Elena Rajaratnam '23 Recruiting Profile

 Playing volleyball has created social and mental skills that have pushed me to be passionate about the sport. I love the bond that gets developed through a team and the intensity of the sport and I feel it is important to understand the game and understand the people with it. I feel a strength of mine as a student athlete is that I find my motivation to be successful through being able to acknowledge my flaws. I have the constant will to improve even if I find it hard. I find as a student that my biggest strength is communication for the reason that I find myself always wanting to know more and it strongly drives my passion in life and in my sport. In addition, my goal is to study healthcare and help people who need it, and my strengths in communication and teamwork have driven me to this area of work.  Volleyball has allowed me to grow as a person and through the mental aspect, it has made me a stronger individual. There comes so much energy and focus that comes with playing volleyball. I love that each person has a specific strength that contributes to the game. It not only positively affects the game, but it proves how teamwork is so important. It creates a sense of trust with one another that has always made me feel comfortable on and off the court. From a social perspective, volleyball has exposed me to all types of people and personalities, and it never fails to create the best bonds. You never have the same personality on a team, everyone is different and I feel that is what creates a strong bond with each other. My will to improve on myself and as a team has driven my passion for the game so much. 

Furthermore, working as a team in the sport has connected me to the career I want to pursue. I love the thought of helping people and it is a comforting feeling to know you are not doing it alone. Having a team has shown me that I should not have to do everything myself, and that I have strengths that others might not. And as a team, it is beneficial to the situation. It is constantly seen in the healthcare department. I enjoy the company of others in things that I do or enjoy and that is a factor I always consider when wanting to pursue healthcare.