Rachel Root ’17, a graduate student who is studying to be a speech language pathologist, received the Linda Herman Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award on October 15.
Root was recognized at the 18th Annual Reggie’s, an academic excellence awards ceremony, for her academic and athletic success as a swimmer. She was also nominated for the Jill Hutchinson Female Athlete of the Year award. She was the co-captain of the Illinois State swimming and diving team and currently holds the Illinois State record for three individual swimming events and one relay event.
Root described her experiences as a student-athlete: “I have learned the value of teamwork, developed leadership skills, and improved my communication abilities.” She expressed gratitude for her coaches, teammates, and professors.
Root was not the only student from the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department who was recognized. Three undergraduate students—Emily Adelman, Abby Luchtenburg, and Keely Theobald—and two graduate students, Molly Cull and Annie Heineman, were also recognized at the Reggie’s and named in the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll for achieving a GPA of 3.0 while participating in a variety of sports including soccer, softball, and golf.
