Friday, December 20, 2019

Part of a regular series.

Throughout the year, GNACsports.com uses this space to profile conference student-athletes who are members of their respective institutions’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition to providing feedback on the student-athlete experience, conference and institutional SAAC members also offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on NCAA member institution campuses.

Name: Paolo Lujan
Sport: Football
Institution: Simon Fraser University
Year: Junior
Major: International Studies
Hometown: Surrey, British Columbia

Why Did You Choose To Attend Simon Fraser?: I heard a lot of good reviews about Simon Fraser being the top comprehensive school in Canada. Simon Fraser is close to home and also competes at the NCAA Division II level, which is the highest level of competition in Canada.

What Is Your Favorite Class You Have Taken And Why?: My favorite class was Introduction to Cinema. It is an elective class and I was able to analyze films from a different and more artistic point of view. It was all just a different perspective on movies and it caught my interest.

Who Is Your Favorite Professor And What Did You Enjoy About Learning From Him Or Her?: My favorite professor is Gerardo Otero. He is an extremely knowledgeable person. He describes the class content with great detail and communicates with his students very professionally. Even if the concepts and topics are difficult at first, he will take his time to explain and was very helpful whenever students needed help.

Years Involved In SAAC: One year.

The Reason You Chose To Get Involved In SAAC: I wanted to be able to contribute to Simon Fraser athletics and promote a fun environment. I have a vision for the athletics program to become an important part of the university and increase student involvement.

Most Memorable SAAC Activity To Date: I enjoyed the Welcome Day activities. All student-athletes got together and we released our new athletic apparel and partnership with Nike. After that, we all participated in fun activities.

How Do You Feel Participating In SAAC Will Help You In Life After You Graduate?: I feel extremely proud to be able to be a part of SAAC and represent student-athletes and my team. I believe that this skill will help me after graduation because networking will always be important.

What Does It Mean To You To Be A Division II Student-Athlete?: It means that I was able to overcome adversity. If someone has a dream, they have to be willing to sacrifice and work hard. Being a student-athlete means that I can represent my city, community, school and country. It means that I can represent my family and create a legacy that others will remember me by.

What Is The Most Important Thing You’ve Learned About Balancing Athletics And Academics?: It is important to set priorities. Having a schedule and alarms is always handy because organization is key.

Biggest Obstacle Overcome During Your Collegiate Career: Balancing sports and academics and commuting home has been my biggest obstacle. It takes me a while to get home after long days. Early mornings and late nights have always been present throughout my college experience. Sometimes, not getting enough sleep doesn’t allow my body to fully recover.

Favorite Thing About Competing In The GNAC: Simon Fraser is the only school in Canada that competes in this conference and the NCAA.

Most Memorable Sports-Related Moment: Getting the call from my coaches about me being a part of the team. At that moment, I realized that my hard work, dedication and overcoming adversity paid off. I was ready to take on bigger challenges and create new memories.

Current Mentor(s): My parents, coaches and teammates.

Best Advice You’d Give To An Incoming Freshman: Set your priorities. Time management is the most important skill to have. Also, no matter the highs or lows, it is important to work with a positive attitude because adversity should not affect your goals.

If You Could Spend The Day With One Person (Past Or Present), Who Would It Be (And Why)?: Kobe Bryant. He was my favorite athlete growing up and I liked his mindset when he competed. Kobe was someone who I always looked up to and I think that there is a lot that people can learn from him.

Extracurricular Activities: SAAC, football, working out and bartending.

Future Goals After Graduation: I hope to earn an MBA. After that, I would like to either work for the government and focus on economics and development or become a sports agent.

Favorite Sports Team: Pittsburgh Steelers.

Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant.

One Thing People Don’t Know About Me Is: I am a student in everything that I do. I enjoy learning new things, no matter the topic. I am extremely curious and I am always learning.