Leadership through service and sports

For Cassidy Strittmatter, a senior Marketing major and co-captain of JMU’s Field Hockey team, leadership isn’t just about winning games. It's about making a difference in the lives of others, both on the field and in the community. Whether she’s leading her teammates in practice or organizing volunteer events for fellow student-athletes, Strittmatter believes in the power of lifting up others.

“I get very excited and inspired by being able to uplift someone or just improve their day,” she says. While balancing the demands of sports and academics is challenging, Strittmatter thrives on going the extra mile to give back. 

Her passion for philanthropy is evident in the way she approaches leadership as it applies to athletics, academics and community involvement. For Strittmatter, it’s about more than just service - it’s about inspiring others to share resources with those in need. 

“Student-athletes have an abundance of resources available to them, and I think it's really important that we are intentional about sharing those resources with people in our community,” says Strittmatter. She explains that every week, an executive board reaches out to local charities and offers about ten different volunteer activities in which student-athletes may become involved. They then have the opportunity to sign up for the ones that fit their schedules. “We're only as strong as the people around us,” she says.

Past beneficiaries of these collaborations include Harrisonburg Public Schools and the Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. The field hockey team also participates in “High 5 Fridays” at schools with special education programs, and most recently, the team conducted a school-supplies drive that targeted the items most needed.

While Strittmatter has a passion for giving back and being involved in the community, she’s also committed to being a leader on and off the field. As an active member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society and JMU’s Honors College, Strittmatter embodies the same drive for excellence in her academic endeavors she demonstrates on the field and through her philanthropy efforts. Additionally, she’s been a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee since her sophomore year and is serving as co-president this year. 

In this capacity, Strittmatter is focused on engaging other student-athletes with the surrounding community. “We're currently working on an initiative with civic engagement, which is super exciting. We'd like to get as much of the student-athlete population as possible registered to vote, and we're hoping to organize a walk to the polls on election day,” explains Strittmatter.

She also remains focused on her future career. Consistent with her concentration in digital marketing, Strittmatter says, “...my dream would be to work in media. I would love to be able to support promotional efforts for programs that I'm really passionate about.” Focusing on topics such as search-marketing analytics and social media marketing, the digital marketing concentration aligns perfectly with Strittmatter’s career goals.

For Strittmatter, leaving behind a legacy of selflessness is what’s most important to her. Whether in the classroom, with athletics or in the community, she believes that the most rewarding path one can take in life is one in which we are all lifting each other up and supporting those around us. “I think that being able to encourage and push people to become their best selves ultimately pushes you to become better as well,” she says.