How NOLA Built Me - By Lisa Mordell
Aug 8, 2018 | Women's Volleyball, WE ARE
I remember during my junior year of high school when I started scheduling college visits, everyone always said, "When you know, you know."
I didn't really understand what they meant until I came to Tulane. But then I knew.
What really sold me was New Orleans. The city is a true community unlike anything I've ever seen, promoting a sense of support and pride that's evident especially after Hurricane Katrina. If something happens in the city, everyone's there to do something to help, and I find that so special.
When I walked around the French Quarter with my dad during my unofficial visit, we enjoyed the live jazz music on every corner. I couldn't believe how cool it was. I had never seen anything like that in Chicago.
Driving along St. Charles Avenue toward Tulane, my eyes lit up looking at the old architecture and houses, with Mardi Gras beads still on the sidewalk from months earlier. It felt like I was experiencing culture shock, but I figured if I had four years to live in a city that's completely different from home, New Orleans was the place to do it. Unsurprisingly, I was right.
But it hasn't always been easy.
I'm a firm believer in the principle that if you're not challenging yourself, you're not growing or changing for the better.
Being a Division I athlete requires making sacrifices. The hardest part about it is realizing that you don't really have a choice when it comes to making them. Despite that, I have come to find that everything I've given up allows me to make time for what I love most, and that makes it all worth it.
During my time at Tulane, I have challenged myself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually in ways that I never thought were possible. I have learned so much about myself because of the many experiences that I've had here.
As the vice president of SAAC (the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), I have been able to see the impact that small changes have in our athletic community. It makes me excited to think about all the changes we will continue to see over the next few years, knowing that I helped to lay the foundation for them. I hope to make the student-athlete experience better for everyone, but if I've improved it for even one athlete at Tulane, then I think I've done my job.
As a student-athlete, I have been able to experience and truly appreciate the special bond that comes with being part of a team. As much as I love volleyball, it's my teammates who motivate me every day and that's definitely what I'll miss most about my four years here.
As a senior graduating in May with both my bachelor's and master's degrees, I can say with confidence that I am excited and ready to take on the future. I've seen myself grow as an individual, leader, student and professional during my time in New Orleans, and I am forever blessed to have chosen Tulane as the school that pushed me to do so.
In the same way Tulane wouldn't be Tulane without New Orleans, I wouldn't be who I am today without this school and all that I've done here.
My name is Lisa Mordell, and I am NOLA Built.
