Scholar Stories: Lawrence Navigates COVID-19, Change in Major to Become Leader
9/20/2023 10:46:00 AM | Women's Soccer, Features
Continuing the series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Absopure.
By David Woelkers Jr.
When it comes to defining the mindset of the University of Michigan, there is perhaps no better description than the one given by James Earl Jones.
"Midwestern values, hard work, determination and an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."
Despite growing up some 500 miles away from Ann Arbor in Monroe, Conn., Kacey Lawrence has come to embody the very best of those ideals, both on the pitch and in the classroom.
A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, the sport management major and team captain has made the most of her student-athlete experience as she looks towards a career away from the locker room -- a plan that defined her decision to attend college in the first place.
In an era of women's soccer that's ever-expanding in opportunities straight out of high school, Lawrence's recruitment was out of choice rather than strict necessity. When it came down to it, she looked to find the best of both the athletic and academic worlds, something she found at Michigan.
"I always thought I wanted to go to college after high school," Lawrence said. "I never had any doubts about that. I've always wanted to pursue a great education, which is part of the reason I chose Michigan. There's great athletics, a great campus, but also just the academics in general was something that really attracted me to here. This was really the best place to help set me up for a successful career."
Like many students entering school in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into what Lawrence expected to find from the first-year experience. Despite it being a time of social distancing and isolation, Lawrence managed to find a close-knit group that helped her navigate that tumultuous time.
"Of the class of seven that came into the team, we all were approved by (head coach Jennifer Klein) to live in off-campus housing, and six of us lived in a house together," Lawrence said. "It helped us not only focus on soccer but also mentally adjust to college. There would always be that period of time in the day before practice where we'd all be together on our computers doing our Zoom classes, and it helped us hone in and figure out together what college academics looked like."
Through that time with her teammates, Lawrence ended up making a twist in her academic path in her sophomore year.
"I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do when I first got to college. I thought maybe something in (biological science) or physical therapy," Lawrence said. "I started taking classes in that though and didn't really find myself enjoying it, so sophomore year I took a few (sport management) classes and loved it. I really fell in love with the program and everything about it.
"Being an athlete and being around all that my classes talk about, and really being able to have a career in this field afterwards with the experience that comes from being an athlete, it's been the best decision I ever made."
After joining the sport management program in earnest, Lawrence gained one of her most valued mentors; associate program chair Kelli Donahue. Lawrence cited two of Donahue's classes -- Business Communication and Career Planning -- as particularly impactful in her time at Michigan.
Whether it be in Donahue's classes or working with the professor in School of Kinesiology programs, Lawrence considers her to be a cornerstone of her time at Michigan. When asked about Lawrence, Donahue reciprocated the praise.
"Kacey's ability to manage academics with her soccer commitments is impressive," Donahue said. "She always makes sure she's communicating, asking questions, and clear on what she needs to do. She's currently working with me as a project coordinator for the Sport Management Alumni Mentor Program, and I asked her to work with me because I know she can manage this work outside of class with her other commitments.
"I am continually impressed with her ability to manage all that she does, she is bright, enthusiastic, driven to succeed, and a natural leader. Her skills are going to be an asset to her in her future career."
While a pandemic-era fifth year is available to her, Lawrence has not decided what the future looks like just yet. Whether she continues playing or not, Lawrence intends to keep her eye towards a potential off-field career as she plans her future.
"The past year I've been really school and career focused and planning for a life beyond soccer," Lawrence said. "It's really been one of my main goals because it's something that's coming up. I think I would take my fifth year, but I'm contemplating taking it somewhere else just to get a difference in career perspectives. Ultimately, I want to work in the Northeast closer to home. Being from Connecticut, that's a big area for sports business and media, and I've really found myself interested in working for a sports network -- either behind the camera or in front of it."
When it comes to being a student-athlete, Lawrence has one piece of advice; find your people.
"Surround yourself with a circle who are as driven as you are," Lawrence said. "It's so easy to get caught up in one or the other as a student-athlete, and just having a good balance of both is huge. Being around people that are able to lock in on the field and in the classroom is really motivating and really inspirational."
