Aaliyah Keil, a first-year student at Marian University's Ancilla College, is combining her love for sports and academics as she begins her college journey. She chose Marian to continue playing basketball and track, two sports she is passionate about. Aaliyah graduated from Highland High School in Highland, Indiana, and was recently inducted into the Highland High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Aaliyah describes her transition from high school to college as smooth but different than she expected. She is currently majoring in biology and plans to become an orthodontist after completing her education. So far, she has loved her experience at Marian, especially meeting new friends and enjoying the supportive community around her. Her First-Year Seminar class is her favorite, as she has already learned life skills that she knows will benefit her in the future.
"Being inducted into my high school's athletic hall of fame meant so much to me. It showed that all the effort I put in during those four years really paid off," Aaliyah shared. She credits her success to her track and cross-country coach, Andrea Cunningham, who pushed her to be her best. "She always believed in me, even when I did not believe in myself. I would not be where I am today without her support."
Aaliyah continues to push herself in the classroom and in athletics. Her goals are to maintain strong grades, compete to the best of her ability, and eventually transfer to a four-year institution to continue her athletic career while working toward becoming an orthodontist.
For high school students, Aaliyah's advice is simple—Build a strong support system and stay on top of your work. If you focus and put in the effort, you will create opportunities for your future and be able to keep doing what you love.