Bryn Jenkins, Centenary College, Women's Swimming & Diving - Character & Community
BRYN JENKINS OF CENTENARY COLLEGE, a senior on the women's swimming & diving team from Houston, Texas, has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Female Student-Athlete of the Week for the week beginning December 19.
Suwanee, Ga. - BRYN JENKINS OF CENTENARY COLLEGE, a senior on the women's swimming & diving team from Houston, Texas, has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Female Student-Athlete of the Week for the week beginning December 19.
The SCAC Character & Community award honors the efforts of student-athletes who excel in the field of athletics, and also serve their campus and community.
Bryn Jenkins knows exactly what it takes to be a successful student-athlete. The only thing you wonder about her is how she finds the time to do all of the impactful things that she does.
Bryn is a member of the Centenary women's swimming team and is an integral part of the campus community. She is a two-time member of the SCAC Academic Honor Roll and is a Chemistry major with minors in Math and Computer Science.
"The largest project I'm involved with right now is being President of Food Recovery Network, which takes excess food from the cafeteria and brings it to organizations that distribute it among food-insecure communities," said Jenkins. "I am also involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the treasurer, Maroon Jackets as the VP, and public relations for the Chemistry Club and Christian Leadership Center where we have also helped at Noel Food Bank".
Bryn, who has recorded countless top-10, top-5, and runner-up finishes as well as several individual wins in her impressive career in the pool, admits that it is difficult at times to manage being both a student and an athlete especially at such a prestigious school as Centenary.
"Sometimes it's really difficult, especially this year as I'm taking so many challenging and time-demanding classes. It's helpful for me to remember I have a commitment both to the team to show up to practice, but also to myself and my goals," said Jenkins. "Having a routine has really helped me. After practice every night I eat dinner with the team and then head to Mickle Hall for homework and studying. Learning which times of day you work best in, and in which settings can really make a difference in productivity."
"Bryn is indeed an exceptional person, effectively demonstrating that it is possible for a student-athlete to excel in both the pool and the classroom," said Centenary head coach Thomas Radam. "But far more importantly, she also chooses to serve the entire Centenary community in her student involvement activities and ministries as Bryn is a passionate advocate for our swimming program but an even better Ambassador for our college."
Bryn, who transferred to Centenary from Lone Star College in her native state of Texas, made her decision based on several important factors.
"As I was searching for colleges to attend, I knew I wanted to attend a small school so I could become integrated in the community. I wanted some place that I could grow mentally, physically, and spiritually, so after visiting Centenary and seeing what activities and opportunities are offered, it bumped Centenary farther up on my list," said Jenkins.
"I eventually had to choose my school in Spring/Summer 2020, so with COVID making everything very isolating, I wanted a built-in group of people I would interact with daily. The ability to swim was a large factor in which institution I chose to attend."
Bryn shared that swimming and staying active helps her mental health and concentration, saying that when she is having a hard time focusing, swim practice gives her a time to clear her mind and reset her focus.
"You've heard of the runner's high—well, there's also a sort of swimmers high! Having those two to three hours a day taken from my schedule also adds more of an urgency for schoolwork in the time I have available and I have learned important time management and task prioritizing skills to accommodate the restricted timeline."
"As a student-athlete, it's difficult to find time for athletics, school, and outside activities. To me, being selected for this award means a lot—it shows me that my extra effort to be engaged and help out is actually seen and appreciated. Often it can be easy to completely identify ourselves by just our athletic abilities or our grades, so being seen as someone more means a lot. In general, an award like this also lets other student-athletes know that it's possible to be involved in other activities! It's possible to do community service, and it's very appreciated."
