Football Student-Athlete Spotlight: Henry Donohue
11/23/2023 10:00:00 AM | Football
Balancing life as a student-athlete at the University of Michigan is no easy task. In this series, U-M football players who are getting their business done on the field and in the classroom are spotlighted as a credit to their work ethic and organization. Get to know them better as students by learning what subjects, experiences, teachers, professors, and lessons have impacted them most during their academic careers in this Student-Athlete Spotlight Series.
By Maeve Everett
Q. As you consider your time remaining as a student-athlete at the University of Michigan, what do you want your legacy to be off the field and on?
Henry Donohue: On the field, I want to be remembered as a positive contributor to the team and culture. Right now, I'm playing on special teams, so I'm on a mission to continue to carve out a role for myself on the field. I want to be a good team player and be respectful to everyone here at Schembechler Hall. Ultimately, when my time is up, I want to be remembered as a kind guy. Off the field, I want to be remembered by my peers as someone who is always there to talk to. This goes for my teammates, but also for people outside of the team. As a classmate, I aim to be someone who can be relied upon to work on group projects, not someone who lets others do the heavy lifting. At the end of the day, whatever team or group I'm a part of, I want to be a positive contributor.
Q. Outside of your athletic achievements, what are you most proud of during your time at the university?
HD: Outside of athletics, I'm most proud of being an Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, both of which speak to my ability to balance football and my academics. Also, I know this relates to athletics, but I'm super proud to be a part of this team. As a true walk-on, wearing the winged helmet is simply a dream come true. It's been a blessing to finally be a part of the team, be a part of the brotherhood, and represent this university.
Q. What has been the important skill that you have developed in your time at Michigan and in achieving your academic goals?
HD: Time management skills, for sure. As a student-athlete, you have to be very deliberate with what you devote your time to. You don't really have much free time to be lounging around. You either have to be playing football or doing schoolwork. Something that's been useful to me is scheduling. Usually the night before, I'll plan out the next day and hold myself to that schedule. This allows me to actually accomplish everything I need to get done.
Q. What is your biggest goal for the academic year?
HD: I want to uphold a high GPA, but at this point, I'm now taking upper-level electives, so I'm mainly just trying to be selective about the classes that I choose so they are productive learning experiences. Going to class each day, it's my goal to soak in as much knowledge from my professors as possible and enjoy my academic experience.
Q. What's some advice you would give an incoming freshman, or someone interested in attending the University of Michigan?
HD: I'd say to come in with an open mind and find what you're passionate about -- that could be with your major, extracurriculars or even just friends. Find out who you love and what you love. Also, enjoy your time. It's easy to get stressed and caught up in the day-to-day but do your best to be in the moment.
Q. What was the best school field trip you ever went on?
HD: I'm from New York and took a quick trip down to Philadelphia in fifth grade. Not only was this trip special to me because it was my first time going to Philly, but it was also super memorable since it took place right after I had transferred to that school. It was nice to have some built-in time to bond with my classmates. Of course, I also enjoyed being able to see some historical sites, such as the Liberty Bell, and tour a couple of museums. Looking back on the trip, I still remember being in the hotel room and hanging with one of my buddies, who I'm still super close with to this day.
Q. What is your favorite academic memory for elementary or middle school?
HD: I'd say my favorite academic memory was when I did a project on dementia. My grandpa passed away from Alzheimer's, so I was interested in the topic and presented on it in fifth grade. Another project I enjoyed was in my eighth-grade history class. Our assignment was to do a deep dive into some of the members of the first socialist parties. I remember presenting on John Spargo, who was credited with exposing the harsh working conditions of child labor in the 1900s.
Q. Are you involved in any extracurricular clubs or leadership activities?
HD: I'm not really involved in any formal clubs in my little free time, but I do try to take advantage of all the community service opportunities offered by the football program. I am also a parishioner at a local parish and attend weekly mass. I feel grateful to be in the position I'm currently in, so I try my best to give back to my community and the less fortunate whenever I can. My favorite event I've been to so far was the Al Glick Youth Football Camp this past summer. It was a ton of fun to be there with a bunch of my teammates and see the excitement on the kids' faces. As a walk-on, I really love showing aspiring college or even high school players that anything is possible.
Q. In addition to your professors, who has been the most influential person in your academic career?
HD: Although I've always been fairly self-sufficient in my academics, my parents have still been super influential. They have always been there for me whenever I need a piece of advice or a shoulder to lean on. Everything they encourage me to do or go after, they do so with my best interest in mind. They've always respected the way I learn and have always given me my own space to build academic habits that work best for me.
Q. What has been your most memorable academic experience?
HD: I really enjoyed the Basten University Project we did in SM 111. The basis of the project was to build a hypothetical collegiate athletic program, including an NIL structure, governance body, mascot, logo, etc. That was my first ever "big" project once I got to Michigan, meaning it was my first time interacting with my peers in the classroom. I enjoyed learning about everyone's backgrounds and mixing together all of our individual ideas to create one final presentation.
Q. What has been your favorite class and why?
HD: Believe it or not, Econ 101: Microeconomics with Professor Chris Proulx has been my favorite class thus far. Going into college, I wasn't too sure what I wanted to major in, so I initially chose sport management, but after I took microeconomics, a lot clicked for me, and I realized I had a strong passion for economics. I enjoy figuring out how businesses set prices and how taxation affects both businesses and individuals. I saw the content being taught as applicable to situations I have or will come across in my everyday life. Econ 101 was ultimately the class that made me want to switch my major to economics.
Q. What is your favorite book and podcast?
HD: My favorite book is probably "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I'm into classic American literature and enjoyed the overall story itself. It's a classic love story, but the book also holds a lot of hidden messages about greed, carelessness and materialism. Although the book takes place in the early 1900s, there's still a fair amount of relevance to today's world. In terms of podcasts, I like 'The Daily Stoic' by Ryan Holiday. His episodes are pretty straightforward with daily messages, lessons about Stoic thought, and tips on how to live a better, happier and more focused life.
