The following is a spotlight profile on Shannon Glesing, one of two George Mason University nominees for the prestigous NCAA Woman of the Year award. The Atlantic 10 had 15 institutional nominees for the award (READ MORE). Each weekday until July 22, the Atlantic 10 will profile one of the institutional nominees.
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SNAPSHOT
Sport: Swimming & Diving
Major: Political Science/Public Policy
Minor: Political Communication
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
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Shannon Glesing
PROFILE
Shannon Glesing, a breaststroker who tied the George Mason record as the anchor on the 4 X 400 freestyle relay, at the 2020 Atlantic 10 Championships, was a YoungLife Leader, Academic Advisor, and Resident Advisor while also serving in the Student Government and sitting on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). A political science major, she made use of her time at Mason, working in the office of United States Representative Susan Brooks (Indiana) and volunteering for the Ed Gillespie Election Campaign for Governor of Virginia. She was a Provost Scholar, Dean’s List student and earned Commissioner’s Honor Roll honors all four years. She earned the Sue Collins Leadership Award for her outstanding student leadership and was named Mason Swimming & Diving Student Athlete of the Year all four years.
STORIES
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: Undergraduate experience
Q&A WITH SHANNON
What would you consider the top moment of your college career?
The top moment of my college career was the last time I dove into the pool. Being a part of a sport that is so repetitive, there is something exhilarating about knowing it is your last race. The A-10 championships this past year carried with it a lot of feelings. I had missed the podium twice that meet which put a lot on my heart. Before my last race, as an anchor on the relay, I stood at the blocks looking down to the end of the pool it was if I was greeting an old friend one last time and that moment filled me with all of the accomplishment of the medals I had missed out on. So many athletes do not get the chance to end the careers on their own terms, I myself even came close to injuries getting in the way, so I was proud of being able to go out with a great race. We finished fourth which lost me the final chance of standing on the podium, but I did gain a school-record, solidifying my name and the opportunities I had to be a part of the program as a whole.
What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
In high school, I testified in-person in court against a coach who crossed boundaries. It took more courage than I originally anticipated to speak my truth, but while what happened leading up to that was horrible, it was also the beginning of my journey to be motivated to advocate for making communities, teams, boards, schools, etc., better for everyone.
If You Could Know the Absolute and Total Truth to One Question, What Question Would You Ask?
How will I know when everything has fallen into place?
Pick one song that would describe you and one that would describe your team.
Me: Ella Henderson - "Take Care of You," my time as a college athlete was often about figuring out who I was while also being given a supportive role with my teammates.
Team: Electric Light Orchestra - "Don’t Bring Me Down," my team, both men and women, worked hard each and every day to represent the team. We faced many obstacles – coaching changes, poor decisions made by other teammates, hard practices, school setbacks – yet we continuously leaned on each other to avoid being taken over by all of the roadblocks.
What was your favorite class/professor and why?
Issues in Economic Policy - Prof. Steven Pearlstein
This class asked me to step out of my comfort zone. I was asked to declare my political ideology and then work to find realistic solutions to the most complex policy problems our country faces today (e.g., immigration, climate change, health care, and income inequality) all while working with classmates to defend our proposals to our peers who identify on other ends of the political spectrum. The classroom environment Prof. Pearlstein created was unlike any other experiences I had and for the first time I was drafting policy and thinking through the economic, pollical, and philosophical balance required in public policy. Still today, this class is what I use the most in my career and is what shaped my perspective the most on how to work to solve problems with others.
What was the hardest obstacle you faced as a student-athlete?
Not falling into the mundane routine that can be training, going to class, eating, and sleeping. I wanted to be intentional about my decision to be a student-athlete and that including taking my training seriously, but I also wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of being at a school like Mason and get involved in the community. Every morning walking to the pool was an intentional choice because I did not want it to turn into something I just had to do, it needed to be what I wanted to do. Staying in that mindset was the hardest part about being a student-athlete and also the most important thing because it dictated my success in the classroom and all of my other commitments.
If someone wrote a biography about you, what would the title be?
“A mindful balance”
My life through college consisted of many identities (e.g., an athlete, a career woman, a girlfriend, a friend, a daughter, a school representative, etc.). It was always my goal to find a healthy balance that allowed me to enjoy my time in college while also giving me opportunities to incite change and make all of my communities better.