Saints Beyond the Game: Donna Gauvin '28

Track & Field may appear to be a primarily individual sport. But for Donna Gauvin ’28 and the Emmanuel College Track & Field team, the culture revolves around hard work and collective success.

“Of course, I love to hit my own personal records – but I’m rooting for everyone when I’m out there,” they said.

It was a shift from high school, Donna said, where the primary goal for athletes seemed to be personal accolades and appearances in national competitions. Emmanuel’s team culture and community really shine through in that regard, Donna added, making it a space where everyone can be competitive, have fun and celebrate each other’s wins.

For Donna, a hurdler on the team, being surrounded by that culture is what spurs all them on to succeed in every aspects of their undergraduate journey. Seeing teammates who give it their all – and like they say on the track team, “make it hurt” on the path to success – makes that shared experience even more worth the hard work.

Beyond the Game: Saints student athletes get the best of both worlds, building their future on and off the field.

It was a prior connection through Milton High School with the coach of Emmanuel’s Track & Field team, Dion Gardner-Crichlow, that encouraged Donna to give Emmanuel a shot.

Donna wanted to continue running track in college, but needed to find a place where they could balance competing with academics and extra-curriculars.

“I trusted her and knew she’d be in support of me putting my academics first,” Donna said.

From there, Donna took the chance to explore the Fenway, and felt that they’d be able to tap into so many different opportunities in the area by choosing Emmanuel: selecting the Accounting major, tapping into the Colleges of the Fenway (COF) to take classes at MassArt, and being able to commute made Emmanuel the “all too perfect” destination.

Donna is, of course, an athlete and a student – but they are also the Class of 2028 President, Treasurer for the Commuter Student Association, and an Orientation Leader. Balancing all those commitments isn’t easy, they said, and it took some time throughout their first year to make it all gel: “but if you desire something enough, you can make it happen.”

Track helps keep Donna disciplined and provides structure for how they approach each day. Showing up for a 7 a.m. practice, Donna has everything they need to be “prepared for anything,” rotating belongings in and out of their day bag for whatever comes next.

Whether it’s Coach Dion understanding if the commute delays Donna’s arrival, a friend letting Donna stay late to study, or asking faculty for an extension on an assignment, the support Donna has received at Emmanuel has been key from day one.

Nailing that balance has also helped Donna thrive in the classroom, where they are working toward an Accounting degree with a minor in Studio Art.

Primarily an artist, Donna gave Accounting a try through the Massachusetts CPA program before coming to Emmanuel, and realized that the field is much more flexible and collaborative than they originally thought. Leaning on Accounting as a backbone for their career, Donna realized it would be a great way to build a living and continue striving as an artist.

The College’s faculty were also a driver for Donna to hone in on the Accounting major.