The Emory Senior Spotlight Series continues with a look with current women's tennis student-athlete Katie Chang.
Name: Katie Chang
Hometown (HS): Coto de Caza, CA (Santa Margarita Catholic)
Sport: Women's Tennis
Major: Finance and Real Estate
** How did you start getting involved with tennis? How old were you when you started playing?
My dad and my uncle were both very successful tennis players back in the day so it was a natural transition for me also to learn the sport and play competitively one day as well. I was 9 years old when I played my first tournament.
** Do you have any current plans for after graduation?
I will be working in Commercial Real Estate as an analyst with Rialto Capital in Miami, FL.
** What is one piece of advice you would give to your freshman self?
Colossians 3:23!!
** What is one class would you retake just for fun and why?
Investments, if only and only IF the grade won't affect my GPA, haha.
** What is the most unique thing about your hometown?
I live in the community that the original cast of The Real Housewives of Orange County once lived.
** What is something that people may not know about you but should?
I love to sing and miss playing the guitar.
** Other than tennis, what is another one you think you could play at a high level?
I've always wondered if I could've been a half decent golfer - definitely a sport I want to pick up after my retirement from college athletics.
** What is one professional athlete (past or present) would you like to have a conversation with and why?
I would love to talk with John Wooden, though probably more famous for being a coach, about his life as a Christian and how he became such an impactful and inspiring leader.
** How have you been trying to occupy your time with given the current COVID environment?
I've been trying my best to stay safe and healthy so that I can spend as much time with my friends this last semester as possible whether it be by enjoying long walks through Lullwater or cooking dinners and watching movies with roommates.
** Food you hate that everybody else seems to enjoy?
Certain shellfish - I'm an adventurous eater so I attempt to eat clams, muscles, oysters all the time, but never seem to enjoy it. Maybe one day.
** What would you say are your top three movies or television shows of all time?
I always enjoy The Proposal, Friends, and am currently watching and loving The Big Bang Theory.
** What is your favorite thing to do around Atlanta?
Being outside and taking in the greenery. I love the city, love trying new restaurants, etc. but going on hikes, walking across campus in the fall, and watching the leaves change was one of the most beautiful parts about living in a completely new place for me.
** What is your favorite Atlanta restaurant?
I always recommend a couple pies from Anitco Pizza. I also love myself a boba (or two) from Tea Top in Doraville.
** What has been your most memorable moment during competition during your Eagles career?
I will never forget our NCAA championship final match my freshman year. My teammates on the courts beside me, the people cheering, the adrenaline pumping, the emotions fluctuating with every point won and lost. Most importantly, I will never forget how proud I was to be an Emory Eagle at that moment. Even though we lost that match as a team, we all knew how proud we were of each other for the way we trained to get to that point, the way we competed at every moment of those few days and walked off those courts with our heads held high.
** Favorite non-athletic moment from your past few years at Emory?
Going on late night dinner/boba runs with friends and hanging out on the Clairmont campus, playing board games, and talking about life 'till the break of dawn!
** Favorite team activity or tradition?
Spray painting our shoes together before our UAA and NCAA tournaments. It's the best time of the year, when all of our hard work has been put in and everyone is pumped to just get out onto the courts compete our hearts out.
** What would be one thing you'd like to impart to the underclassmen before finishing your career?
My advice would be to, what my teammates call a, "Full Send!" Just go after it! Go out and work towards achieving your goals with no fear. It might feel like everything is very high stakes at this stage in your life, but you deserve every opportunity you have created for yourself by being student here at Emory. Don't doubt your ability to achieve great things because Emory is really a safe space to go out and try new things to see what passions you have and to see what things most excite you. Time really does fly and to take advantage of your few short years as an athlete at Emory you just have to trust yourself, trust your teammates, trust your coaches and go for it, no fear.