Cross Country/Distance Track 3/17/2020 9:09:00 AM Kelsea O'Brien

KINDNESS, EMPATHY AND WISDOM: MEGHAN ROTHENBROKER POSSESSES ALL THE QUALITIES OF A LEADER

HAMILTON, Ont. - It isn't easy to relate to new students when completing your Masters. You have outgrown the party phase, but are trapped between student life and adulthood. You've seen it, you've done it, you've lived it, and now, you just want to get the current phase of your life over with and move on to the next one. Try as you might, the influx of new, nervous, anxious, excited bodies, is inescapable.

While most grad students are running their final laps of post-secondary education like a sprint rather than a marathon, Meghan Rothenbroker is embracing it, holding onto each moment, and imparting her wisdom on the students who will walk a path similar to hers.

A Masters student in Biochemistry and track and field athlete, Rothenbroker has leaned into, not away from, her role as a mentor for the next generation of Marauder student-athletes. It's not a position she had to adjust to - as anyone close to her will tell you, it's just part of her nature.

Friend, teammate, and current first-year student-athlete, Allison Sippel will be the first to sing Meghan's praises.

"She always knows the right thing to say, because she's been there. She's passionate. She knows what she wants in life, and how to get it. She knows the importance of women pursuing their dreams, and will do everything in her power to help them achieve them."

Allison recalls more than one instance where Meghan has driven her to get groceries so she didn't have to make the trek from the store, back to campus, bags in tow. A simple gesture from Meghan, but one that leaves a lasting impression on Allison, inspiring her to pay it forward in whichever way she can.

The relationship between Sippel and Rothenbroker is oftentimes a yin and yang, with Meghan reeling Allison in during what Allison describes as her "immature tendencies", though other times, encouraging it. The balance between keeping her friend grounded, while occasionally taking part in the shenanigans is not a delicate one, but a natural one.

The same sentiments Allison speaks of Meghan with are echoed by Meghan and Allison's track coach, Paula Schnurr. While not actively running, Paula has kept Meghan on in a managerial role with the team. Her approachable demeanor, and sensitivity to the needs of others, are only a pair of the qualities that make Meghan perfectly suited to lead.

"She's understanding and relatable, because she's been in their shoes." says the coach, commending Meghan's inviting personality, witnessed first hand when pairing with new athletes as a training partner. "Competitors who are not comfortable approaching a coach with an issue they may be having often look to Meghan, both for advice, and assistance".

The track and field athletes are not the only recipients of Meghan's effervescent warmth. In between track, studying, and participating in McMaster's research labs, she tutors students in SAT preparation, and is a member of the McMaster Athlete Academic Mentor program, assisting fellow student-athletes. Fluent in both English and French, Meghan is able to help students who may be struggling with a language barrier, or who just need someone to talk to.

She doesn't do it for extra credit, or for recognizance, but because it's who she is, and who she has always been. Though Meghan's time at McMaster may be coming to an end, her personality and light will no doubt serve as a motivating factor for those who have had the privilege of simply being in her presence.

She doesn't have to be in the gym, or on the track to enable her associates to be the kindest, most compassionate versions of themselves. The mark she will indisputably leave when her footprints have all but disappeared, is more than enough. Caring, nurturing, and human without expecting anything in return, are the true characteristics of a leader, and Meghan Rothenbroker possesses them in abundance.

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Players Mentioned

Allison Sippel: Third Year; 3

Players Mentioned

Allison Sippel
: Third Year; 3