Elizabeth Klemm – Northeastern University
The last assignments have been turned in, the Matthews Arena Zamboni drivers have kicked me off the ice for the final time and the tassels have been turned. Graduation has come and gone, and as I reflect on my collegiate skating journey, one word comes to mind: gratitude. When I joined the Northeastern University Figure Skating Club, the team was small and recreational, so I wanted to do all that I could to build the program into a competitive intercollegiate program.
I was named to the club’s executive board my sophomore year along with four girls who have become lifelong friends. Right away, we began brainstorming ways to boost our team camaraderie and increase participation at practices, off-ice bonding events and competitions. Through weekly meetings at Panera, we formed an unbreakable bond and started to see our vision for the team become a reality. Today, we are 65 members strong, and truly a family on and off the ice. We consistently place in the top six at Sectionals and our members are best friends with one another. It has been the most fulfilling experience in my life to build this team with my best friends by my side.
Most importantly, my teammates and coaches helped me develop into the person and skater I am today. Through their unconditional support at competitions and practices, I found a joy in skating that went beyond results. They taught me that my worth is not based on how I place at a competition, but on how hard I work and how I make others feel.
Because of collegiate skating, my passion for the sport was reignited and I realized that my contributions to the sport go beyond medals and double Axels. I can be a leader and a role model, and I have the power to create a home away from home for all skaters. As I embark on my next journey as a graduate student (and collegiate skater) at East Carolina University, I am eternally grateful for my time with NUFSC and will continue to cheer on my alma mater for years to come.
Hailey Rosenberg – University of Michigan
When I arrived at the University of Michigan in 2019, I chose to continue my synchronized skating career as a member of UM’s collegiate team, and my teammates and I were fortunate to win a national championship just weeks before the pandemic hit. Despite a worldwide shutdown and a halt being put on skating, the Collegiate Ambassador Program was born. I worked alongside Sarah Arnold to design a platform promoting collegiate skating to thousands of skaters around the country. I am so grateful to have been a founding member of a program that allowed me to share my experience and love for skating with the next generation of collegiate athletes.
After a year of lockdowns and masks, I returned to school as a junior and joined the intercollegiate figure skating team. This was certainly a challenge as a synchro skater, but skating solo allowed me to rediscover why I fell in love with the sport. As I took the ice for the last time at the 2023 National Intercollegiate Final I beamed with pride and gratitude at my family, friends and teammates who have supported and championed me for two decades.
For as long as I can remember, skating has been my everything. I learned that skating does not have to stop when you get to college, and it can take many different forms. Not only did collegiate skating bring me joy, develop my athleticism and teach me the essence of good leadership and teamwork all while pursuing my education, but it also challenged me to discover who I was beyond the rink. In addition to skating these past four years, I have lived, studied and worked in three vastly different international cities. I would never have the confidence to tackle these life adventures without my roots on the ice.
After graduation, I hope to inspire and instill in young skaters that it takes dedication and hard work to accomplish their wildest dreams, both on and off the ice.
Zak Yousef – Trine University
My time as a collegiate skater has been larger than life. From day one at Trine University, knowing I had my team behind me in every step I took was the perfect layer of support I needed during the most transformative years of my life. My teammates have truly had my back through it all and I can’t thank them enough for their unwavering support and friendship. It’s also been incredibly fulfilling to see my program flourish into what it is today. Being a part of a growing varsity program has been a once in a lifetime experience. When I arrived at Trine, we rostered 21 skaters, and have since grown into a roster of 50+ and continue to blaze our own trail thanks to our strong and fearless coaching staff.
The lessons I’ve learned through collegiate skating have prepared me to be a better friend, coach, person and professional in my career. Being a student-athlete is hard, but collegiate skating created the perfect vehicle for me to celebrate the highs, ride the lows and build on my soft skills like leadership, time management, interpersonal communication, attention to detail and so much more.
A unique and special part of my time as a collegiate skater was the opportunity to serve as a U.S. Figure Skating Collegiate Ambassador from 2020-2023. When I first heard of the Collegiate Ambassador program, I was intrigued because I knew the impact it would have on the collegiate skating community, and I knew I had to be a part of it. As a founding member of the program, I could not be more proud of what this program has grown into and I am so excited for its future! Collegiate skating is such a special community, and serving as an ambassador for the sport has been so humbling, and something I carry with immense pride. I have loved sharing my experience as a student-athlete to grow collegiate skating, as well as being a resource for current collegiate skating programs.
Having the opportunity to represent your institution at any level is such a privilege, and I hope every skater gets to feel the same amount of love and pride I’ve experienced during my time as a collegiate skater. There’s nothing like it.
