University of Minnesota Athletics
Ferguson, Johnson Close out 2014-15 MVGs
5/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The University of Minnesota and the Gopher athletics student-athlete development program will recognize one male and one female student-athlete periodically throughout the year, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty as ambassadors of the maroon andgold. New this year, the award goes out two individuals who have shown leadership on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in track/cross country's Anne Ferguson and swimming's Chris Johnson.
Criteria for the award will be based on one or more of the three student-athlete development areas:
• Leadership - leadership roles on athletic team, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representatives, student group participation, campus panels, team hosts or other roles as ambassadors of the Maroon and Gold, campus committees
• Professional Development - embracing career opportunities on campus and programs offered by the athletics department, to include: internships, volunteer and part-time employment focused on career development.
• Commitment to Service - volunteering through MAGIC and on their own in the community (may or may not be career related). All hours considered are logged through the University of Minnesota system.
Female Most Valuable Gopher: Anne Ferguson, Cross Country, Track & Field
GopherSports: You were a SAAC executive member. Talk about your role and how it helped you for the future?
Anne Ferguson: I am very grateful for my time on the SAAC exec board because it gave me more visibility of the Gopher Athletic department. There are so many people that make our programs successful. SAAC introduced me to those people and it was a pleasure to work with them. My involvement in the leadership of SAAC helped toset me apart from my classmates as we all interviewed for jobs. I gained experience planning events, speaking with professionals, and delegating tasks to peers. All of this was incredibly valuable to me.
GS: You've done a wide variety of volunteering with MAGIC. What were some of your favorite events to volunteer at and why?
AF: I most enjoy volunteering when I can be hands-on. HopeKids events are my favorite, especially the festival at the beginning of the school year! It is amazing how much of an impact one person can have on another- and I mean that going both ways. I still remember a little boy who shared his sticker with me at the pony ride station at HopeKids my freshman year. I saved the sticker!
GS: What advice would you give to younger student-athletes about SAAC or MAGIC?
AF: I urge everyone to get involved in some way. There is much more to gain from Gopher Athletics than just competing. It is rewarding to be a part of the decisions that are made at SAAC meetings. Especially during this time of change in our program with the new athletic village. We are so lucky to be student-athletes at the U and it makes people's days when a student-athlete gives their time through MAGIC. On top of giving back, I also enjoyed my time volunteering because I got to meet many student-athletes from other teams. You are able to create a lot of friendships which I encourage younger student-athletes to do.
GS: What if your next step after Gopher Athletics?
AF: I will be working as a Business Analyst for Target starting in August. I am excited to stay in the Twin Cities so that I can continue to go to Gopher sporting events.
Male Most Valuable Gopher: Chris Johnson, Swimming & Diving
GopherSports: You were a SAAC executive member. Talk about your role and how it helped you for the future?
Chris Johnson: As a SAAC executive I learned so much about working as a team and being part of a leadership group that represented the athletic department as a whole. I was in charge of Maroon Madness, which is now taken over by a fellow swimmer Noah Busch. Maroon Madness is student athletes supporting student athletes, meaning throughout the year we have events planned one at each sporting home event, where we have food usually pizza, wings, subs, or bagels, and encourage SA to come out and watch their peers compete. This year I completed a goal of attending a sporting event for every sport and I'm very happy to say I did it! Seeing all the diverse sports the U has really puts into perspective how lucky all of us are to go to such a great University where the athletic department supports so many sports. Also as a non-revenue sport going to other non-revenue and revenue sports really bridges the gap and builds camaraderie throughout the department on a student-athlete level.
GS: You've done a wide variety of volunteering with MAGIC. What were some of your favorite events to volunteer at and why?
CJ: The MAGIC program is so great; from schools we visited, toy drives, book packings, hospital visits, and so much more. You really learn to appreciate all the individuals that you and other student athletes affect and become much more understanding of truly how lucky you are. The MAGIC program is also such a great outreach to meet kids. A story that stands out to me was when I went to a preschool last summer. We went for lunch break, so we talked to the kids about healthy nutrition, played out on the playground, and ate lunch with the kids. There was one kid just clung to me, always next to me and looked up to me the entire time we were there. He told me he always wanted an older brother, when we were starting to leave he asked if I had time over the weekend to hang out with him. He told me he would meet me hereon Saturdayand that his mom would drive him here. Sadly I had to explain that I had a competition that weekend and was out of town, but the experience really made clear that young kids in the community look up to us student-athletes as leaders and trusted members of the community. Being told that I was like a big brother to him after two hours of knowing the kid was truly heartwarming.
GS: What advice would you give to younger student-athletes about SAAC or MAGIC?
CJ: My advice for future student-athletes is to get involved early and stay involved. I did not really get into MAGIC until my junior year, and similarly my freshmen and sophomore years I considered SAAC a meeting where I could get food. My junior year, I started to get more involved and took the issues at hand more serious. Thank you to (Gophers alums) Chris Hawthorne, and Luke McAvoy for encouraging me to get more involved and starting my goal to become a SAAC executive. SAAC is such a great group of individuals, not only do you meet athletes from so many different backgrounds, you also get to work with them so that student athletes have a voice. I really encourage all student-athletes to at least attend one SAAC meeting a year and if you like it get involved. It not only helps you (aka resume builder/leadership position) but also helps your team, the student-athlete community as a whole, not only within the U but also throughout the B10 and NCAA.
GS: What if your next step after Gopher Athletics?
CJ: My next step after Gopher Athletics, isn't going to be too different. Currently I am working on my own research project in Germany in the Experimental Orthopedics department at Klinikum Grosshadern, one of the most premier hospitals in Europe. After the summer I will return to Minneapolis for one more year finishing my master's degree in biomedical engineering at the U. During this time, I will continue to swim and train towards German Nationals next April. After that, I will start looking for a job hopefully in the Twin Cities area so that I can always come back on campus and cheer on the Gophers!
Players Mentioned
