ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Being an NCAA Division III student-athlete comes with a lot of responsibility for being a part of an organization much bigger than ourselves. Not only participating in our sports but also finding ways to serve our community and giving back to those who need it most. At St. Catherine, we prioritize both and focus on how each of us can create an impact in the community surrounding us. In the 2023 Spring Semester alone, student-athletes at St. Kate's have been involved with the Minnesota Special Olympics Polar Plunge, while also volunteering at Feed My Starving Children and The Food Shelf on campus. 

On March 4th, the Wildcat Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (WSAAC) teamed up with Unified Katies (a Special Olympics Club at St. Kate's) to coordinate and organize a large number of St. Kate's students to raise the second most amount of money in the university and college division for the Minneapolis Polar Plunge, totaling $10,383. Senior hockey student-athlete Kaitlyn Blair who also serves as the president of WSAAC, has taken on the role of heading the event for the 2 years in a row as she explained her thought process getting St. Kate's students involved, "I participated and jumped for the Polar Plunge in high school, I knew I was going to do it again. I had to opportunity to bring it to WSAAC and have all the sports teams come together to raise money for Special Olympics and be a true Minnesotan in the freezing cold water." Blair was able to get Wildcat Athletes from​​ soccer, cross country/track and field, hockey, volleyball, tennis, basketball, and dance teams to raise money for this cause. As Blair graduates in the spring she shows her gratitude, "I couldn't have asked for a better 2 years as the lead of St. Kate's athletic department for the Polar Plunge and helping raise over $20,000. I know it's in great hands now and I can't wait for St. Kate's Athletic Department and Unified Katie's continue to pair up and take the plunge."

Further supporting more causes, the Wildcat student-athletes "teamed up" in a competition of who could pack the most boxes and meals with Feed My Starving Children- something we are all good at, competing and giving back. Feed My Starving Children is a nonprofit organization empowering volunteers to pack meals for the malnourished in nearly 70 countries. Sophomore Emma Svendsen came up with this idea highlighting the importance it is to give back. "Giving back is very important for athletes because everyone has the means to make the world a better place, but as athletes, we are some of the most capable of doing so. We know about dedication and hard work; putting that towards our community can go a long way," says Svendsen, "Taking advantage of any opportunity to help our community is important, and for me especially, I see how a little bit of my time has a significant impact. This opportunity allowed teams to unite, help make a difference, and inspire others to do the same." Athletes from all Wildcat athletic teams took part in this initiative; Hockey, Soccer, and Dance packed 118 boxes of meals, 124 boxes for Volleyball, Tennis, Golf, Cross Country, and Track, and 183 boxes for Swim, Softball, Basketball for a grand total of 422 boxes of the MannaPack meals that are being sent around the world. 

Along with senior involvement, Elsa Joly shares her experience with the St. Kate's food shelf, "I had the chance to get involved with the food shelf by volunteering bi-weekly on delivery days, especially in the fall. I am now in season and the volunteering time slot falls during my practice time which prevents my team and me from helping, hence the importance of athletes volunteering as a department. I truly like volunteering for the food shelf because it gives me a way to give back to the community and help people have secured access to food." The food shelf is part of the Food Access Hub, and it addresses the issue of food insecurity at St Kate's and in the community around us. The food shelf fights food insecurity by providing access to fresh products, meals, and hygiene products. By volunteering, Joly states, we are helping the food shelf coordinators to unload and put away deliveries as well as restocking and organizing. Volunteering for delivery days contributes to efficient time management for the food shelf coordinators. On a bigger scale, it is important to volunteer for the food shelf because it is a way to give back to the community. By volunteering, you are also taking part in the fight for social justice and helping tackle food insecurity.

As Division III Week approaches, the Wildcat student-athletes will continue to be involved with our surrounding communities to continue to lead and influence those around us in hopes to create a welcoming community for future student-athletes.

Article written by Samantha Lackmann '24. Lackmann is a junior on the Wildcat hockey team while also serving as a WSAAC representative, an athletic department communications intern and is the public relations chair for The Hidden Opponent (THO) club at St. Catherine.