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COLLEGE
HIGHLIGHT
MONICA VAUGHN
By // Jim Brophy, ASU Communications Specialist
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maskmatters.org
FALL 2017
W
hen Monica Vaughn hoisted
the trophy with her Arizona
State University teammates
after the Sun Devils
captured the NCAA championship, she
had reached the pinnacle of women’s
collegiate golf…twice.
Two days earlier, she took home the
individual NCAA title, becoming the first
woman to accomplish both feats in the
same year since 2013.The honors capped
a storybook senior year for ASU’s Vaughn,
whose hard work in her studies helped
her to graduate magna cum laude with a
degree in communications.
Her rise as a student athlete, from
her first golf tournament at age 8 to her
breakout year at 15, was built on the
support of family, teammates and coaches
while growing up in Reedsport, Oregon.
“Be ready for the responsibility
and to hold yourself accountable.
There is always, always time for fun
in college, but there is a time and
place. Being a student athlete is a
privilege, and you should remind
yourself of that every day.”
opportunities. Joining the Student
Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)
and/or interviewing a coach or senior
student athlete can help parents gain
a broader perspective on the team and
a better understanding of the bigger
picture of athletics.
How can parents support their
athlete’s dreams and goals,
while keeping them grounded
and realistic?
Parents can help their student
cultivate a “growth” versus “fixed”
mindset. Be candid that while they were
very successful in high school, they are
starting over again at a new level and
will have to prove themselves. Help
them understand the hard work that is
necessary for success.
Parents can guide and encourage
their student athlete to have multiple
dreams and career goals beyond just
athletics, and remind them that they are
dynamic men and women who have the
potential to create much in life.
How can college athletes
avoid the trappings that
often come with
being seen as the
star athlete? How
can they avoid allowing
“fame” go to their heads?
Sit down and be humble. Student
athletes can benefit from remembering
the values and lessons they learned at
home, and focusing on their goals and
what it takes to achieve them.
Help them understand that their
athletic experience will not last forever.
Becoming involved in activities outside
of their sport can help them to develop
an expanded and comprehensive identity.
They no longer come home to a
parent every night, so they lose their
guide, and have to remember everything
they were taught. Finding a mentor,
conducting themselves as if they have
to go home every night, and holding
themselves accountable can help.
Sending regular reminders about why
they are here and why they chose their
college will help them keep the bigger
goal in mind and be humble.
