This is the first installment of Getting to Know…a monthly series from The Eagle Edge highlighting Emory student-athlete leaders. First up is Isabel Cohen, who currently serves on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Executive Board.
Tell us a little bit about yourself…where are you from? What sport & position do you play?
I'm a senior pitcher on the softball team from Weston, Florida.
How do you balance your academic & athletic responsibilities? Any tips or suggestions for other student-athletes?
I am very type-A so I utilize a calendar and lots of to-do lists to make sure I can complete all my schoolwork, stay locked in at softball, and make time to spend with friends. The best advice I can give is do your best to stay mentally present on whatever the task at hand is (so no worrying about school while you're at practice and no thinking about practice while you're doing schoolwork).
Speaking of academics, you are currently enrolled in the BBA/MSBA program. How did you find out about this program?
I knew about the MSBA program when I committed to Emory. The coach who recruited me knew I wanted to pursue a career in data analytics and mentioned that there were alumni of the team that had completed their MSBA in their last season of competition. The opportunity to complete two degrees in 4 years and play softball was super exciting to me and ultimately a huge factor in my decision to come to Emory.
Where did you intern over the summer? What was your role?
This past summer, I interned at Maven Baseball Lab in Marietta, GA as a data science intern. My role was focused on building models to predict in-game performance for players to help tailor training programs and build their credibility in recruiting. My role allowed me to practice my technical skills in statistics and coding, as well as my business skills in pitching to coaches and communicating how those models work. I absolutely loved my experience there – it was the perfect opportunity to expose me to data analytics in sports surrounded by experts in baseball.
What, if any, resources did you use in your internship search?
I did a lot of networking in my internship search. Beyond just having people know my name, networking helped me understand what companies would be a good culture fit for me and what roles would allow me to build on my academic experience through learning on the job. I cast a super wide net, applying to jobs in sports, marketing, and consulting and my internship search was challenging, but I ended up in a role that was better than anything I could have imagined.
Do you have any takeaways/lessons learned from your internship experience(s)?
The most significant lesson I learned in my internship experience is how important it is to learn on the job and communicate clearly. My managers asked me to build predictive models that could hit certain accuracy and produce specific outputs, but they gave me a lot of freedom to be creative in how I approached model construction. I spent a lot of time researching algorithms that best suited our needs and ended up building models I didn't have much experience working with before. I also realized how crucial it is to be able to explain how those models work, what the outputs mean, and how I built them – especially when talking to teammates or clients without a technical background.
Have you used any of those lessons with your team or SAAC?
Absolutely. Being able to learn quickly and adapt on the fly is something applicable in every arena of life. Communication is just as important – whether it's making sure everyone is on the same page, making sure people feel heard and understood, or clearly explaining ideas to be implemented. These skills have made me a better teammate and a better leader.
This is your 3rd year serving on SAAC – What made you want to get involved? What would you say is the biggest accomplishment during your tenure? Any goals for this year?
The upperclassmen reps brought me to a few meetings when I was a freshman, and I really connected with the idea that this organization exists to make the student-athlete experience better, and that I could leave a lasting impact on what being a student-athlete at Emory looks like. The biggest accomplishment during my tenure is the progress we have made in bettering the academic experience for our student-athletes. My goal for this year is to make as much of an impact as we can on the Emory and local Atlanta community by increasing the frequency of and participation in community engagement and service opportunities.
How can student-athletes get more involved with SAAC?
Attend meetings with your upperclassmen reps! All meetings are open to all student-athletes, and we would love to empower you and your voice as you advocate for other student-athletes.
Have you finalized your post-graduation plans yet?
Not yet.
What's ONE piece of advice you have for first-year student-athletes at Emory?
The best piece of advice I've received as a student-athlete is to make time for things that are important to me. Being a student-athlete is all about balance, but you shouldn't sacrifice being involved in things you are passionate about just because it isn't convenient. Learn to love being busy and prioritize things that will help you grow!
