Posted on Monday, February 3, 2025
Shelby Rambo ’26
Environmental Science Major
East Palestine, Ohio
Westminster College junior Shelby Rambo, an environmental science major from East Palestine, Ohio, perfectly balances two sports while staying heavily involved in campus life.
In the fall, the student-athlete is a middle hitter on the volleyball court, while in the spring she’s a thrower and occasional hurdler on the track and field team. Rambo has earned several accolades in both sports, receiving All Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Second Team and Academic All-district honors. She also helped the track and field team claim the PAC’s Indoor and Outdoor titles, as well as securing another Academic-All district honor.
“Being able to be a part of two teams here really opened my communication skills and allowed me to find more friends and channels that have potential to help me after college,” said Rambo. “Sports have allowed me to become who I am today and have allowed me to be more open to new experiences and opportunities.”
Rambo originally found Westminster College through Tammy Swearingen, head volleyball coach She enjoyed the tight-knit campus community and was interested in the environmental science program.
On Westminster’s campus, there are many opportunities for students to form close connections with professors. Rambo has found such connections with Dr. Patrick Krantz, associate professor of environmental science and director of the Outdoor Laboratory, and Dr. Heather Boylan, professor of environmental science.
The classes that have impacted Rambo the most include the Buzzfeed cluster that she took as a first-year student because of the hands-on learning that they participated in at the Field Station. The class connected the type of birds they learned about at the apiary to a digital media presence through their creation of TikTok videos.
While Rambo does not have a set career path yet, she is interested in the environmental field with a focus on either conversation or agriculture. Agriculturally, she would like to work alongside farmers as they find the best areas to plant crops, paying attention to endangered areas and places unable to harvest crops.In conservation, she is interested in wildlife or forestry conservation.
Playing two sports, Rambo stays extremely busy, sometimes going from one sport straight to another, while still having homework to complete in the evening. Though it can be difficult, she stresses that the coaches are extremely understanding and supportive student-athletes’ academic workload.
Rambo advises student-athletes who are worried about balancing academics and athletics to focus on time management and finding a schedule that works for them. She encourages student-athletes to stick with their sports, as it has allowed her to branch out to more people and establish a community on campus.
Rambo has found a home here at Westminster College and is thankful for her experience playing Division III sports.
“Being a Division III athlete has allowed me to continue what I love athletically and build on my overall character as a person, given me skills that I can use in my future and allowed me to have a community of friends here on campus,” she said.
~ Ava Karpa ’27, student writer