The Pursuit of Passions
Written by prisha desai
Ki Rendon, Sophomore Cross Country Track; Sophia Kowalski, Junior Pole Vaulter Field (Distance)
Illustration by Sravya Gullapalli
At UT Austin, the pursuit of knowledge and excellence in sport intersect in fascinating ways. For student-athletes, the balance between rigorous academics and high-level athletics is not just about managing time - it’s about living a life guided by passion, discipline, and purpose. Sophia Kowalski and Ki Rendon, both track and field athletes, exemplify this balance. Their stories reveal not only the dedication required to succeed at UT Austin but also the profound fulfillment that comes from making choices driven by genuine interest and meaning rather than convenience.
A Journey Shaped by Family, Curiosity, and Passion
Sophia Kowalski’s journey began in her home in North Houston, where athletics and personal experience were deeply intertwined with her family life. “My dad did pole vault in high school and started again later in life,” Sophia recalls. “I picked it up around 11 or 12 and just fell in love with it.” But athletics wasn’t the only influence - her mother’s experience with vitiligo introduced Sophia to the transformative role nutrition can play in dealing with autoimmune diseases. This blend of personal inspiration and athletic interest created a clear sense of purpose that guided her choices.
For Ki Rendon, the journey started even earlier. A natural runner, Ki joined her elementary school run club and found herself drawn to cross country and track in middle school. “By sophomore year, running became more than just a hobby,” she reflects. “It became a part of who I am, and I knew I wanted to continue competing in college.” Ki’s interest in biology grew from a lifelong curiosity about the natural world and her love for the outdoors. “I wanted a major that reflected my curiosity about life and gave me a range of career options,” she explains, eventually settling on a pre-med track with aspirations of becoming a neonatologist.
For both athletes, UT Austin offered the perfect environment to pursue their dual passions. Sophia appreciated the university’s reputation for supporting both academics and athletics, while Ki saw UT as a dream school she had admired her whole life - a place where she could pursue elite athletics without compromising intellectual growth.
Mastering the Art of Balance
The life of a CNS student-athlete is intensely structured. Sophia and Ki both emphasize that balancing high-level athletics with rigorous academics requires more than just organization - it demands intentionality and strategic use of resources.
Sophia describes the support system that makes her journey manageable. “It wouldn’t be possible without the academic advisors that are specifically for athletes,” she says. Each athlete in her track and field program has one of several dedicated advisors, along with access to specialized tutors who understand the demands of collegiate athletics. She cites courses like intermediate metabolism, where finding a tutor can be challenging due to the course’s specialized content, but notes that careful planning and proactive communication with advisors help her stay on track.
Sophia, thriving with the balance that CNS and UT help make possible
On a personal level, Sophia meticulously plans her week in advance, blocks off weekends to rest, and avoids procrastination. “Fall is pretty manageable since my sport is in the spring, but I still can’t leave things to the last minute,” she explains. The combination of personal discipline and structured support highlights the dual nature of her success: it’s not just what UT provides - it’s how she chooses to use it.
Ki’s approach is similar, emphasizing early mornings and strategic use of free time. “Most of my practices and lifts are in the mornings, which leaves the rest of the day open for schoolwork,” she explains. She spends weekends planning for the week ahead and completing pre-class assignments. Sacrifices are part of the equation; social events and typical college experiences take a back seat to training and academics, but for Ki, this aligns naturally with her personal values. She notes, “The discipline I’ve learned from running carries over into school - it’s all about staying organized and using time wisely.”
Early-morning practices set the rhythm for Ki
Both athletes’ routines underscore a central truth: the rigor of any pursuit is shaped by intention and engagement. Whether it’s memorizing metabolic pathways or perfecting a sprint start, the effort and passion brought to the task determine the outcome more than the inherent difficulty.
CNS Resources: Support and Flexibility
CNS provides robust resources to help student-athletes navigate their dual commitments. Sophia credits both nutrition advisors and athletic program advisors for guiding her course selections and connecting her with tutors. Ki recalls required freshman study halls and ongoing access to learning specialists, which helped her develop effective study habits from the start.
Professors play a crucial role, too. They understand the demands of student-athletes and show flexibility when conflicts arise. “Knowing that there’s a system in place to help you succeed takes a lot of stress off,” Ki notes. Sophia adds that having course schedules and advising sheets prepared in advance ensures that she can balance both classes and athletics efficiently.
Yet there’s room for growth. Both athletes note that CNS could benefit from more flexible options like online or hybrid courses - especially for labs and hands-on classes that are traditionally harder to accommodate. Sophia points out that while McCombs students, for example, have no classes on Fridays, CNS athletes often must navigate dense midweek schedules, making travel and practice coordination more challenging. Such flexibility could further enhance the ability of CNS student-athletes to thrive academically.
Choosing Meaning Over Convenience
What stands out most about Sophia and Ki is how deliberately they make choices based on passion, not convenience. For them, rigor isn’t about taking the easy route - it’s about diving fully into what matters. Whether it’s a tough biochemistry lecture, a Saturday sprint, or a complicated lab experiment, the effort they put in is powered by genuine engagement, making the process itself rewarding. Their approach challenges the usual student mindset of chasing easy A’s over meaningful work; by choosing what excites them, CNS student-athletes build resilience, curiosity, and purpose that go far beyond grades or trophies. Their journeys show that academic rigor and athletic excellence aren’t at odds - they actually feed each other when approached intentionally. Through careful planning, smart use of support systems, and an unwavering commitment to what matters most, Sophia and Ki show the value of following passion wholeheartedly. And the lesson isn’t just for CNS or UT Austin - it’s universal: the real measure of success isn’t how easy something is, but the care, focus, and heart you put into it.