Q&A With Birka Wicke
Jun 3, 2004 | Cross Country
Sr., 5-8, Middle Distance, Edermunde, Germany
Birka Wicke joined the Green Wave track and field program in 2002 after running for two years at UNC-Asheville. Despite battling injuries, she earned all-conference honors during her first season. Overall, she has earned all-league honors in five events, including three at this year's Conference USA Indoor Championships. Not just a talented athletes, Wicke will graduate with honors this month and recently earned Academic All-District VI honors.
Major: A double major in math and environmental science. I am very interested in the environment and environmental preservation. It started at my old school (UNC-Asheville). We need to change the way we use energy. I am graduating in May and I plan on going to grad school in renewable energies. Right now I think I am going to a school in the Netherlands and I will major in sustainable development with a concentration on energy issues.
Most Memorable Experience with Tulane Athletics: I think the overall athletic experience. (UNC-Asheville) was much smaller and the support is so much better here, from the trainers to the academic services and the locker rooms. Here I have the opportunity to do anything.
Favorite On-Campus Activities: I am a member of the Green Club through the environmental science department. We have meetings about environmental issues, it organizes camping trips and just does things to increase environmental awareness.
Favorite music: I am not really into music, but I do go to some local shows. My boyfriend is very into music and I just kind of follow his lead with that. We had some friends in town and went to see Kermit Ruffins recently.
How did you choose Tulane? I had taken a year off from UNC-Asheville and my boyfriend and I wanted to go to school together, so I picked five cities and we both applied to schools together. Tulane has good academics and a good track program and that was important to me. He is also here, getting his master's in political science.
Had you been to the U.S. before coming here for college? Yes, I had a cousin who went to UC-Irvine, so some other cousins and I came here to visit him and we took a car trip and visited California, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado.
Biggest difference between New Orleans and Germany: People in the U.S. take life easier. In Germany, people get a job and that is what they do, here they get jobs and just see what happens, maybe they change jobs and then change again. They live life with more flexibility than Germans. The food is also a lot different in New Orleans, we do not have as much fried food and as much seafood (in Germany).
What do you miss most about home? I miss my family and the food, especially the cheese and bread. We eat a lot of cheese and bread there and the bread is much different, much thicker, it makes a meal.
What has been the biggest change in you since coming to Tulane? I have become more focused on academics and running and not much else. I have planned for grad school and thought about that a lot. In athletics, I had an injury when I came here and I have had to work really hard to get back. It has helped me focus more on the orientation of my life.
People who influenced athletic career: My club coach back in Germany, Jurgen Stephan. When I go home, I still practice with him and the team. I started when I was 10 or 11 and have trained with him for nine or 10 years. I spent so much time working with him that he has been a great personal influence, and not just an athletic influence.
What advice would you give to an incoming freshman? Try to coordinate your academic and athletic experiences from the beginning. It is not easy, but we DO come here for academics, athletics is just the medium which allows us to that.
Favorite Meal: My mom's potato casserole.
Do you follow any other sports? Not a lot, but my younger sister plays table tennis and my older sister plays handball and we all follow each other's sports.
Dream Vacation Destination: Lately, I have been thinking a lot about Southeast Asia; I would like to go to India at some point.
People you would like to thank: All of my coaches, including Coach Corn. I am really glad he came here; his workouts have helped me a lot. Also my boyfriend, who is a really big part of my life. We live together now and he will be coming to the Netherlands with me.
