BRIDGEWATER, Va. - One certain individual from Bridgewater College doesn't just stop at making time with his teammates at the swimming pool, but also consistently shows up for those in need in his community, leaving a much wider impact on those who are a part of something bigger than themselves.
In fact, not only is the work being recognized in the pool, but the countless hours in clubs and extracurricular activities have impressed many who are around him. Earlier in April, Kris Schultz was awarded the most prestigious college award given to a Bridgewater student for academic excellence and service to others. At the 106th annual celebration awards ceremony, Schultz was presented with the Founder's Award. The Founder's Day observance falls on the first Tuesday of April, which stands as a time to reflect and connect with each other as well as don caps and gowns for graduation in preparation for seniors to turn their attention to the next chapter of their lives.
This honor stands as a day to honor the birth of the school's founder, Daniel Christian Flory, which hits home for many people who are awarded the recognition in his name, especially for Schultz who spends so much of his time being immersed with amazing people on campus and in his community. This award doesn't come lightly to Schultz.
"It's really exciting. I'm friends with the people who have gotten it [Founder's Award], and they definitely deserved it. So just to be on that list, it's really special to me."
Schultz is a soon-to-be graduate in the health and exercise science program. He will be leaving the swimming team and the many departments he has helped in, such as academics, admissions, student life, and alumni relations. He has been extremely determined to be active in his community as well as volunteer in extracurricular activities, including efforts with the rescue team and leading a Sunday School youth group at his local church.
Schultz hasn't just demonstrated hard work and competitive spirit as an athlete, but he has also made an impact outside the swimming pool in many clubs, activities, and organizations with a determined mind to lend a hand to those who need support.
From his time with the swim team, Schultz set a strong foundation in understanding the importance of giving back to his community. His journey and experiences around campus began his first year at Bridgewater, when he immediately saw the impact of being with teammates who wanted to help those in need in the community.
"I think the first thing that I officially joined was in the admissions office as a student ambassador , and I started that at the latter end of my first year on campus. It was the community of the swim team that pushed me to be involved. Just as a team and a group, we have a lot of involvement on campus, helping give back to the people that give to us," he said.
So, why do all this? Why put yourself in a constant run to help out? Schultz sees volunteering and doing something bigger than yourself as a way to buy into who you are. By putting yourself in multiple clubs and activities, you risk feeling uncomfortable to fulfill true potential. There is a lot of acceptance when you learn how to be of service to yourself and others.
"One of the biggest things I learned was that my strengths and weaknesses were able to be shown by doing a lot of different things. One example was the capacity I had as an individual, and that it's okay to say no to different things so that you can ensure your full potential to other spaces."
Exposure to the community for Schultz has opened his eyes to what life after college could look like and the ability to be a part of a community to have a voice and to share common values. Involvement in his community has given him a means to think bigger and want to help people live better lives, which is the profession he is about to walk into.
"I feel like it's been a launching pad to what I can accomplish next with friendships that are going to last a lifetime. A ton of lessons I learned through classes or even the swim team that are going to be applied to life after school. These past four years have been stepping stones to prepare me for what's next in the world."
His eyes now shift to what's next for him and what he can accomplish using his experiences from a wide array of valuable lessons learned. With the health and exercise science degree, Schultz plans on heading to UVA Health to work in the emergency department as a technician.
From these experiences and life now shifting gears away from college, Schultz has prepared himself to pursue a passion in health with a strong foundation in leadership and servicing those who need support through athletics and academics.
