Written by Dave Dulberg, USC blog contributorAs commencement approaches for track and field athlete Zara Lukens, one thing is clear about her time at USC: she was a scholar first and an athlete second.
Lukens, who was one of two Trojan athletes to be awarded $10,000 for the Renaissance Scholar award last month for her pursuit of two majors in vastly different fields of study, hopes that if she is remembered for anything at USC it's for the dedication and passion she put in to any task- whether it be on the playing field or in the classroom.
"I definitely was never the fastest girl in track, but I really gave it my all and dedicated myself to it," Lukens said. "That's the same approach I took in the classroom. I was really passionate about both things, so I really wanted to commit myself to them."
While balancing the course load that comes with being an International Relations and Neuroscience major, Lukens moved up the ranks on the cross country team- going from a freshman walk-on to team captain her senior season.
"I think it's important for athletes to have the conception that you can succeed at playing a sport and having a meaningful academic career," said Lukens. "Every athlete at USC is an extremely hard worker. People may see the talent, but not necessarily the dedication."
Along with her role as the cross country team captain, Lukens competed in the 10000m event for the track and field team. In one of her final races as a Trojan on April 14th, the senior ran a personal best time of 37:11:02 at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, CA. Her time ranks sixth all-time amongst USC females in the event.
"If you really want to play a sport, play a sport," said Lukens on her advice for incoming freshmen. "If you're doing what you love, you will do it well."
Graduating with a GPA slightly above a 3.9, Lukens says her greatest achievement in the classroom came during this past semester when her 70-page senior thesis on water policy in Uruguay and Argentina got published in both a book and a journal.
While the sky really is the limit for Lukens, the senior hopes to go to law school in the near future and ultimately practice human rights law.
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