Golden Eagle Spotlight Series
10/27/2022 10:23:00 AM | General
Our student-athletes share what keeps them busy away from competition
Many of our returning student-athletes came back with credits from summer studies, or internships, or research, exploring and preparing for life beyond collegiate athletics. We had interns in real estate, and financial planning, investment banking, marketing, public relations, supply chain operations, retail and commercial spaces, entrepreneurship, and customer service. Others were in research labs, or knocking out courses that included extensive lab-work. Many of the student-athletes coached youth sports, or worked at camps, bringing their expertise to youngsters who share their passion for the game. Some were on campus, in class, or working for grounds crew and facilities, or in a living/learning community mentoring incoming freshmen students in Upward Bound.
Mikaela Sullivan | Cross Country and Track and Field
Hometown: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Year: Graduate student
Major: Masters Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Fun Fact: I used to Irish dance
Nickname: Mik
Dream Job/Goal:After completing my Masters of Science and becoming a licensed counselor, I plan to pursue my PhD in Clinical or Counseling Psychology. Following my PhD, I plan to research and provide mental health resources to college and professional athletes and other individuals who have traditionally not had equal access to mental health resources on the basis of ethnicity, language, gender, and socioeconomic status.
Favorite thing about Marquette: I love the supportive community on campus. Being involved in athletics as a graduate student is a lot, but the relationships I've developed with coaches, faculty, staff, and teammates encourage me and motivate me to strive for success. Marquette also has a long history of being a Jesuit Catholic institution, so the fact that I have the opportunity to continue to grow in my faith with my fellow peers and bring my Christian perspective into my work here is really important to me. I know I have people on campus who care about me as a fellow sister in Christ and that is a really unique experience. Marquette also offers rigorous academic and career development in the city of Milwaukee where there are lots of opportunities for real world and career experience. I look forward to the opportunities I will have for diverse research and internship experience within my field of study and program.
Summer Experience: I worked at the Medical College of Wisconsin in the Neurosurgery Department doing research with former NFL players and the long term effects of concussion exposure. But my favorite thing I did over the summer was that I worked with a church in Mahahual, Mexico where I was able to help lead youth programming and community outreach. I felt so blessed to meet and build relationships with the local people by teaching kids bible lessons and English classes and leading art and craft activities and playing sports with the kids.
Carsen Murray | Volleyball
Hometown: Lee Summit, Missouri
Year: Junior
Major: Entrepreneurship and Marketing
Fun Fact: I can play the guitar
Favorite Thing about Marquette: The people and the city
Nickname: Cars, Cars-man,Carseen, Beyoncé
Dream Job/Goal: CEO of my own business with the goal of helping the greater good
Summer Experience: I spent my summer here in Milwaukee with a couple of my teammates. We spent lots of time working out, playing volleyball (both indoor and sand), and exploring the city of Milwaukee. In addition to all the fun, I worked our volleyball camps and took two summer classes.
Elsi Twombly | Women's Soccer 
Hometown: Appleton, Wisconsin
Year: Junior
Major: Advertising
Minor: Marketing
Fun Fact: My older sister and I share the same birthday while being 5 years apart
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The people. I met some of my closest friends while at Marquette. Also, there are a lot of people that are here to help you succeed, both academically and athletically.
Nickname: Els or El
Dream Job/Goal: When I grow up, I hope to have a job related to sports marketing. I took a class in high school that exposed me to this type of career, and I've enjoyed learning about it ever since. I'm hoping to get an internship relatively soon on or near campus related to sports marketing.
Summer Experience: I worked at Purple Door Ice Cream (PDIC in the Third Ward), a few on-campus jobs (At the Al front desk and at the Annex serving catering events), and a few soccer camps. My favorite part about working this summer was playing soccer with the younger kids at the various camps. Outside work, I attended many country concerts (Zach Bryan at Summerfest was my favorite), played in a summer soccer league with the Milwaukee Torrent, and spent time with family and friends.
Alex Lesperance | Track and Field
Hometown: Waukesha, Wisconsin
Year: Senior
Major: Finance, Real Estate, and I am getting my masters in Economics
Fun Fact: I am an only child
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The people and family atmosphere
Nickname: Big AL
Dream Job/Goal: To invest in residential real estate property, redevelop and rent the property out for a profit
Summer Experience: This summer I worked as a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual where I worked alongside other senior advisors and helped clients build a financial plan. My favorite part of this summer was the opportunity to help people and make them feel confident in their financial plan.
Annika Bynum | Track and Field
Hometown: Gurnee, Illinois
Year: Sophomore
Major: Psychology
Minor: Marketing
Fun Fact: I am an only child and I have the rarest personality type in the world (less than 1% of the population is INFJ-T).
Favorite Thing About Marquette: it's close to home so my family comes to visit me often, along with my closest friends that I've made.
Dream Job/Goal: social media marketing in the fashion industry.
Summer Experience: I worked at a children's museum and also got a social media marketing internship! My favorite part was my internship because it was fun to learn more about what I wanted to do in the future.
Mason Woodward | Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Baltimore, MD.
Year: Senior
Major: Exercise Physiology
Fun Fact: I caught a seven-foot shark
Nickname: Woody
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The people and how positive and kind they are.
