Ciao UNE, and hello Naples!
The University of New England fosters amazing opportunities for students and staff members who share dual careers with athletics. Our friends at SportUNE are proud to announce that they are participating at the prestigious World UniGames in Naples, Italy this July… like right now!
Current student Alexandria Teixeira will be competing as part of the UniRoos team for gymnastics, medical alumnus Jack Hodges will be joining the medical team and staff member David Schmude as President of UniSports Australia, have all traveled to Naples Italy for the large cultural and sporting event.
The World UniGames Summer Universiade is a major international university sporting competition and is the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympics. This year the biannual games are hosted by Naples Italy from the 3rd – 14th July and are an opportunity for student-athletes who aspire to compete in Tokyo 2020.
At UNE Life we are passionate about fostering dual careers for students who excel in sports and athletics.
A bit about our people…
Jack Hodges graduated from UNE in 2016 with a Bachelor of Medicine and has recently been selected to join the medical team at the UniGames. As part of the medical team, Jack’s priority will be tending to the concerns of the athletes in the village and will be part of the emergency unit alongside events. Jack is currently working as a doctor in the emergency department at Armidale Hospital and is looking forward to working with doctors from all around the world.
“I hope to learn some pre-hospital medicine from the other experienced doctors and to see the approach to acute medical care in a setting outside Australia”.
Alexandria Teixeira is a current student with UNE and is studying a Bachelor of Science online. She is one of five athletes in the Premiere Gymnastics Academy team selected for the Rhythmic Gymnastics division for Naples. Currently living in Brisbane, Alexia will leave the Australian coastline for the busy city life of Naples to compete at Palavesuvio Hall on the 11th – 13th of July. Alexia is ecstatic to be competing in the games as a member of one of the first Australian groups attending the games.
“being able to say I am representing the UniRoos and competing at World Universiade is an amazing achievement that not many people can say they have done”
Alexia and her team have Tokyo 2020 in their vision and represent the aspiring nature of student-athletes who juggle both demands of university and sporting competitions.
Our very own CEO David Schmude, is also the current President for UniSport, an organisation that supports university sport and is the representative for Australia at the Summer Universiade.
There are many challenges an elite student-athlete faces when balancing study and sport. UNE works to support each of their students in their endeavors on and off the sporting field, the implementation of the UNE Sports Academy is an example of this. The Academy is a recent program that provides guidance to representative sports students while they complete their degree. The World UniGames sheds light on the sorts of goals a student in the Academy can aspire towards and is an example the opportunities a UNE student can accomplish.
The UNE wishes Jack, Dave, and Alexia all the best in their involvement in the sporting event! #ActivateYourUNELife
Read more in the Northern Daily Leader:
2019 Summer Universiade: Alexandria Teixeira does UNE and Uniroos proud
