Where Are They Now Series - Monica Westerheide '15, Women's Basketball
Monica Westerheide '15 continues our "Alumni Where are They Now" series. Monica was a member of the women's basketball team and a resident advisor during her time at Bethany. After graduation, Monica took her talents to the air where she is a flight attendant for a commercial airline.
We caught up with Monica to hear about her experience as a student-athlete at Bethany College and her experiences brought her to where she is today!
What is your current job title and what does the position entail?
Well, I get paid to travel the world :). Anyone would "kill" to have my job. I cannot think of anything better. I get to meet people and share stories with people all over the world, all while traveling the world for free. I make sure that passengers have a good experience but my primary role is to ensure the safety of our passengers. The second part of my job is providing exceptional customer service while I represent my company. I love my job and I especially love the lifestyle. I got into this job because I was working in the University sector but was very unhappy. I took a "leap of faith" and followed my dreams...and I hope that you decide to do the same! We only have an opportunity for one life and my wish is that you live your life to your own design and not for others'.
If you can recall, why did you choose to attend Bethany?
I chose to attend Bethany because of the way I felt on campus. I could tell it was the most supportive community. I loved the serene setting in the woods, all while having the opportunity to play college basketball. A small school where everyone knows each other & it was the most affordable option for me. Also, the Director of Enrollment at the time offered me a job as a tour guide while I was touring the campus of Bethany College, before I even decided to attend!
How did your athletic involvement aid in the path that you chose following graduation?
Right after graduating from Bethany College, I moved to North Carolina to pursue a Masters degree in Higher Education Administration. This choice of a degree was truly because of my experience at Bethany College. My coach and mentors were extremely supportive and I wanted to be that role model to students myself and to make a lasting impact on young adults. Being able to juggle athletics while being a student, sorority member, and a major leader on campus is what lead me to start my own career in Higher Education. One of my most favorite parts of my job as a Residence Hall Director was working with and mentoring college athletes myself. I loved having meetings with them and being able to relate to the students. I oftentimes supervised the Residence Halls with Athletes in them because of my own experience. I was also the chosen applicant for one of my jobs because my boss said that she liked that I was an athlete in the past. She said that employees who are retired athletes are very "coachable" and adaptable. They also have a lot of grit and are well-rounded. So mentioning your athletic experience could prove you well! Employers know that with athletics comes hard work and diligence!
What would you say were your greatest athletic and academic accomplishments during your time at Bethany?
Definitely getting distinction on my senior comprehensive exam. I have a lot of appreciation to the athletic department because it taught me a lot about time management and that academics came first. I tell people all the time about my memories of waking up for 6am workouts and then having class, mid-day workouts and study tables. There was only room for success and I'm thankful for the structure that I needed at that age. I truly learned a vast amount of life lessons that have been valuable today.
What is your most fond memory of Bethany athletics?
Honestly, I was also a RA all throughout college and both my sophomore and junior year I was the RA for Phillips Hall. I had the opportunity to oversee my own teammates on my floor. They were a part of the classes below me but we had the BEST memories. My favorite memory in Phillips is when there were no other students in Phillips when we came back to campus early...two of my teammates were freshman and someone started a prank where they would pour ice on someone while they were showering. We also blared the music down the hall during that time and just had a blast. We could all relate to each other while being teammates and I overall just loved jamming out to music with my teammates.
What piece of advice would you have for current Bethany student-athletes?
Well I actually tore my ACL & meniscus my sophomore year, in practice. I worked so hard doing physical therapy for 9 months and tried to return my junior year but was told by the lead athletic trainer that it was not a good idea for me to push myself. I'll never forget telling the news to my teammates that I had to let go of my identity of being a student athlete. I cried in front of my teammates and nearly gave a motivational speech saying: "Never take the game for granted. Always work your hardest. Because you never know when the game will be taken from you." I had so many goals that I wanted to achieve and even coach was saying how much of a bright career I had ahead of me...all stolen away from me in a matter of seconds: an injury that forever changed that projection.
What was your favorite non-athletics activity at Bethany?
My favorite non-athletics activity at Bethany would have to be all of my memories with my residents as I was an RA for Phillips Hall. I came up with the most extreme activities and I loved it! My first activity involved bringing all of the freshman women to Pittsburgh! We went up the incline and got Primanti Brothers sandwiches! I also planned my own "thrift store prom" where we all wore our prom dances to a ball in Phillips Hall! I was also the one that had the inspiration to plan the first International Service trip to Jamaica! Remember that you are more than an athlete...athletics is super important but if you would like to do more outside of athletics, go for it!
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