The following is a spotlight on Sydney Rose, one of two 2024 Saint Joseph’s University nominees for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award. The Atlantic 10 institutions nominated a total of 17 outstanding student-athletes for the award (READ MORE). The A-10 will spotlight each of the institutional nominees.
Sydney Rose Profile
Sydney Rose is an All-Conference track and field standout and a two-time Saint Joseph’s record holder. She has six top-10 finishes in Atlantic 10 Championship meets, two in indoor and four in outdoor track. She earned All-Conference honors in 2022 in the 4x100 relay. The Hawks’ record holder in the 60 and 100 meters, Rose also has three career top-10 finishes at the ECAC championships.
A four-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Rose is a communications major with a minor in film. Rose also had an internship with the SJU Office of Learning Resource, working as a social media intern.
Rose was heavily involved in community service, volunteering with the Philadelphia Service Immersion Program as a participant, serving as a publicist creating social media content for SJU Naturals, and helped homeless veterans, organizing a coat drive for A Home is a Right. She also was a volunteer social media consultant for Water is Life Kenya through the beautiful Social Research Collaborative and she and her teammates conducted a Thanksgiving Basket Drive.
Q & A
What was the hardest obstacle you faced as a student-athlete?
The hardest obstacle I faced as a student-athlete was trying to celebrate my small victories. Sometimes it felt as if I wasn’t going anywhere and not accomplishing anything, but in the end, I realized that everything was an important part of my journey.
What is one thing you would go back and do differently if you could?
I would show more of my personality freshman year. My team is truly supportive and welcoming so there was no need to be nervous.
What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
The most courageous thing I’ve ever done was deciding to keep going, even when I wanted to quit.
What was your favorite class/professor and why?
My favorite class was Race and Media taught by Dr. Aisha Lockridge and Susan Clampet-Lundquist. During this class, I had the opportunity to connect and learn with the women of the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Complex. I learned invaluable lessons from the people around me and developed a deeper understanding of our society's socio-economic issues.
What is something you wish more people knew about you?
I wish more people knew that I love screenwriting. I was a film minor in college so this is something I often do in my free time.
What are the top three things on your bucket list?
The top three things on my bucket list are traveling to all 7 continents, writing a screenplay for the Sundance Film Festival, and living in a different country.
What do you think is the most important issue for student-athletes today?
The most important issue for student-athletes today is the growing mental health concerns and identity. As student-athletes, we have difficulty distinguishing between these two identities, but we must prioritize ourselves outside the context of our sports.