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Q&A with Isabelle Pilson '18

Isabelle Pilson '18, a freshman at Stanford University, was recently accepted into the Student-Athlete Civic Engagement (ACE) program, a program in which Duke and Stanford student-athletes participate in three-week, immersive summer service experiences with an international community partner. 

Can you give me an overview of what the ACE program entails?
ACE provides accepted Stanford and Duke student-athletes with a unique, international opportunity to serve others. Every summer, the program funds four three-week trips, each of which involves 10 student-athletes – five from Stanford and five from Duke – and is centered around collaboration with an abroad community partner. This year’s immersive experiences will take place in Vietnam, South Africa, Peru and China. Themes of the individual trips range from environmental sustainability to education, coaching and health outreach. Overall, ACE strives to positively impact both its participating student-athletes, fostering personal development and teamwork, as well as the local communities, helping them meet their specific needs. 

What will you be doing during your three weeks in Vietnam?
During my three weeks in Vietnam, I will be working alongside fellow student-athletes as well as Vietnamese college students to run a summer camp for middle-school-aged Vietnamese children. In doing so, I will teach an academic subject, coach a sport and lead life skills sessions. More specifically, Monday through Thursday, my group members and I will devise interactive lesson plans and attempt to create a classroom and field environments of learning and fun. On Fridays, the camp will engage in Competition Day with the kids taking tests in their academic subjects and life skills as well as competing in their various sports. As rural Vietnamese communities often lack educational resources and opportunities and experience higher dropout rates than their urban counterparts, during my time with ACE, I will strive to prepare students for the upcoming school year and beyond, promoting not only academic success but also the achievement of lofty life goals. 

What are you most looking forward to?
I am most looking forward to bursting my “bubble.” Attending Tower Hill from 1st through 12th Grade and transitioning to Stanford, I have been lucky enough to develop in two supportive, sheltered and nurturing environments. Now, however, I yearn to step beyond my comfort zone, to see the world beyond what I know. I want to challenge myself in unprecedented ways, to grow, to explore an unknown domain, to interact with a diverse set of individuals, to experience a culture different from my own, and to positively impact the greater community. In a reciprocal relationship, I can’t wait to assist the Vietnamese community in any way that I can, while simultaneously learning and benefiting greatly from them.

What interested you in the program? What was the application process like?
ACE interested me because of its uniqueness and the incredible opportunity that it offers. As a Division 1 collegiate student-athlete, dedicating oneself to service or traveling abroad – not to mention the ideal combination of the two – can seem impossible with the constant demands of school and sport. However, ACE turns that assumption on its head, transforming a traditionally unrealistic dream into a reality. By understanding and accommodating the student-athlete lifestyle, the program opens the doors of cultural immersion, international service and personal growth to individuals who may not usually have access to such an opportunity but who could bring their newfound knowledge back to their respective universities and teams, thus expanding the program’s positive effects. Additionally, a teammate of mine participated in ACE last year, and I cannot imagine anyone talking about an experience more highly. Her lasting relationships with both the Vietnamese children and college students, newfound leadership skills, memories full of laughter and appreciation for the global world ultimately convinced me to apply for ACE.
The application process began with a written segment which included traditional background information forms, a variety of short essay responses, and a coach’s recommendation. Next, I attended an interview with the ACE program director, Stanford’s assistant athletic director and Stanford’s associate director for public service, which focused on my motives for applying, past service experiences and overarching values. Finally, before being selected, I spoke on the phone with the director of Coach for College – the partner organization for the Vietnam experience – to discuss details specific to this trip.

What is your major? Is this program — or the skills you will learn from it — related to your major in any way?
As of now, I have not decided on a major and am currently exploring a variety academic areas. I plan to embark on the trip with an open mind and would love to naturally discover, pinpoint or solidify an academic passion. Currently, the global water and food crises call me, and I think that international service could foster this interest and guide my course of study. Regardless of what I choose to ultimately pursue – whether is be environmental engineering, neuroscience or something entirely different – I believe that the experience and skills I will gain through ACE will prove immensely useful. First, a global perspective and appreciation for diversity are essential to navigating and succeeding today. I anticipate that my time in Vietnam will open my eyes to realities different than my own, helping me understand, respect and connect with others as well as develop an authentic and more complete view of the world. Second, my service at the summer camp will enhance my abilities to adapt, collaborate, communicate, dedicate myself and lead – all of which I will rely on later in life. Lastly, ACE puts a great emphasis on reflection – the process of deriving meaning from experiences. Practices of this nature – through discussions, journaling, ruminating and more – will allow me to become more in tune with myself, find value in whatever field I enter and elevate my overall existence. In all, with my major, whatever that may be, I want to make the world a better place; ACE represents a significant step in that direction.

What are some of the benefits of being a student-athlete?
For me, being a student-athlete possesses an infinite array of benefits. First, in transitioning to college, my team provided me with an immediate network of advice-givers, role models, supporters and friends, making the change an effortless one. Second, for someone who thrives in ordered environments and loves to be on-the-go, the student-athlete lifestyle structures my time, gives me a sense a purpose and fills my days with fun. Each day, I wake up excited to move from lift to practice to class and so on, surrounded by my teammates. Third, the position allows me to strive for excellence in many arenas – in the classroom, on the field and in my personal character. I believe that dedicating oneself to many pursuits increases learning, as sports have instilled in me valuable lessons that I may not have learned elsewhere. Lastly, although I am only a freshman, being a student-athlete has already given me incredible opportunities, such as traveling to Australia with my team on a foreign tour over spring break, gaining real-world work experience by managing the Stanford Field Hockey clinics and tournaments and, in the near future, serving in Vietnam through ACE. Honestly, I cannot imagine my college experience without athletics.
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