Senior Dari Sakhanova is a player for the SRU tennis team, a dual-degree student and active in several campus organizations.
Sakhanova shared that her involvement in tennis began when she was six years old. “I basically started to play tennis because of my dad,” she said. “He had a huge passion for the sport.”
She shared that, as she grew up, tennis became more of a job than a hobby. Following her dream of being a professional athlete while working on a degree, she transferred to SRU her freshman year.
Sakhanova is a dual-degree student in sports management and marketing.
“I realize that I cannot imagine my life without sports,” Sakhanova said. “The schedule is so chaotic in a good way.”
She spoke about why she added her marketing degree, sharing that she loves to challenge herself and keep busy. “I might actually do sports marketing in the future, so I decided to double [major] in that,” Sakhanova said.
Sakhanova also said that the sports management faculty maintains good relationships with every student.
“I really love the curriculum of this program. A lot of experimental learning, as well as the professors [are] my favorite ones,” she said.
As a dual-degree student, Sakhanova has to take more credits than the average SRU student. “Last semester, for example, I had to take 21 credits,” she said. “It was tough.”
She shared that being involved in sports for so long has taught her dedication and time management.
“It’s hard to say, but sometimes I do what I need to do instead of what I want to do,” Sakhanova said.
Sakhanova plans to attend grad school to further her studies in sports management and marketing. “After graduating grad school, I hope I can do one year of working in the U.S., and after that, see where my life takes me,” she said.
Sakhanova shared that time blocking is how she organizes her academics and athletics and makes time for friends.
Sakhanova said many of her friends are biology and exercise science majors, so they study together on the first floor of the library, which is her favorite spot on campus.
“They’re the only people who could study with me at 10 p.m.,” she said.
She also enjoys the outdoor space between North Hall and Old Main. She recalled having picnics with her friends there.
Sakhanova shared that on her busiest days of the week, she leaves home at 8 a.m., returns around 8 p.m., and then studies until 11 p.m.
“I wake up at like 7 a.m. and prepare all of my gear because I know after classes and work I will have to storm to practice,” she said.
Sakhanova is also an active member of many campus organizations, including the Sport Management Alliance Club, the International Club and Rock Career Champions.
Sakhanova is also the Vice President of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on campus.
Sakhanova gave advice to busy students at SRU that a close teammate of hers shared with her during her freshman year.
“[The teammate] said to me, ‘Try to get as much as possible out of this experience. It’s only four years, and they’re going to go really quickly, so try to make every day as fulfilling as possible’,” Sakhanova said.
Sakhanova shared another piece of advice from her coach, Matt Meredith, that stuck with her: “Believe in your abilities.”
And above all, “Go Rock!”
