Katie Kenyon-Appelt: From Water Polo to Campus Leadership

Katie Kenyon-Appelt shares how sports—especially waterpolo—shaped her life and led her from Washington’s dual-enrollment “RunningStart” program to ASU at 17. She entered college aiming for nursing, switchedto community sports management, found community through club sports, and gainedleadership experience on the Sport Club executive board. During COVID, acanceled Seattle Mariners internship pushed her to cold-email athleticdirectors until she landed an unpaid internship at Arcadia High School,learning athletic operations and administration. She earned a master’s inphysical education and student taught, but left K–12 due to the politics andconstant advocacy. Mentored through campus recreation and sport clubs, shemoved into Student Affairs as a coordinator for Student Connection and Communityat ASU. Her key advice: say yes to opportunities, be a self-starter, and acceptthat career paths change.