Dear Washington: Parker Kennedy
Track & Field
6/7/2021
Dear Washington,
I’d bet you’ve probably heard of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; a pyramid-shaped model, with our most basic needs at the bottom and self-actualization at the tippy top. One of my favorite quotes from Maslow is, “What one can be, one must be.” In my experience, there are two types of struggles in life: The struggle of getting where we want to be, and the struggle of dealing with the discomfort that comes from not striving to develop our best selves and achieve our goals.
Coming into college, I wanted to be a theoretical physicist. During my first year, my plans changed and I ended majoring in Comparative History of Ideas, an interdisciplinary department similar to the humanities. CHID taught me how to think critically and creatively about problems, and allowed me to craft my own course of study related to my deepest passions. I am so thankful for the CHID community! I’m also a student-athlete - a decathlete on the track and field team. My experience as a student-athlete at UW can be boiled down to the process of learning to embody my potential and take full advantage of the opportunities at my feet. Washington, with all its support, provided me with this opportunity. After five years of struggles, successes, let-downs, rebounds and resilience, I finally feel like I’m where I’ve wanted to be. Yet the work has only just begun, literally.
The opportunities at Washington are endless. As someone interested in coaching-up human potential, the most enjoyable part of my experience as a student-athlete has been the opportunity to network and engage with like-minded people who are willing to help support my personal and professional development. Nowhere else have I been able to follow the rabbit hole of my passions and feel so supported the entire way. This is the opportunity and blessing UW students receive. I am forever grateful for this diverse, equitable and inclusive world-class institution. Thanks to everyone who’s made my Husky experience so extraordinary. Thank you, Washington!
Sincerely,
Parker Kennedy
Track & Field
Class of 2021