Hi SciCheer fans, Samantha here! With March Madness upon us, we are in the college game-day spirit! Clemson won big this January taking home the NCAA CFP Championship. But they have some Science Cheerleaders who are champions both on and off the field!
Aaron (Biomedical Engineering)
The discipline that cheerleading has instilled in me has translated into my academic performance and hopefully, one day, my career. I have had to manage my time better than any other time in my life, due to the rigor of my major as well as pursuing excellence as a cheerleader.
I feel that having a degree in STEM is very beneficial in almost any workforce, and that people in STEM programs have an advantage because of the work ethic that is demanded. I also feel that there is a growing respect for cheerleading. Once I made the team and my family and friends really paid attention to what we do, they were impressed and proud of the accomplishment.
Jensen (Biomedical Engineering)
I have always loved and excelled in math and science classes growing up. I have also always been interested in the health field and feel very passionate about helping people. By becoming a bioengineer, who would make medical devices and prosthetics for those in need, I would be doing just that. Bioengineering is the perfect combination of all these things I am passionate about.Cheerleading is all about bringing everyone together as one in unity to accomplish a goal, such as winning a game. Being a bioengineer also brings minds from many different fields of study together to accomplish a goal, such as curing a patient. Doctors, bioengineers, mechanical engineers, physical therapists, and many more professions all work together to help cure a patient. My leadership skills from cheerleading that include leading a stadium in cheering on our team, help me to lead a group of classmates in working together to solve the problem at hand. I also have become a great team player from being on a team for three years now of people who all have they’re own lives and schoolwork, but we come together and get our tasks done each day at practice.
There are always stereotypes out there, and some not particularly kind. Many stereotypes say cheerleaders are ditsy or unintelligent. Judging by the large number of cheerleaders on my team that are pursuing STEM careers, I would say this stereotype can be put to rest. Just because I like to be positive, peppy, and also enjoy stunting and tumbling, doesn’t make me any less smart than the next person. In fact, being optimistic may just be what leads me to success in the future. Many stereotypes also say men are supposed to be engineers, not women. I personally love proving these stereotypes wrong. I have always been inspired by the women in my life to become a strong independent woman myself and destroy these stereotypes. I strive to make a difference in this world and standing up for women and cheerleaders in this way is just the start.