Tartan linebacker Kevin Cooke is a Chicago Bears fan who enjoyed watching Brian Urlacher play defense for his favorite football team, but his real hero is his older brother Sean, who also played football for CMU.
“Sean was always the person I looked up to on the football field. He was a running back, but I was able to learn so much from him,” he said.
Cooke, who will graduate with a degree in business administration and finance(opens in new window) with a minor in public policy and management(opens in new window), said he chose CMU because “it offered me the incredible opportunity to get a phenomenal education and play the game I love for four more years at a high level. The fact that Sean was also a member of the CMU football team at that time, and the opportunity to play a season with him, was another factor that I couldn’t pass up.”
Cooke said playing three seasons in high school with his younger brother gave him so many good memories that it made him want to have a similar experience with his older brother.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t end up working out as hoped, due to the pandemic, but I have loved everything about my experience at CMU,” he said.
Cooke attributes much of his success as a student-athlete to developing routines.
“It was important for me to be able to be fully present whether I had free time or I was focused on schoolwork or I was focused on sports, and for me developing routines was the best way for me to manage my time wisely,” he said.
Cooke has learned a lot as an athlete that will help him in his career, but what will be most memorable for him is understanding how to work in a team toward common goals.
“On the football team, people from different backgrounds from all over the country were able to come together to achieve our shared goals,” he said. “Everyone was able to understand their roles and perform them to the best of their ability, and being able to apply that to jobs and teams moving forward is something that I will definitely take with me.”
Breana Valentovish knew the moment she wanted to pursue soccer.
“It was when I played in a recreational soccer league at about 5 years old. It was meant to be friendly and fun, but if my team didn’t win, I would cry and pout for the remainder of the day,” she said. “I think I still carry that same competitiveness to every practice and game.”
Her best piece of advice for balancing schoolwork and sports is to stay organized and plan ahead.
“During soccer season, I would plan for assignments and exams weeks in advance to avoid unnecessary stress. This was especially helpful for travel weekends when I would be gone with the team and missing class and lectures,” she said.
Valentovish will graduate with degrees in business administration and statistics and data science(opens in new window).
“I chose CMU because it is one of the top universities in the country with countless opportunities for research, class curriculum and career paths,” she said. “When I visited campus, the soccer team was so kind and hardworking, it motivated me to attend the same school as those amazing women.”
“I think my leadership role as a captain on the soccer team will help me in my career,” she added. “Someday I hope to be a great leader and mentor in the business world.”
Derek Wong has loved traveling as a member of the tennis team, and being able to go to practice after a long day of classes was something he looked forward to mostly every single day at CMU.
“Being on the court is very mentally challenging, and I’m still working on it to this day,” said Wong, who said he was basically born into playing tennis as his mother, father and sister also play.
“When I was younger, my sister, who is six years older than me, was taking lessons, and I would go around the court and pick up balls for her. Now, I just really enjoy how the sport brings my family and me closer. When I’m back home, we play together a lot.”
Wong, who will graduate with a degree in business administration, thinks the most important lesson he has learned through tennis that he will take with him into the workforce is patience.
“In tennis, it often comes down to being stronger than your opponent mentally to win the match,” he said. “I think just being patient and putting in the work will be super important.”
“Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The institution was originally established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical School. In 1912, it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology and began granting four-year degrees.”