Florida Tech Scholar-Athlete Highlight Acknowledges Swimmer Emma Keegan

Keegan is majoring in Meteorology

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Being a scholar-athlete at Florida Tech takes an unimaginable quantity of onerous work and dedication to excel each within the classroom and on the sector.

On this Scholar-Athlete Highlight, we’re that includes Panther ladies’s swimmer Emma Keegan, a sophomore who’s majoring in Meteorology.

Having arrived at Tech throughout the state from her hometown Sarasota, Emma’s prime performances this previous season noticed her submit a 1:08.57 within the 100 Breast at November’s Panther Invite which was good for sixth place in addition to a 2:34.77 within the 200 Breast vs. Lynn in October that earned her fourth place.

Following her freshman season in 2021-22, Emma was named to the State Convention Commissioner’s and Florida Tech Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.

With Emma’s second season 12 months at Florida Tech about to conclude, we chatted with Emma about what she loved essentially the most about this previous season, how actual life grew to become part of her lessons, and her plans on the earth of climate.

What’s your main at Florida Tech and why did you select this? Is it one thing that you simply’ve at all times wished to do?

I’m a meteorology main, and I’ve wished to do meteorology for the longest time ever since I used to be a child. One of many first issues I ever regarded up on the pc was climate maps, hurricane tracks, and all that good enjoyable stuff and it carried with me all through my teenage years and now my grownup years and it was one thing that I’ve at all times been obsessed with.

I really like rain, I really like storms, I really like hurricanes, and tornadoes, I find it irresistible all.

What was it about Florida Tech that made you wish to be right here?

I believe it was the mix of all the pieces. I had the meteorology diploma that was supplied to me. I had the varsity swimming side that was supplied to me, I’ve been a swimmer for 11 years, so I wished to ensure I used to be doing that for my faculty profession, I wished to hold that with me.
Total, the placement was nice as a result of I simply moved to Florida so it’s not too distant from my mother and father to allow them to at all times come go to every time they wish to see me.

How do you intend to make use of your diploma after commencement?

Initially, I wished to work with NOAA or SpaceX, someplace within the analysis division, however I’m leaning extra in the direction of going into the broadcasting discipline, I’d like to work on TV. I’d like to be on the forecast with ABC or AccuWeather, just about any of them at this level could be nice.

Have you ever had the prospect to go to the Nationwide Climate Service workplace in Melbourne?

I’ve not nevertheless it’s been a dream of mine to go there in the future and I’m hoping that someday sooner or later, whether or not I’m right here or I simply come to go to from dwelling, that I’ll get to see the Nationwide Climate Service in particular person.

What are a few of the thrilling tasks that you simply’ve been capable of work on in lessons right here?

Considered one of my favourite tasks was in a course I took a number of semesters again with Dr. [Michael] Splitt in Aviation Meteorology, we bought to do a complete venture about clouds.

We bought to take photos of clouds, we bought to determine them, and we actually bought into the nitty gritty. We bought the classifications down, the species of cloud down, and the way excessive up they had been elevated.

We checked out METARs, that are little coatings for pilots to allow them to know if it’s okay to land if the climate is permissible. Just about the final fundamentals for pilots and such.

It was actually nice to see myself doing that type of stuff, I didn’t suppose I’d begin out doing little issues like clouds, however now I’m falling an increasing number of in love with my major each day.

Lessons can usually contain present occasions in discussions and climate isn’t any totally different. How a lot of a subject was Hurricanes Ian and Nicole this 12 months?

It got here up lots throughout my research. Even throughout my basic programs, they might at all times ask if there have been any meteorology majors within the room that might clarify what was occurring.

It was onerous for me as a result of my hometown is true on the west coast of Florida. So, we bought straight impacted by Ian and I used to be in fixed communication with my household, making an attempt to ensure they had been okay fortunately all of them had been nevertheless it was actually vital for me to remain on prime of the climate for the protection of my household and the protection of my roommates and all that so it was actually fascinating to see and to outlive by climate historical past. It’s thrilling, nevertheless it’s additionally terrifying, you already know?

Swimming season normally spans practically 5 months with loads of street journeys and practices in between, how do you retain all the pieces balanced as soon as the season begins?

I typically prefer to hold monitor of my schedule with my sleep. I’m very non secular with my sleep, I at all times make certain to get not less than seven hours of sleep per night time as a result of it would carry me all through my day.

It’ll assist me be a greater particular person all through my day, higher in my research, higher within the pool, higher after I’m doing homework, higher after I’m getting my vitamin in or higher even after I’m enjoyable and never doing something rigorous. It’s one thing that I hold with me all through the day.

Additionally, ensuring to maintain on prime of schoolwork is essential. I at all times attempt to end assignments earlier if I can, if I’ve that free time.

I’ll be working to try to end that work, so I’m not worrying about it later down the road, after I’m actually drained all through the week, by practices.

How has being a collegiate athlete ready you for what you’re doing now and what do you are taking from the pool that you simply apply to your research?

I believe that swimming instilled a type of go-with-the-flow mentality in me. You possibly can’t struggle with water, it’s a must to go along with water, it’s a must to be with water and it’s a must to glide with it, it’s a must to work round it. In the event you’re an artist, it’s your canvas, it’s a must to work with it the perfect you’ll be able to with a purpose to push you to that objective. So I believe that’s what’s carried me all through life.

I can’t keep caught on one factor, I’ve to flow,I’ve to permit myself to benefit from the good issues in life and endure some unhealthy stuff as properly nevertheless it’s all part of life’s journey.

I believe that’s what’s going to hold me all through my future and after I become older as an grownup clearly. That mentality of being in a state of going with the circulate and permitting issues to occur that are supposed to occur this fashion.

What recommendation would you give to an athlete coming to Florida Tech that has an curiosity in Meteorology?

I’d say three issues. Primary, ensure you’re getting your sleep. Quantity two, please carry on prime of your coursework, and end it two weeks early, even when it’s a must to, it will likely be value it, I promise.

Three I’d say have enjoyable, you’ve bought to stay within the second, you’ve bought to take pleasure in your time along with your teammates, and luxuriate in your time along with your coaches. Take pleasure in your time outdoors of sports activities, go to social occasions, go hang around with associates. That is the time when you are able to do no matter you wish to do.

What was your favourite reminiscence of this previous season?

My favourite reminiscence was undoubtedly at Sunshine State Convention Championships when our ladies’s relay bought the NCAA [Championship qualifier] lower.

That was probably the most thrilling races of all time. I used to be on the aspect with the coaches doing a little splits and I simply bear in mind we had been all erupting, leaping, and screaming.

I used to be crying, although I wasn’t part of that relay, these are just about like my sisters. We’re all one huge household and to see that success carry by the group, made me tear up and really feel prideful, that I used to be part of that second and to be there in particular person to see that.

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