Dear Washington: Ellie Bagley
6/5/2023
A letter to UW written by Washington Gymnastics student manager Ellie Bagley
Dear Washington,
Coming into the athletic footprint as a medically retired athlete, my experience on campus was unique and atypical. I was no longer able to train and compete alongside my teammates as I had done for so long of my life. As a result, my experience at UW centers around community and adaptability. It was support systems within athletics, but also campus wide, that helped me find my new identity and perspective.
It was support systems within athletics, but also campus wide, that helped me find my new identity and perspective.
On the gymnastics team, I became a student manager where I was grateful to have the support and encouragement of my teammates and coaches. As a student, I became a Bioengineering major and researcher. I had the privilege of working in several research labs alongside student peers, contributing to advancements in sports medicine, dialysis treatment, and low-cost diagnostics. As a person, I found fulfillment and opportunity through an optimistic mindset and unwavering determination. Joining several campus organizations and studying abroad in Nepal gave me perspective and friendships that are irreplaceable.
While athletics is an integral part of my identity and time at UW, so many other experiences at the university also shaped my personal and professional growth. As I leave UW, I have nothing but gratitude and appreciation for all those who have supported me on my journey. It’s difficult to put into words how different, and rewarding, my experience has been compared to what I imagined it would be so many years ago.
As I leave UW, I have nothing but gratitude and appreciation for all those who have supported me on my journey.
After all,
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand,”
and I wouldn’t change how I played my hand for the world.
Ellie Bagley