Bullets Sport Spotlight: From Abroad to ‘Burg

GETTYSBURG COLLEGE
GETTYSBURG COLLEGE

Gettysburg College features a diverse group of students from across the globe and some of those well-traveled men and women have made their way into the athletics realm as student-athletes and staff.

Our feature this week explores the motivation for students from abroad to pack their belongings and make the trip to Gettysburg to be aspiring stars on campus and successful professionals after graduation. Joining the conversation are Thia Anyaoku ’23, Talia Moss ’23, and Sukky Nd-Ezuma ’23.

Anyaoku is from London, England, and she is a health sciences major. She has worked in the Office of Athletic Communications since arriving on Gettysburg and enters her junior year as one of the department’s team leaders. She has immersed herself in American sports culture and Division III athletics and strives to make it into a career.

After spending her childhood in Maryland, Moss moved to Toronto, Ontario, in her early teens. She returned to her national roots and has enjoyed a successful career on the Gettysburg swim team. In 2020, the political science major was named the Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year and helped the Bullets win the conference title.

Nd-Ezuma is one of Gettysburg’s most visible figures, and not just because of his 6-8 frame. When he’s not in class working on his computer science major or serving as a student leader in the Office of Residence Life, the Nigerian native can usually be found either working in the Athletics Equipment Room and Jaeger Center or perfecting his low-post moves inside Bream Gym.

Below are some highlights from the 20-minute interview with Director of Athletic Communications Corey Jewart.

CJ: My first question for all of you is how did you end up at Gettysburg College?

TA: I was part of a program called the Sutton Trust program and it basically showed U.K. kids different universities in the U.S. The way universities work in the U.K. is at 18 you have to choose what profession you want to do. I just wasn’t ready for that type of commitment yet. I wanted to get to a liberal arts college and I wanted to do something a lot different from the big town I’m from. I wanted a small town and I wanted to enjoy the small town life. I applied here early and then got in. That’s when my mom was actually kind of surprised because she knew I wanted to go to America, but she didn’t think I was serious about it.

TM: I actually grew up in Maryland and moved to Canada when I was about 14 for high school. I looked at so many different swim schools and then realized I didn’t want to go DI because I wanted to have a normal social life and a normal athletic experience. I felt like Gettysburg had both. I did my recruiting trip and then I ED’d [early decision].

SN: First of all, I want to thank God that I’m actually here. I always wanted to be admitted to a school with a high academic profile, great athletic culture, and an environment that challenged students to be the best. I knew it was going to be hard to find one, but I have to confess, on my first visit to Gettysburg I saw all of these attributes and more. It was an easy decision for me and I’m also really thankful for my high school coach, Coach Bocachica, who prepared me for this journey. Big thanks to Coach Dunne and his staff for bringing me here. I haven’t regretted my decision one day and I’ve made a beautiful family here.

CJ: Let’s talk about some of the organizations you’re involved with on campus and why it’s important to you to take part in those activities.

TA: I’ve always been very interested in sports. Coming to America, I didn’t know most of the sports here and I actually recall watching my first football, my first lacrosse, and my first softball and baseball games with Corey in the press box. That’s really what I wanted to do. I wanted to immerse myself in everything that is American culture so I can get the best out of my four years here. That’s why I joined the athletic communications team and I have not looked back. It’s something I’m going to continue to do until I graduate. It’s been a great experience for me. Aside from athletics, I’m also part of the executive team for the Black Student Union and I’m also part of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

TM: I love the swimming program. I love that you’re able to go to swimming practice and then also still have a life outside of swimming. I would definitely say the swim team is really close; we all go to dinner and Servo after practice. I’ve had a really good experience with Greg [Brown] and everything. Outside of swimming, I’m also in Chi Omega.

SN: I’m part of the Gettysburg men’s basketball team. I work for the athletic equipment department. I’m a student leader on campus that works with the Office of Residential and First Year Programs and I work at the Jaeger front desk. I must confess, being part of this group has shaped me to be a better and more responsible man. I have met so many awesome people and every day of my life I thank God, and I feel so blessed to be part of their lives. It has taught me humility, responsibility, a good sense of humor, leadership, patience, love, happiness, and many more. I’m blessed just being a part of this group and I’m super proud of the opportunity to experience all of this.

CJ: What are you looking to do in these last two years at Gettysburg as you prepare for life after college?

TA: I want to continue working in sports. Working for you the past two years has really helped me hone in on my skills and actually learn how to work with athletes and work in sports. I feel like working in D3 really helps you understand the sports you’re working with and I want to continue that journey when I graduate. Whether it’s with like the NBA or NFL, I want to do something with sports.

TM: In Canada, I was not able to swim at all during quarantine because they were so strict on everything. It was really nice in the spring to be able to get back into swimming even though it wasn’t a full season. I hope we win conferences again next year. That will be really fun and we also have a really good incoming freshmen class that should help. I would say I would love to make NCAAs. I think that would be cool. Outside of the pool, I just want to enjoy time on campus because I feel like we missed an entire year. I’d love to be able to enjoy it.

SN: I’m really excited for the team. I think we’re going to be really good and I can’t wait to be back with them. It’s scary to think that I have two years left. It was just yesterday I was a freshman and now I’m a junior. I’d also like to say that’s the beauty of the College. They don’t just accept you and abandon you. They mix up the right ingredients and provide you with the right resources to pave the way for a bright future during and after college. I’m really confident that graduating from this college will be a positive experience for me. I look forward to excelling in every team group and society I’m a part of and making a positive difference for others to follow and make the environment an even better place. I want to promote a healthy and safe culture by being an example.

This story was originally posted on the Gettysburg College Website.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x