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For students like Whitney Schwisow at the University of Nebraska– Lincoln, academics go hand in hand with extracurricular activities. Schwisow, a senior majoring in actuarial science, is an active member of the UNL Fast Pitch Softball Club, a thriving part of the university’s athletic culture.
Schwisow’s journey to the university was guided by both academic and financial considerations. “Nebraska has one of the top actuarial science programs in the country,” Schwisow explained. “Scholarships made it a lot more affordable than any other options.”
Outside of the classroom, Schwisow is the president of the UNL Fast Pitch Softball Club. “I went from playing competitive sports my whole life to just being a student. … As a very competitively driven person, having this outlet has been awesome,” Schwisow said. “It gets me away from the books and away from my laptop, it’s good for both my mental and physical health.”
However, sustaining a club team comes with financial challenges. “Donor support goes directly towards the cost of games such as umpires and travels,” Schwisow emphasized. Fundraising efforts have enabled the team to undertake initiatives like participating in a spring training tournament in Florida as well as expanding its reach and opportunities.
Looking ahead, Schwisow sees continued donor support as crucial for the team’s growth and success. “With donors’ support, getting to do more tournaments, like going to Florida, gives us a chance to play against different teams,” Schwisow explained. “It motivates players to practice harder and reach higher levels.”
Because of donor support, the club softball team is more accessible to students. “We’ve never had costs prohibit players from participating,” she said. “If there’s somebody who is struggling to meet the dues that we have for this semester, we have never forced them out of play. We’ve always been able to find funding to cover those costs.”
“We’re just a group of girls that love to have fun together and play the sport,” said Schwisow. “The community we foster is super important to freshmen coming to campus and that’ll be a community they’ll have for the next four years.”
Your support during Glow Big Red impacts the lives of students like Whitney Schwisow. Thank you for making a gift to support UNL’s students and helping make this year’s Glow Big Red a success!
A gift to this fund supports students by providing scholarships recognizing academic excellence and financial need. The scholarships are awarded through UNL’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
