WritingHERstory: Stanley soars to new heights

Women’s soccer’s forward/midfielder Emma Stanley is no stranger to taking on big challenges. As a junior at Virginia Tech, she's already juggling the rigors of an aerospace engineering degree with the difficult schedule of a Division I soccer player.  

Not only is Stanley tackling her studies and sport – she's also taking flight with a prestigious internship at Boeing.  

Stanley grew up in Michigan's countryside, with no shortage of open fields for kicking a ball around. As her passion and skill developed, she worked her way through various club teams, including the American Youth Soccer Organization, La Forza and the Girls Academy.  

It wasn't just soccer that the Grand Blanc native fell in love with at an early age. She'll never forget the first time she flew on a plane, a cruise vacation with her grandparents, and the excitement she experienced.  

"I was so excited to get on that plane. I thought – wow, this airplane stuff is so cool,” Stanley reflected. “So, I started reading a lot and getting involved with everything airplane related." 

Stanley was already immersed in the world of hands-on craftsmanship, inspired by her grandfather’s well-equipped woodshop and her family’s automotive background in Michigan. She discovered that she could merge her passion with planes and hands-on building through aerospace engineering. 

In eighth grade, Stanley was required to give an "exit presentation" regarding her career path to graduate middle school. She chose to discuss her budding passion for aerospace engineering.  

"I did mine on the Boeing 787, and how I wanted to work at Boeing as an engineer,” Stanley said. “It's been in the back of mind ever since, and I've worked to keep that dream alive." 

Throughout high school, Stanley balanced shop classes with soccer tournaments, while preparing for a collegiate career by connecting with coaches and inviting them to watch her play.  

Her first exposure to Virginia Tech occurred during a 2019 soccer showcase in Florida. Initially, she hadn't considered Tech an option, preferring Midwest schools closer to family. However, her interest was sparked in the summer of 2020 when she got a call from associate head coach Drew Kopp. 

"A few months later, while I was playing for La Forza, my friend's dad showed me a video of Enter Sandman,” recalled Stanley. “And I thought, oh, that's really cool. So, I reached back out to Drew and told him I was interested." 

Stanley took a non-official visit in November, instantly falling in love with the campus and the perfect mix of country and college town. An even bigger appeal was the opportunity to pursue both of her passions – soccer and aerospace engineering. She committed the following week. 

"I had other coaches flat out say that they didn't want to have to balance an athlete pursuing engineering, while Coach Chugger was encouraging and open about it,” Stanley said. “He was understanding about the workload I would have and said he'd like for me to be a part of the program." 

Stanley's freshman year was a significant adjustment period, marked by the challenge of living far from home, balancing a demanding engineering curriculum and adapting to the expectations of being a Division I athlete. She faced mental health challenges and at times struggled with the pressures of her new environment. 

To navigate these difficulties, she found strong support in her teammates, particularly from her friend Victoria "Dori" Haugen, a former Tech player turned professional player for North Carolina Courage. 

At the start of her sophomore year, Stanley faced more challenging classes and initially prioritized her academics. However, when she found her name missing from the travel roster, the disappointment fueled her determination to work even harder on the pitch. Her efforts paid off, and by season's end, she earned her spot back, playing in multiple ACC matchups. 

"I think it's all about keeping it in perspective that you know nothing that you do is life changing,” said Stanley. “It isn't high school anymore. Everybody is struggling. Everything is going to be tough. And knowing that there's always a chance to rebound, and there's so much support along the way."   

Being part of the Virginia Tech women's soccer team has led to countless memorable team bonding moments.  

In spring 2023, Stanley's freshman year, the group traveled to the United Kingdom. Over ten days, they immersed themselves in the rich history and vibrant culture of places like London, Wales and Liverpool. One hilarious moment that stood out to Stanley was when two of her teammates unexpectedly took a tumble into a river while volunteering for a community service project. 

Another significant team bonding activity was the cabin trip to Tennessee in spring 2024.  

"We spent the night in this big cabin in Tennessee, up in the mountains, and there were black bears walking around,” laughed Stanley. “We watched Caleb Henson win the NCAA Championship there. He's part of the Virginia Tech family, so everybody wanted to support him." 

Meanwhile, off the field, Stanley's world changed when she was given an incredible opportunity with one of the world's top aerospace companies. Since her freshman year, Stanley had her eyes on the Boeing Advanced Leadership Program, a five-year commitment that guarantees a full-time job at Boeing following graduation. The prestigious program also covers tuition for the participant's junior and senior years of college. 

Virginia Tech plays a big role in collaborating with Boeing to prepare students for the workforce, making its programs competitive among students. Many students applied during Stanley’s sophomore year, but she was one of two Virginia Tech students who ultimately received an offer.  

During her final interview round, she had to pitch a solution for Boeing that either improved a process or created a new process. Stanley chose to speak about safety improvement in manufacturing. 

"I was actually on the way to the last game of the soccer season, the Pitt game,” Stanley remembers. “And I designed a robot on SolidWorks that would pick up FOD, which is Foreign Object Debris on manufacturing force, which is a big thing that Boeing's pushing for right now."   

Stanley was in the middle of answering questions when her hour-long interview timeslot ended, kicking her out. She immediately logged back in, and without them realizing she had hopped back on, heard an interviewer comment on Emma's outstanding performance as "the best one we've had so far." Stanley cried tears of joy when she received her official offer email during finals week in December. 

As part of the program, Stanley interned at Boeing's Philadelphia site as a summer system safeties engineer, working on system safety for Chinook helicopters. She enjoyed learning about aircraft systems, including landing gear, windows, and canopies, and worked on system descriptions, hazard tracking, and flight test pilot reports.  

Currently, she is developing OSHA worksheets to identify and mitigate safety hazards in aircraft maintenance.  

Stanley initially believed that Boeing's incredible opportunity would mark the end of her soccer career, which also meant missing the critical preseason play, but that assumption was proved incorrect. Her coaches recognized the immense value she brings to the team as a positive influence. 

"Our coaches value us more as people than players, so they were excited for me when I told them about this life-changing opportunity,” Stanley said. “They even wrote me a letter of recommendation. Although I gave up my scholarship to a teammate and might not have as much playing time this season, my coaches said they see value in keeping me on the team in whatever capacity moving forward." 

Having a new role on the team doesn't deter the junior. She looks forward to still finding ways to contribute positively to the team's success, even if it means shifting away from playing time. 

She will continue working part-time with Boeing during this school year, adjusting hours based on school and soccer commitments. For her next summer internship, Stanley aims to work on commercial airplanes, an area of Boeing she's especially passionate about.  

And when it comes to soccer, Stanley is confident that big wins are coming for Virginia Tech's program. 

"I think what I'm most looking forward to is just seeing how the team grows and how my new role is going to hopefully influence the team in a positive way,” Stanley said. “I think that over the next couple years, there's going to be change to the program, and I think it's going to be positive change. This team is going to make opponents that come to Thompson field afraid to play and afraid to watch the lights sparkle when we score goals." 

Writing HERstory Campaign

Tech Athletics launched a multi-platform brand campaign celebrating the incredible achievements of its female student-athletes, both past and present, while inspiring the next generation of women who aspire to achieve their dreams through athletics. In partnership with Truist, Tech will share stories of its past and current female student-athletes over the course of the calendar year. Ranging from podcast interviews to feature stories and more, the incredible moments and achievements by women over the years in Virginia Tech Athletics will be celebrated. To make an impact on female sports at Tech or to sign up for the monthly Writing HERstory newsletter.