Dream Job/Goal: I want to Coach Lacrosse
Summer Experience: I lived in Milwaukee for the first part of the summer coaching a club team, then I spent the second half on the greatest beach in America, Ocean City Maryland.
Julian Wright | Men's Track and Field
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Year: Senior
Major: Operations of Supply Chain Management (OSCM) & Finance
Fun Fact: I am the freshman record holder in the 60 (Indoor), 200 (Indoor & Outdoor), & 400 (Outdoor). I am the Big East SAAC, President. I am the VP of DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) for Marquette's SAAC. I have never tried a PB & J
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The city, having Milwaukee be my home has been amazing.
Nickname: Ju, J wright
Dream Job/Goal: COO of a fortune 500 company
Summer Experience: I worked this summer with Grainger which is an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, & Operations) company based out of Lake Forest, IL. I was assigned to the Merchandising and Supplier Management team and was tasked with helping create an internal system that could be used to help organize certain information. Along with working for Grainger, I had the opportunity to go to UConn and be a part of the Big East Mental Health Summit. I was able to meet other student-athletes, talk with Val Ackerman (Big East Commissioner) and grow a better appreciation for my own mental health. My favorite part was the Mental Health Summit at UConn. Being around so many passionate student-athletes and building a connection with them is something that I will never forget.
Ava Sprinkel | Women's Lacrosse
Hometown: Severna Park, Maryland
Year: Freshman
Major: Public Relations
Fun Fact: I designed and sewed a 12-piece clothing line in my senior year of high school.
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The people and how friendly everyone is. Everyone here wants to see you succeed and will do anything to help you.
Dream Job/Goal: Public Relations Specialist
Summer Experience: I worked as a goalie coach for my old club team, M&D Lacrosse, in Baltimore, Maryland. My job was to shoot and give feedback to goalies from the age of 7-17 years old. I helped them not only with how to get better physically but also mentally. I led sessions two times a week and traveled to their tournaments to help out. My favorite part about coaching was seeing the confidence change in certain goalies. I also thought it was amazing to see goalies not just get better but also understand what works for them and what they feel comfortable doing.
Logan Kreinz | Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Delafield, Wisconsin
Year: Graduate
Major: Graduated with a double major undergrad last year in Finance and Real Estate
Fun Fact: My voice was used for a video game in 5th grade.
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The people I have met here. Marquette is built on relationships, and over the last 5 years I have made numerous life-long friends. Everyone has each other's back and I can confidently say coming to Marquette has been the best decision I have ever made.
Nickname: Kreinz
Dream Job/Goal: I hope to own my own real estate company, where I invest in Multi-Family and Industrial products all over North America.
Summer Experience: I worked at a real estate brokerage in Miami called JLL. I was a part of the multi-family department where I assisted the lead underwriter in preparing loan submissions to Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae for the refinancing/acquisition of over $1.0 billion in national multi-family transactions. I really enjoyed my experience with everyone in the office. The people in the office were extremely welcoming of the interns, and it was awesome to experience a summer in Miami.
Molly Keiper | Women's Soccer
Hometown: Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Year: Sophomore
Major: Public Relations
Minor: Marketing
Fun Fact: Both of my parents went to Marquette and met their freshman year here. I've been going to Marquette basketball games my whole life! I transferred from Villanova University after my first semester of Freshman year. I also went skydiving this year.
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The people. The athletic community here is so amazing and has allowed me to make so many incredible relationships that I am confident will turn into lifelong friendships.
Nickname: Keiper or Keip
Dream Job/Goal: Anything related to sports media. My dream has always been to be an NFL sideline reporter.
Summer Experience: I nannied for my next-door neighbors who have four kids and coached younger girls from my soccer club. I also worked at Marquette boys' basketball camp where I helped with some behind the scenes work including, camper paperwork, concessions, coaching, and more. My favorite thing about this summer was playing pick-up soccer games with the girls living on campus or visiting a teammate in Toronto, Canada for a week.
Will Foster | Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Year: Sophomore
Major: Public Relations
Minor: Marketing
Fun Fact: I sing acapella with the Marquette Gold N' Blues.
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The guys on the team. The relationships I have here are second to none and these guys are my brothers.
Nickname: Willie, WillieJ, Fos, JMoney
Dream Job/Goal: I would love to be a college lacrosse coach or a PR professional for a company.
Summer Experience: I worked at a marina on Lake Minnetonka called Bayside Marine. My favorite part about it was being out on the water with my crew of friends.Payton Hanselman | Women's Track and Field
Hometown: Neenah, Wisconsin
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Health Studies & Public Health & Equity
Fun Fact: I am ambidextrous
Favorite Thing About Marquette: The Opportunities and the Great Community
Dream Job/Goal: Nurse Practitioner
Summer Experience: I worked at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club this summer as a server and a wedding assistant! I thought it was a really awesome experience to work at Blue Mound this summer because of the connections I made with the members and I got to spend more time and learn more about one of my favorite hobbies, golf! I also thought it was such a rewarding experience to be part of the wedding events that Blue Mound hosted. Being part of people's special days was a fun and rewarding experience!
