Paulina Chartouni '20 Recruiting Profile

From the first time I stepped onto the field hockey pitch in middle school, I was hooked. Growing up, my parents and siblings were never intensely interested in any sports; my personal intrigue was a cultural outlier. Though I was unable to build deep connections with more professional sports teams, my own desire to get involved within my school community only grew. It was the energy and excitement of the team that I first fell in love with. The culture of support, empowerment, and connection was unmatched. But more than that, I was astounded by the teamwork, the development of a close-knit community and family that helped shape the course of my middle and high school experience. As I head towards the end of high school, and look fondly back on my memories of competitive sports, I become more eager to continue down this path in college: cultivating a strong, empowering, and insightful community both on the field and within the classroom.

I am searching, first and foremost, for a strong, spirited, and dynamic sports community that shares my motivations and values. As a student-athlete, I strive for excellence in every situation. I firmly believe that my skills and talent are a reflection of the dedication and hard work I have put into my training. Being an athlete has benefited me both physically and mentally, helping to keep me sharp in decision-making and processing information. But beyond that, the team mentality has shaped the way in which I developed thus far; I love working hard to assist others, dealing with challenges head-on, and determining effective solutions and outcomes that are beneficial to the entire group. While I look forward to joining a team that is highly competitive and wants to succeed, I am also looking for a team that is willing to help each other, communicate, and further connect off the field. My ideal program is one which is high-level and focuses on consistent personal and team development. 

Off the field, I look forward to strengthening and developing my interests within a college setting. Intellectual exploration has always been deeply important to me. Even as an athletic recruit, I hope to remain on top of my studies, gaining good grades and participating in major-based research within my field. I understand the time commitment associated with this, and am confident that I can successfully undertake it. During my time in high school, I wanted to become closer with my heritage, and began undertaking Arabic language studies; this required strong time management skills, as I had to balance my language studies with my other extracurricular, athletic, and academic endeavors. Though I recognize that the academic rigor will be heightened in a college setting, I believe that I hold not only the skills but the desire and motivation to succeed that will help me tackle these responsibilities. Regardless of whether I am playing sports, attending practice, or contributing to classroom discussions, I give the highest amount of effort, and hope to bring this excitement, dedication, and strength to the right team.