Katie Strotman’s service learning trip to Mexico inspired her to help expand volunteer opportunities for other student-athletes.
Whether on the playing field or a mountainside in Mexico, Katie Strotman knows teamwork is the key to success.
A thrower on the track and field team, Strotman was part of a Cyclones Serve community service group that traveled to La Angostura, Mexico, in August to build a multi-purpose athletic court.
Ambitious Athletes
Cyclone student-athletes’ talent for energizing and inspiring others was on full display in La Angostura. They worked with residents of the town to construct the court, and helped motivate many of them to try out new skills as part of the building process.
“The gender roles there are pretty traditional, but something a lot of the female athletes took away was showing the local women and girls that we can do hard physical work,” Strotman says. “By the end of the trip the women and girls in the community were helping us with the construction of the court and were proud of their work.”
Service Mindset
Strotman is a member of the ISU Athletics Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which works with the athletics department administration and staff to enhance the student-athlete experience.
Her service work in La Angostura has sparked ideas for the committee. Strotman wants to create more community service projects for student-athletes because “it’s such a privilege. I learned a lot about myself and how I use my time and interact with people. Most importantly, it made me think more about how I can give back, how I can get involved.”
