Athletics / Academics with Favour

Transcript

Meet Favour, a senior from Patterson, California, majoring in mechanical engineering here at UC Merced. Despite pandemic challenges, he transformed from a track athlete to an engineering major, demonstrating UC Merced resilience. Favour’s involvement on campus has led to internships and connections, and his story embodies UC Merced’s support for pursuing your passions. Over to you, Favour.

– Thank you, Alex. So growing up, I knew I wanted to run track collegiately, but in 2020, because the pandemic, I gave up on our dream altogether. During my senior year, I was heavily recruited by many D-I colleges, but ’cause of the uncertainties at the time, nothing exactly came out of it. I decided to come to UC Merced because it was the one school that I got into without a track team and I wanted to prove to myself that I was more than just an athlete. I challenged myself by becoming a mechanical engineering major because I knew it would challenged me academically the same way track did athletically. In my first year on campus, I became heavily involved in the National Society of Black Engineer chapter where I received two wonderful internships and made connections with my professors and the campus senior leadership. UC Merced has empowered me not to give up my dream altogether running track. And now I’m one of the newest captains of our brand-new track team. The entire athletic department welcomed me in. From my coaches to the training staff and the rest of the athletes, they’ve pushed me to be the best version of myself without putting unnecessary pressure on me to perform. With that type of support, they make it easy to really perform at the best of my ability day in and day out. The identity of the UC Merced athletic department is encouraging one another to be the best versions of themselves in whatever they have a passion for. Here, you’ll be surrounded by people who have nothing but your best intentions in mind. After graduation, I plan on using my last two years of eligibility to continue running track while getting my master’s in engineering management. Coming to UC Merced, I would’ve never thought my experience would’ve gone the way it’s gone. But looking back at it, I wouldn’t change it for anything. Back to you, Alex.

Amazing, Favour! The University of California, Merced is dedicated to supporting their student body in all of their goals! UC Merced is ranked number 12 most transformative colleges in Money’s 2020 Best Colleges. There are opportunities for everyone here at UC Merced. If you can dream it, you can do it. Thanks, Favour.