FIU Senior, Jessica Chadwick, from the three time Conference Championship Swimming and Diving Team, has been given the honor of becoming a Worlds Ahead Graduate during the Summer 2017 commencement ceremony.
Originally, from Manchester, England, Jessica came to FIU in Spring of 2013 and began her swimming career. Chadwick choose FIU for its well-known swim team, and renowned coaches; however, little did she know, her collegiate swimming career would have many twists and turns.
During her second semester, Jessica had a systematic reaction to a jellyfish sting that she endured during a team open-water swim practice, which caused continuous allergic reactions throughout the year. When she was medically cleared to fully participate again, the chlorine from the pool reactivated her systematic reaction and caused her to sit out of the pool longer. Later that season, while traveling with the team on an airplane from a competition, Chadwick ruptured her eardrum, which prevented her from competition. As her eardrum was nearly healed, unfortunately it ruptured again, causing her to miss the remainder of the season.
In Jessica’s junior year, things were looking positive until she sustained two injuries to her right hand. The first injury was a fracture, where she had a waterproof cast on for 6 weeks; however, she still participated with the cast on. The second injury was a vascular problem with her hand, which caused continuous swelling issues and made Chadwick have 14 nerve blocks throughout the semester causing her to yet again to sit out of the pool.
This past year, in her senior year, just as her injuries were healing and it looked promising to get back in the water for an entire season, Chadwick sustained an ankle injury. This caused severe swelling and she was on crutches with a boot the entire year. Chadwick decided to have surgery to remove the scar tissue that had accumulated; however, during surgery, she had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia, which triggered malignant hyperthermia, and left Jessica in the ICU for a week. Jessica remained in her classes and finished the semester with a 3.75 term GPA.
Weak and depleted, Jessica went to a rehab facility for four weeks to regain her strength and enrolled in summer courses. Unfortunately, during one of her rehab sessions, Chadwick partially ruptured her Achilles tendon leaving her on crutches again. Needless to say, luck has not been on her side for her collegiate swimming career; however, that did not bring Chadwick’s spirits down. Jessica will be graduating this summer with a degree in Physical Education. Jessica’s family will be sitting front and center as she walks across stage with no assistance during graduation and accepts this prestigious award.
Jessica’s fight and determination is truly an inspiration to all students and student athletes. She has always had a positive attitude and found the strength to keep fighting, regardless of the adversity she encountered. Jessica plans to attend University of Nottingham in Nottingham, United Kingdom, pursuing Physical Therapy, to fulfill her dreams of becoming a Physical Therapist.
Please help us congratulate FIU’s Worlds Ahead Graduate, Jessica Chadwick!
Watch her interview on our YoutTube Channel at http://bit.ly/2vbYr9S
About the SAAC
The Student Athlete Academic Center (SAAC) is the home for all student-athlete academic needs. Student-athletes’ classes, travel, practice and competitions can be a lot to manage, and the SAAC is here to assist student-athletes balance everything as well as transition in and out of college. In order to be able to excel at their sport, all student-athletes are expected to meet NCAA, Conference USA, and Florida International University eligibility requirements.
For more information about SAAC’s Leadership Team, please visit http://saac.fiu.edu/staff/
Press Release courtesy of FIU Athletics.
