Cleveland State University

In this Celebrate. Recognize. Inspire. series get to know former student-athletes that not only achieved success in competition,
but also achieved success in the classroom - graduating as Valedictorians of their respective colleges. Through a collection of questions,
get to know more about their time as a student-athlete, where their path led them and what advice they have for current Vikings.

Name & Sport:
Katie Webb, Cross Country

Graduation Date:
Fall 2015

Valedictorian in the College of:
College of Education and Human Services

Degree(s):
Early Childhood Education
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Favorite athletic memory during your time at Cleveland State:
Cross Country almost never has home meets, but one of my favorite memories was when CSU hosted the Horizon League Cross Country
Championships in Cleveland. They played Cleveland Rocks at the beginning of the race and our team had a great race.
We finished with our highest ever finish in the Horizon League Meet.

What did you learn about yourself during your time as a Viking:
The opportunities as a student-athlete allowed me to learn to develop leadership skills and learn to balance school, work, and athletics.  

Three words that describe your experience as a student-athlete:
Enjoyable. Memorable. Challenging.

How did you balance your athletic and academic demands:
Our coach always placed an emphasis on academics, even from our very first visit,
so as a team we held each other accountable to do what we needed to do to balance both academics and athletics. 
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Current job:
Third Grade Teacher at Campus International School

Career path that led you to your current job:
I was able to tutor and be involved at Campus International (CIS) throughout my time at CSU. During my last year at CSU, I was lucky enough
to student teach at CIS in third grade and that eventually lead to getting a job teaching third grade when a spot opened up a few years later. 

Where do you see yourself going from here in your professional career:
I would like to continue to learn and grow as an educator so I can ensure I am the best teacher I can be. 
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Advice to current student-athletes:
My advice for current student-athletes is to enjoy your time on the team and with your teammates because it is such a unique experience!
But also, to take advantage of the opportunities that CSU and your athletic family provide to help you in the future. 

What would you say to your Cleveland State coach that helped you get where you are today:
I would love to say to Coach Joe Jaketic that I can never thank him enough for introducing me to Cleveland State. I remember on my very first visit
to CSU he talked to me about a new school that just opened right on campus called Campus International and how that could be a great opportunity. I would
also thank him for being willing to do everything he could to help every one of us not just in athletics but in our personal lives, academics, and careers. 

What would you say to a Cleveland State advisor or professor that helped you get where you are today:
I would say thank you to all my advisors for working so hard to provide each one of us the resources, information, and advice we needed. 
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Being a student-athlete at Cleveland State allowed me to...
...grow as a person while having a great time with my teammates.