How NOLA Built Me - By Jeni Griffin
Sep 2, 2020 | General, Women's Swimming and Diving
Stepping on Tulane’s campus for the first time my freshmen year, I had no idea the extent to which the Tulane and New Orleans community would impact my life. I was just a wide-eyed 18 year-old swimmer from a quiet suburban town in Orange County, California. Traveling across the country to a new and seemingly foreign city to live for the next four years felt like a huge step outside my comfort zone. To my surprise, however, the city welcomed me with open arms and eventually became a place I could call home.
The energy of the New Orleans community is indescribable. No city I have ever visited celebrates and supports each other like New Orleanians do. From incredible food, to jazz music, to Who Dat Nation, this city celebrates its uniqueness, and Tulane University is a part of that.
Tulane has become so much more to me than just my college and the school I represent as a student-athlete. While my education has been world class, and my experience on the swim team has challenged me, it is the many unique opportunities I have embraced that have built me into who I am today.
As a freshman, I found it easy to rely on my sport and academic performance to give me value and purpose. It was not until I joined the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) that I found my identity outside my sport and recognized the world of resources and supportive staff members that Tulane’s athletic department offers to student-athletes.
I feel so lucky to be a part of an organization that not only works to improve the student-athlete experience at Tulane, but also values mental health awareness and service to the community. My involvement in SAAC’s Pow6rful Minds campaign has taught me about what it means to advocate for something so impactful that can literally save lives. I feel extremely rewarded serving as a voice for student-athletes to help destigmatize mental health illness, and this experience has validated my desire to apply to law schools after I graduate, to pursue a career in which I can serve as an advocate.
Beyond mental health awareness, SAAC has provided me with many opportunities to give back to the New Orleans community that has played such a large role in my college experience. I have worked with Special Olympics athletes, volunteered at the New Orleans Public Defenders office and helped build homes with Habitat for Humanity. All of these experiences have reminded me of how special the New Orleans community is and how lucky I am to be a part of it.
Embarking into my senior year, I am excited to serve as SAAC President and to be a leader in the organization that has helped shape me into who I am today. I am NOLA built and ready to take on the next challenge that awaits me.
