Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech estimates that the school will honor approximately 2,441 students who completed their academic degrees during the summer and fall terms during its 2018 Fall University Commencement Ceremony and the Graduate School Commencement, both of which take place in Cassell Coliseum on Friday.
The undergraduate ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. and will see almost two dozen Tech student-athletes pick up their degrees and, although she will wait until May, women's soccer player Jen Boyles is among those graduating this fall. She has completed her course work at Tech and has earned a bachelor's of science degree in biology with a minor in chemistry.
"I decided to graduate in the fall, but to walk in the spring with the rest of my fellow senior teammates and classmates. It felt right to finish off the four-year grind with them," Boyles said. "I finished off my degree in 3.5 years thanks to the 24 credits I brought in from high school AP classes. As a freshman, I was technically an academic sophomore.
"Next semester, I'm planning on taking an EMT course at Christiansburg Rescue in order to get my EMT certification. Then, in the Summer of 2019 I'll be applying to medical school."
Boyles, a Burke, Virginia native, is one of six departing women's soccer players who head coach Chugger Adair will lose off his 2018 roster. At Tech, she made her collegiate debut as a freshman against Longwood and had seen action in more than a handful of matches in her career.
"I decided to major in biology because I have always been interested in the mechanics and functions of life," Boyles said. "Majoring in biology allowed me to build my knowledge of the minuscule molecules that keep us alive and how they can cause ecological and evolutionary changes.
"Honestly, seeing the depth of intelligence and specialized knowledge base that many of my professors had inspired me. They are pursuing new discovery every day and pushing the boundaries of science. So, I thought to myself, 'Why can't I be like that?'"
Below, is a quick Q&A as Tech's first graduating senior reflects on her time in Blacksburg.
Q: What will earning your degree from Virginia Tech mean to you?
JB: "Earning my degree from Virginia Tech means the world. These past four years were some of the happiest and most stressful moments of my life, but every second was worth it. Graduating, for me, represents not only a door closing, but also a door opening. The individuals graduating beside me are going to change the future of scientific research, medical practice, engineering, architecture, the list goes on and on. It is an honor to be graduating among them and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for all of us."
Q: What was your favorite memory during your time here with VTWS?
JB: "My favorite memory during my time with VTWS was definitely making the Sweet 16 this past season. Jordan (Hemmen) scoring the game winner against Arkansas in double overtime is a memory that I will never forget."
Q: What will you miss most about being on the VTWS team?
JB: "I am going to miss spending so much time with my best friends. I didn't realize how much time we all spent together at practice, lift, class, and at meals, until it was gone."
Q: What advice would you give to the underclassmen or the newest recruits coming into the program?
JB: "Advice I would give? It's hard to choose just one thing to say, because I could elaborate on so many different topics. On the soccer side of things, there are times where your confidence will crumble. Remember, be confident in your abilities, because you are playing soccer at Virginia Tech for a reason. On the teammate side, just be a good teammate. Everyone on the team is different and weird in their own way; even if they don't want to admit it. If you respect and love your teammates for who they are then you will create a good team culture. You won't be best friends with everyone, but that doesn't mean you can't show everyone the same respect and kindness."
Q: What was the most impactful thing to you, with being a part of this program?
JB: "The most impactful thing to me about being a part of this program was the nutrition staff. During the on and off season, we would have talks with our team nutritionist about how food can fight inflammation, support your immune system, etc. I became interested in the mechanisms behind how the right food can keep your body healthy. I know that with the knowledge I have now, that I will be able to live a healthy lifestyle when I am no longer a student-athlete."