Oct. 7, 2014
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
Story By Sarah Sherman; Video By Chip Fontanazza and Abby Hosey
UCFKnights.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - If presented with the opportunity to spend the summer at the beach, very few college students would turn down the chance.
Rowing student assistant coach Kali Mills is in the majority, but not in the way you would think.
Mills' love for nature flourished when she jumped at the opportunity to intern for a research project with endangered sea turtles.
"I feel like so often these days that we are kind of taking nature by the wayside," Mills said. "It's really exciting to be part of such a powerful project."
This internship was a welcomed break for Mills, whose normal daily routine is still somewhat different from a traditional student-athlete. A persistent back injury led to a medical disqualification for Mills, making her no longer eligible to compete as a student-athlete.
However, UCF's rowing coaches still wanted her to participate, so she transitioned from the role of competitive athlete to a student-assistant coach.
How does she manage it all on top of preparing herself for her future after graduation?
"Being a student-athlete, no one is ever going to tell you that it's easy," Mills said. "It's one of the hardest things I've ever done in my entire life."
Mills became an athlete by throwing herself into the sport of rowing. The Orlando native picked it up as a freshman at Winter Park High School's orientation.
Transitioning from a private school into a public school where she knew no one, it was important to her to be involved in something that would be an instant family. Rowing was a perfect fit.
"My sport is a spring sport," Mills said. "But we also have training and races in the fall so the majority of the year is school and rowing."
On a daily basis she balances school, homework, rowing and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee vice presidential duties. She chuckles when she says that she gets it all done with minimal sleep and a lot of coffee.
Mills, however, gives more credit to her experience as a student-athlete in helping her manage her schedule.
"Everything that goes along with being a student-athlete," Mills said, "time management, responsibility, accountability - all of those help in my everyday life in every aspect of my life."
The biology major has a love for the outdoors and nature that was cultivated at an early age with inspiration from her mother, who graduated with a biology and botany degree from UCF.
This past spring, in one of Mills' science classes, an opportunity was presented to her that she knew she did not want to pass up: A research project dealing with sea turtles.
"I decided I wanted to be a part of it," Mills said. "I thought that it would be a great opportunity to get some hands-on field research."
Since the research was being conducted in the summer, Mills was on a break from her student-coaching duties. In addition to learning more about her field of choice, she was able to apply her newfound expertise to her sport.
"I learned a lot of patience," Mills said. "I had a lot of responsibility, so I feel like this will translate to the team because I'll be able to use these skills. I love being someone that is involved in a lot of things. Not only am I helping with the research project, but I'm able to save a part of nature."
This experience propelled her into thinking of more ways she could learn outside of the classroom doing more hands-on research.
She acknowledges that the UCF Athletics department is a great resource and provides an abundance of opportunities for a student-athlete's personal growth and development.
"They're great at giving us the tools that we need after we graduate," Mills said. "Some of us may be in athletics for forever, but there is a good majority of us that need to think about the future, and I really think UCF Athletics gives us the tools, if we take advantage of them."
After graduation, Mills would like to pursue a doctorate degree in ecological research but is still unsure of where that path will lead. Whatever she decides, she knows that she took advantage of her resources and every opportunity she was presented as both a UCF student and an athlete.
"This opportunity gave me confidence that I can go on and do future research by myself," Mills said. "I know I have the tools and that I can do it."