinity for his major, Business. “Some of my favorites would be Accounting classes such as Accounting I and II, my Business Capstone, and Fraud and Forensic Accounting.”

Both on the field and in the classroom, Traore has made the most of his opportunities. He’s had a positive impact on those around him here, and after graduation, he’s ready for more of the same. 

Jake Zadra: Your Education Is What You Make It

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

Jake Zadra ‘13 has heard it a few times already. When he tells people that he actually majored in History at Edgewood College “I usually get some funny looks. On the surface, I might think that’s a weird combination.”

The ‘weird combination’ for Jake is a Bachelor of Science degree in History, with minors in Biology and Chemistry. By all accounts it has worked well. Mr. Zadra graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2013, and this fall learned he’ll begin his next chapter in August 2014 at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, where he’ll study to become a doctor.

“Studying History has taught me a lot, and it’s going to make me a better doctor. It really honed my critical thinking skills, for one. And when you study History, you study people. And in medicine, you work with people – so in that way, I’m going to be a better doctor for it.”

That’s a great challenge for anyone, but his record shows he’s ready: he’s a volunteer with the Ski Patrol at Devil’s Head Ski Resort; spent more than 300 hours performing research in the UW-Madison Orthopedic/Biomechanics lab as an intern; captained the Eagles baseball team; was named a Capital One Academic All-American student-athlete; and served as vice-president of the History Club.

Today, he works in the ER at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, and “runs” with the Blooming Grove (Wis.) Fire Department as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician).

Some of his professors said Jake “took a true multidisciplinary, liberal arts approach to his education.”  He puts it this way: “Coming to Edgewood College your options are endless. Your education is what you make it. You can choose to study something you love here, and you’re going to get a fantastic education that will benefit you no matter what field you choose to go into.”

Photo: Associate Professor Jim Goll, Jake Zadra ’13, and Assistant Professor Brenda del Moral, Dominican Honors Convocation, 2013