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Kellen Burke

General Paul Hembekides

Feature Friday: Rowing Senior Kellen Burke


PHILADELPHIA – “There are over 400,000 NCAA student-athletes, and just about all of us are going pro in something other than sports.”

The well-known NCAA commercial adage is especially true at La Salle University, a place that takes pride in the successes of student-athletes in the classroom and in the community.

Perhaps no current Explorer exemplifies the NCAA spirit more than Kellen Burke, a senior on the women's rowing team whose well-rounded personality has allowed her to serve fellow students and the needy, to get a prized internship, and a to be a team leader.

Burke came to La Salle from Haddonfield, N.J. in the fall of 2009 and got involved in a variety of student organizations and ministries. She now serves as vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was the organization's secretary a year ago.

“I was really drawn to SAAC for a couple of reasons,” Burke said. “First, I liked the organization's commitment to community service. I was also interested in ways to promote school spirit and get more students out to sporting events.
 
“I think that it is very important for the student-athletes to have a voice in the athletic department and in the NCAA,” she added. “SAAC gives the athletes the opportunity to talk about the student-athlete experience, and will have their voice heard on what they believe the important issues to be.” 

Burke oversees the SAAC's promotional involvement and is anticipating this year's Explore a Cure breast cancer awareness month and dodgeball tournament.

“SAAC has given me a great opportunity to grow as a more well-rounded individual, and as a leader,” she said. “It has also helped me build strong friendships and connections with athletes from other teams that I may not have gotten to know really well without SAAC.”  

In addition to her SAAC affiliation, Burke has volunteered her time to Habitat for Humanity during the past two years. As a sophomore, she traveled to Dade City, Fla., with other volunteers to help build houses in conjunction with the Pasco County organizational chapter. The following year, Burke coordinated their trip to Franklin, W.Va., where they worked with the Almost Heaven affiliate in Franklin.

“It was an absolutely incredible experience where we got to see a completely different lifestyle and culture relatively close,” she said. “Our group was also able to create tight friendships and bonds between all members.”  

This past summer, Burke landed an extremely competitive internship position at Google; she was one of only 175 nationwide selectees to the Google BOLD program and spent the majority of her summer in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“Google was wonderful,” Burke said. “It was really an experience like no other for me, where I got to meet and become friends with such different people, from all different areas of the country and backgrounds.”

Burke served as an AdWords Account Strategist on a team responsible for small and medium business sales. More so than any technical knowledge she gained, Burke raved about the atmosphere and environment.

“I walked away from Google with open eyes about creativity, passion, and teamwork,” Burke said. “Google was able to show me just how important teams and teamwork are even off the field or the water. I would have never imagined a big company to function the way that Google does. It was incredible.

“Even as interns, our voices were heard in the company,” she added. “This summer I got to work with people from all over the world, from countless backgrounds. At Google we celebrated those differences every day. This summer gave me a new perspective.”

While a career at Google may be in Burke's future, the mathematics/secondary education major is keeping her options open as a spring date with her college diploma approaches.

“I'm confident that eventually I'll end up working in a school,” Burke said. “But next year I would really like to do some volunteering before I start an actual career. That is really my main focus right now.

“I'd really like to end up back at Google at some point as well,” she noted. “There are great programs for high school and college students that are conducted by Google and I would love to work with that team.” 
 
Despite all her academic successes and philanthropic accomplishments, Burke's story cannot be complete without touching on her athletic career at La Salle. The four-year varsity letter winner has been an integral part of the Explorer rowing family, exemplifying leadership skills and sportsmanship.
 
“Kellen brings a positive mental attitude that is infectious,” rowing coach Mike Malloy said. “She has been providing leadership since I started working directly with her during her sophomore year.
 
“She looks out for her teammates and most importantly leads by example focusing mainly on what she can do better instead of what someone else is doing wrong.”
 
A member of La Salle's honors program and a Christian Brothers Scholar, Burke carries a 3.76 cumulative GPA.
  
“Kellen brings a lot to the table as a student athlete,” Malloy said. “She is an outstanding scholar and I am sure that all of her professors would agree with me on that.”
  
“Well-rounded” would most definitely be an accurate way to describe Kellen Burke; a well-rounded student-athlete whom both the NCAA and La Salle University will surely boast as an alumna in the future.

“Being well-rounded is more than just getting involved in a bunch of activities,” Burke said. “It is really about committing yourself to putting your all into every challenge and opportunity you encounter.

“In trying to grow as a more well-rounded person, I've found that there is always more I can learn, and new experiences I can have."
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