Brooklyn College junior setter Kathy Chu has been recognized by the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC), as the CUNYAC/Hospital for Special Surgery Scholar-Athlete of the Month, for the month of September.
Chu , a third year member of the BC Women’s Volleyball team, had a breakout performance during the first month of the season. In the 11 matches that she played in September, Chu racked up 196 assists (5.94 A/set), 37 digs (1.12 D/set) and 13 service aces (0.39 SA/set). She also played a crucial role in key conference wins over Medgar Evers College , John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the City College of New York (CCNY) during the month.
To go along with her stellar play on the court, the Queens, NY native has been just as impressive in the classroom, as Chu currently sports a 3.8 overall GPA as an Exercise Science and Psychology double major. She is also a member of the highly rigorous coordinated BA-MD Program and the Scholars Honors Program at Brooklyn College .
“I am honored to receive this recognition,” said Chu . “It has always been a struggle to balance athletics and academic pursuits, but what really motivates me is my passion for the sport and the drive to being the best I can be.”
Chu continued, “My coaches, my teammates, my colleagues, and my honors programs (Scholars and BA-MD) have been so supportive, and I really could not have done it without them. I believe that hard work and dedication are the keys to success and that there is no limit to learning with perseverance, persistence, and an open mind.”
Chu has also been a part of the Neuroscience Lab at BC under Dr. Deborah Walder since 2010. From January 2011 - June 2011, Chu has been involved in a joint study with the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) and the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry in a study called COPE (The Center of Prevention and Evaluation). This clinical research is aimed at helping adolescents and young adults with troubling changes in their thoughts, feelings, and relationships. The COPE study utilizes the DIGS (Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies) to obtain research data for each patient.
Chu and her research team recently presented some of their findings at the 5th Annual Conference of the Society for Research in Psychopathology in Boston, MA on September 22-25.
“Being on a team, and in dual honors programs, as well as doing neuroscience research and being the co-grant writing chair of the Global Medical Brigade chapter at Brooklyn College, while also doing volunteer work for a local youth program on the Lower East Side; it is hard sometimes to take a breath and realize how much work I put into the things that I do and how much it means to me.”