Name: Jasmine Reed
Sports: Women's Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field
Hometown: Easton, Pa.
High School: Easton Area
What makes Haverford unique?
What I love about Haverford is the small, close-knit environment that's fostered a certain level of intimacy between friends, teammates, staff, and professors at Haverford that I really didn't anticipate before arriving to campus as a first-year. Maybe this sounds cliché, but everyone starts to feel like family. It's a family that learns and grows together, and really holds all members of the community accountable to do better because we expect the best from each other.
Why did you choose Haverford?
As a prospective recruit, I was struggling to decide between other elite LAC (liberal arts colleges) similar to Haverford, but I ultimately chose Haverford because of how welcomed members of the community made me feel. On my 17th birthday, my coach called me up and spoke to me for over an hour convincing me to apply to Haverford and my overnight visit with the team during the fall of my senior year solidified my feeling of congeniality unique to Haverford with it's Quaker values.
What is your favorite team experience?
Our conference championships are always the height of our indoor and outdoor track seasons, so there's a lot of hype surrounding it. I've been lucky enough to anchor almost all of our team's sprint relays, and the Indoor 2019 Track and Field Championship at F&M was most exciting for me as a member of the 4x200m relay. All of my teammates on the relay did their parts on putting us in the lead, and my anchoring leg was literally neck-and-neck with Swarthmore and Ursinus Colleges. We ended up getting second to Swat, but it was my first of many medals with that group and I'll never get over the feeling of giving my all at the most unnerving times and rising to each and every occasion. My dad filmed the race, so my teammates and I always keep that video on hand in case we're feeling low on confidence during inevitable lows during our seasons.
What advice would you give to a high school student considering Haverford?
Definitely do an extensive amount of research, voice any questions/concerns you might have about the school and the program, and don't hesitate to reach out to current members of the team. Paying attention to communication and responses are key in making this choice - it will tell you a great deal about the program you're considering.
What does being a student-athlete mean to you?
Being a student-athlete has been quite the multi-layered experience for me as a Black woman at Haverford, but I've learned that it's critical for me continue to push for representation for people that look like me in Haverford's athletic community. Although day-to-day life is not a strenuous as a Division I or II program might be, attending such a prestigious school on top of a demanding weekly practice and competition year-round schedule as a track athlete makes being a student-athlete very stressful. That said, it is still extremely rewarding. I get to look back at all my life-long friends, accomplishments, and awards with the tangible proof that it is all worth it.