Linfield students find success in athletics, career
May 10, 2017
Growing up Jake Mihelich didn’t think that he would become a three time all-American, win two national titles, and graduate as one of Linfield’s top athletes in history. He in fact didn’t think that he would play college sports at all. Instead, Jake was actually passionate about soccer, and all throughout high school it was the only sport that he wanted to do. Though, during his freshman year at Linfield, he decided to try out track and found out that he was pretty good at it, as he ended up winning the Northwest Conference Track and Field Championships for the 400-meters and 4×400-meter relay. During his sophomore year he found even more success as he won the Division III National Championship for the outdoor 400-meter run. He once again won the Division III National Championship during his junior year but for the indoor 400-meter run. While he didn’t get a three peat this year, he did win many events including the NWC championship for both the 400 and 200-meter run. It is clear that Jake has had many accomplishments over the years, and is on track for being a contender in the Olympics. This video is episode 1 of the Linfield Profile Series, and Jake talks about what has made him so successful at track, and also what his ambitions are after he graduates.
This profile is probably one of the most inspirational ones of the series. Jake Handran is recognized for not only being an all-star defensive tackle on the football team, but also one of the nicest guys on campus. Even if he doesn’t know you, he will come up and either give a high five, a hug, or ask how you are doing. His smile shines bright wherever he goes, which is hard to imagine that he wasn’t always like this. In his early years of high school Jake was a victim of bullying from his football teammates and some students in his classes. It was so bad at one point where he thought about quitting football for good. It wasn’t until his dad told him to not give up on himself and to persevere through it that kept him going. Jake changed his behavior to a more happier and positive attitude. During his junior year he found a student who was going through the same type of bullying that he had gone through and was even possibly suicidal. Instead of doing nothing, Jake took control of the situation and made sure that he became friends with this person. Jake saved this student’s life, which is why he always keeps a positive attitude today.
This profile is about Alexis Michael, a senior mass communication major who has made great strides in the field of cosmetics and social media. Alexis started working for the cosmetic company Younique in 2014, and ever since then has been one of its leading salesperson. She has now reached $30,000 in personal retail sales and has a team of more than 150 women from across the globe. As her friends say, she is meant for this career path. Everyday after softball practice she heads to her apartment, takes a shower, eats some food, does homework, and then gets straight into making Facebook live videos. These videos are then watched by thousands of her followers on YouTube, Instagram, and on Facebook. She has made a name for herself, and is a good role model for anyone who wants to go into marketing, cosmetics, or establishing themselves in social media.
