In honor of our SJU men’s basketball team A10 championship win, our newest campus celebrity is our one and only Hawk: Ian Klinger. This senior has been wearing the Hawk suit for two seasons now and has made us all proud by flapping without stopping. Meet our school mascot:
The not so basics…
Hometown: Millersburg, PA
Year: Senior
Major: Accounting and Finance
Campus involvement: The Hawk, Men’s Basketball Manager, Student Alumni Association, Hawk Hosts.
Favorite thing about SJU: Favorite thing about SJU is the people on campus. I love the SJU community; it truly is what makes this school special.
Plans after graduation: After graduation I will be working full time at PwC.
Now the juicy stuff…
Can you tell us a little about your the experience as the Hawk during the big A10 win?
The experience was surreal. I think we all knew that a championship was obtainable this year due to the work the men put in and their hunger to leave their own mark on this school. To be in that moment with them, who I consider to be almost a second family, was just amazing. The joy, the excitement: it was just simply incredible. I still will sometimes say “Wow! That really happened, those guys did it”. I was truly honored and privileged to have been along for the ride and to taste the success.
What is your favorite part about being the Hawk?
Favorite part about being the Hawk is definitely the scholarship. Also I was able to travel not only around the country watching awesome basketball games, but I also had the opportunity to accompany the team on the European tour this summer to Italy, where we spent 12 days playing basketball and taking in the sites of Italy. I enjoyed the networking with alumni that came with the job and who could forget the free SJU swag!
Can you tell us one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had as the Hawk?
Most memorable experiences was definitely winning the championship and then playing in the NCAA tournament. Its just something you dream of being a part and the team was able to realize that dream.
Ian Klinger (on the left) with some of his friends.
What are you going to miss the most about SJU when you graduate?
I’ve been asked this question a few times and I’m not sure yet. I already miss seeing the team every day. It’s the brutal thing about college sports, your season ends so abruptly that you don’t really have any time to prepare. Next year once basketball starts up I think it will be really weird not being involved with the program anymore. I think I will miss everything in general too. Like I said earlier, I love the SJU community, so being removed from it will take some adjusting too.
If there was one thing you could go back in time and change, what would it be?
This is going to sound so boring but it’s the only thing I can think of but I would of taken summer and inter-session classes as a freshman and sophomore. For the past three semesters I’ve had to overload on credits in order to meet a requirement for accounting majors looking to sit for their CPA. It really is a downer that as a second semester senior I’m taking 7 classes. I do, however manage to find time to have a good time.
And remember, The Hawk Will Never Die.
HCXO,
Nicole