Sade Alalade // Women’s Track & Field

In my two years at Belmont, I have been provided a plethora of opportunities to grow, learn and step out of my comfort zone. Narrowing down one memorable experience seems almost impossible to do considering the impact that they have made on me. However, one occasion is an experience we all can relate to in some capacity. In 2020, the final Presidential debate was hosted at our very own Belmont University. During this debate I was privileged enough to not only volunteer as a hostess at the event but also watch the entire debate in person. Belmont’s athletic department was crucial to me doing this by writing recommendations, accommodating practice schedules and supporting my success via social media. To be able to cherish this moment with athletics made it all the more special and memorable for me.

When I first began college, I had a mindset of getting my Bachelor of Science, getting my Doctorate and getting a job. Simple, easy and to the point. However, over the past two years I have evolved from this simplistic and fixated train of thought. I have been able to explore and develop a passion for psychology which has led to me double majoring. Through a required BELL core course of speech 101 I have been able to find job opportunities moderating for large events and found a new love for public speaking. I have been able to become more rooted in my Belmont community through various extracurricular activities as well. Some of these avenues include joining S.A.A.C (Student Athlete Advisory Committee), creating a new committee called P.A.C.C (Preparing Athletes for Cultural Connections) and being selected to represent our university as a Belmont Ambassador. The mindset I held two years ago allowed only enough room for me to accomplish large broad goals. However, the path I have stumbled upon to get there is one of growth, exploration, and a lot of hard work. Today I can confidently say that my dreams are bigger, my passions are brighter, and my future is just beginning at Belmont University.