FAIRBANKS, Alaska – This summer, a select number of Alaska student-athletes will step outside the realm of sports and gain real-life work experience. We caught up with some of them to see what they would be doing and how beneficial acquiring skills by doing work outside the classroom can be.
We continue with the second segment of this story, which features rifle's
Ryan Anderson (Great Falls, Va./Dominion), women's volleyball's
Allison Oddy (Chilliwack, British Columbia/Highroad Academy) and men's basketball student assistant
Ondrej Palecek.
Anderson, a native of Virginia, will be traveling outside Fairbanks to compete in international shooting events, but upon his return, the aspiring ophthalmologist plans to shadow doctors at nearby Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Though he will not be able to make any contact nor treat any patients this summer, Anderson will observe and learn how doctor-patient relationships work. He is unsure about a set schedule for his shadowing, so he plans to work when needed and based on doctors' availability.
In addition to his shooting travel schedule and shadowing doctors, Anderson is also taking classes at the university for the majority of the summer.
Oddy, a social work major, will hop a plane this week with her instructor and fellow students to Dillingham for a class related to her academic study. During the week, the class will learn about chemical dependence and the effect it has on surrounding communities, families and friends.
Though they won't be doing hands on activity as it relates to drug dependency, Oddy believes it will help her get a more clear understanding as to the career path that lies ahead for the British Columbia native.
“This will show me a little more as to where I'm headed with my career and will help me make decisions and see what I like and don't like within my social work program,” Oddy said.
She had previous opportunities to make this trip but due to athletic and other academic conflicts, she wasn't able to go. Luckily for the rising senior, the course is offered during the summer enabling her to make the trek. Oddy also touched on how these opportunities are important for student-athletes.
“It lets us have more of the college experience and step outside the sports world a little,” Oddy said. “It's easy to only hang out with other athletes and a program. It not only allows me to step out of the sports world and connect with other students but it also looks good on a resume.”
Palecek, who spent this past season as the student assistant coach for the men's basketball team, will fly to the East Coast and dive into his internship in New York City. He will be working with Sentinel Real Estate Corporation at its corporate headquarters in Manhattan. This corporation manages pooled and separate accounts holding diversified portfolios of real estate properties values at $4.5 billion that stretch over 157 properties across 28 states.
This will be the first step for Palecek's career path because this is the field he wants to work in because he likes the financial world and investments.
“It's very important because it looks good on your resume and you can't get the real experience in a classroom,” Palecek said. “It's important that when you're done playing sports after college, put as much emphasis on education and your goals because that is what will pay bills the rest of your life.”
A native of the Czech Republic, Palecek stated he always wanted to live in New York and since he arrived in Alaska last August, he hasn't left town, so he's itching to see someplace new and explore an entirely different atmosphere that is the Big Apple.
“I really enjoy working for Coach Durham,” Palecek said. “It was a great year and great experience working for him and I've learned so much from him. I'll be missing that but I haven't been outside Fairbanks since last August so it will be a nice change of scenery to get experience from something I'd like to do in the future.”
