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CHARLESTON, SC – The average cadet student-athlete at The Citadel is anything but average. They're members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. They go to class. They compete against the best the Southern Conference has to offer.

And for some, that's not enough. Many cadet student-athletes take an even less traveled path by majoring in unique or tough fields of study. Some come from unique backgrounds that make the already difficult even more so. And still others contract into the armed forces and have to prepare for their careers in the military after college.

The Citadel Department of Athletics wants to recognize some of those cadet student-athletes who are not just succeeding in competition, but are doing so at a high level while overcoming some of the toughest obstacles.

The Citadel Department of Athletics wants to recognize some of those cadet student-athletes who are not just succeeding in competition, but are doing so at a high level while overcoming some of the toughest obstacles.

Noah Nawabi (Sr., Charleston, S.C.)
Sport: Tennis
Major: Biology (3.94 GPA)

What is your major and why did you choose to study this?
NN – "When I first entered The Citadel, I was majoring in business administration. Just before sophomore year, I decided to switch to biology after deciding I wanted to attend medical school."

What do you hope to do after graduation from undergrad? What would you like to do once you have exhausted your eligibility?
NN – "After graduation, I will be moving to Boston to conduct a year of clinical research at the Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center at Harvard Medical School. During this time, I will also be in the middle of the medical school application process, and will hopefully gain admission to a medical program and matriculate in the summer of 2021. After medical school, I hope to complete a neurological surgery residency and eventually practice medicine in an academic setting."

What are you doing to prepare for your career outside of your studies?
NN – "Other than studying, I've spent a lot of time shadowing and observing physicians from many disciplines, including neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, radiology, anesthesiology, and others. This has helped me get an idea of what area of medicine I could see myself practicing, while also helping to build my CV. I've spent time in the clinic observing patient interactions, in the lab observing medical research, and in the operating room observing all sorts of surgical procedures."

Do you hold rank in the Corps, and what are those responsibilities like on a daily basis?
NN – "I have served as team captain of the men's tennis team since the beginning of my junior year. My responsibilities included coordinating practices with the coaching staff and my teammates, representing the team at monthly meetings with cadet leadership, and dealing with daily situations that arise with any teammates in the Corps, at the courts, etc."

Talk a little about juggling your life in the Corps, as a cadet student-athlete and within your major.
NN – "Time management was a challenge during my time at school, given the rigor of my major coursework and our exceptionally long spring schedule (we played upwards of 40 matches a season, most other tennis programs play less than half of that). I was never too involved in the Corps, so staying ahead in school and meeting my expectations as a leader on the tennis team were the two biggest things I had to juggle. I learned time management was critical early on, and with the help of my coaches, professors, and peers, I was able to prioritize and remain focused on my goals despite being so busy."

What would you say has been the most difficult part of being a cadet student-athlete in your major?
NN – "I would say the most difficult part of being a cadet student-athlete as a biology major would be the fact that just passing classes/surviving through the season were not necessarily options. I had to make As in my classes if I wanted to be a competitive medical school applicant, and as a team we had to do more than just make it through the workouts, practices, and matches; we had to excel. In other words, the hardest part wasn't necessarily how much work we had to do, but how well we were expected to do everything we were involved in by our coaching staff, professors, and ourselves."

What is something that you will always look back fondly on here at The Citadel?
NN – "One thing I'll always look back on and be able to appreciate about The Citadel is the culture of hard work and dedication that is engrained in many of the groups on campus. There are few places where students our age are working as hard as we work, and I'll always be thankful that I had the opportunity to learn how to dedicate myself to something worth doing."

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