Alum Highlight Series: Coursey Edwards '17

This month's alum highlight is Coursey Edwards '17! Coursey was a midfielder for the Gusties and is currently a nurse on the Birthing floor at Methodist Hospital in Minneapolis. We are pleased to introduce you to Coursey:

Why did you decide to attend Gustavus?
I decided to go to Gustavus because I felt it gave me what I was looking for academically and athletically and I valued what LBK had to offer with the soccer program. I also felt I would benefit from the small class sizes and the opportunities the college had to offer, again both academically AND athletically. But ultimately what made me choose Gustavus was how much I felt at home on the campus and with the team.


What was your top Gustavus Soccer Highlight?
Definitely going to the National Tournament in 2015. Duh!

What advice would you give to a first year student at Gustavus?
My advice would be to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Once you graduate you will be put in situations you are not used to or may not feel as comfortable in. The more you practice that, the better off you will be once you graduate. Try an extracurricular activity for fun or because it is something totally different. Go to an event you wouldn’t normally go to or grab a friend and join something new. Experience all you can while it is at your fingertips. It will benefit you in the long run. Snowballing off that advice. Find those you trust and get along with and embrace, enjoy, and live in the moment with those people. Your Gustavus experience is your experience and it will be what you make of it!

What advice would you give to a senior in high school deciding between schools to attend?
Think about the feeling you got when you stepped onto campus. Think about the interactions you had with the staff there, the students walking around campus, and everyone you may have met on your tour. Your college experience will be heavily impacted by the people and relationships you make at whatever school you decide. I truly believe the people are what make it the right choice and the right place for you. (Obviously Gustavus because of the outstanding faculty and students, but I digress)

What did you major in at Gustavus?
I majored in Nursing.

What extracurriculars were you involved in at Gustavus?
I was involved in the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and also was a Class Representative for my nursing class.

What field are you in now? How did you end up there? How did Gustavus prepare you to go into this field?
I now work as a Registered Nurse in the Family Birth Center at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital. Prior to graduation I was fortunate enough to receive a contingent offer to join the team at the Family Birth Center & have been there since graduating in 2017.The Gustavus Nursing program prepares all students extremely well regardless if they choose to pursue bedside nursing or not. Throughout my time at Gustavus I was able to immerse myself into the hospital setting through clinical work at various hospitals, one of which included Methodist Hospital. I feel that opportunity prepared me for where I am today.

Did you study abroad while at Gustavus? If so, where, and what was your experience like?
During my sophomore J-Term I traveled to Europe. I went on the Olympic Quest trip to England, Ireland, France, and Germany. My experience abroad was brief, but still taught me about how different cultures live.


Is there anything else that you’d like to share about your Gustavus experience?
I think another great thing about Gustavus is the fact that River Rock is right down the road. I would argue that River Rock has the best quiches around & their homemade caramel latte is to die for. But I would also like to add that I had the best experience at Gustavus. I was able to graduate with my degree, play a sport I love, gain lifelong friendships, and create memories and experiences that will last forever. If you reference my answer to [the advice question] I think that will help you do the same with your college experience.

Gustavus Honors Day

Every year, Gustavus host's Honors Weekend on campus, where they recognize the academic achievement of our students! This year, while we couldn't be together to celebrate, we wanted to express how incredibly proud we are of both Maggie Leininger and Abby Mullenbach! 

Magnuson Award - Established in 1991 in recognition of the Honorable Paul Magnuson ’59, chief judge of the U.S. Federal District Court in St. Paul and former trustee of the College, to recognize the significant contributions that individual students and student groups make to campus life. Each year, outstanding students and student organizations are nominated by fellow students, faculty, administrators, or staff for recognition and a selection committee assembled by the dean of students reviews nominations and determines honorees in three categories: individual student leaders, campus organizations, and student-initiated events.

Guild of St. Ansgar - Is named for the first Christian missionary to the Scandinavians (and in honor of St. Ansgar’s Academy, the name by which the College was known in the first decade following its founding), is an honorary society for seniors at the College. It was established in the spring of 1952 in response to a desire to recognize the overall achievements—scholarship, leadership, and participation in extracurricular activities— of graduating seniors.



President's Honor List - The President’s Honor List comprises those students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.7 or better (on a 4.0 scale) through January of the academic year.

The Foundation of Gustie Soccer

Overall Philosophy
"Be the best we can be in all areas of your life!" This is our goal, and we aim to accomplish this by getting 1% better everyday. As coaches, our biggest role in development is building trust and belief with each player in order to push you outside of your comfort zone, and into your growth zone. With this, we are here to guide you through the process, failures, and successes, because together, we can accomplish amazing feats both on and off the field!


Soccer Philosophy
Our brand of soccer is the Gustie Tempo! It is a possession based style, that focuses on controlling the tempo of the game with quick combination play, looking to switch the point of attack and interchanging positions. We feel this is the best type of soccer to play, coach, and watch! We continue to build the Gustie family with people who are excited to learn, contribute their own perspectives, and enjoy each moment together!


Academics
We know how important academics can be in your college search process and we want our players to pursue their passions both on and off the field. Being a DIII student-athlete is an incredible accomplishment, and we encourage our players to make the most out of it! Want to study abroad, you'll have the opportunity here! Want to go into the medical field, teaching, business? You can follow your passions here! Unsure what you want to study, but excited to figure it out? We'll help you through that process!


Community
Community Service is a part of the Gustie Soccer player DNA. We fully embrace how we are role models as student athletes, and always look for ways to give back to our community. Our team is super competitive, as we’re sure you are too, and we look to win the annual team community service award! We are on a 5-year run, which is about 300-400 about team community service hours per year.


You! Individualized Plan
Our goal is for you to reach your max potential on and off the field during your career at Gustavus! Everyone has a slightly different path in achieving this goal, and we support each player through the process with an individualized plan. We spend extensive time getting to know each player through individual meetings, voluntary training sessions and film sessions. Through this we build our foundation of trust with each player and learn how to best motivate and continuously push each of our student-athletes to their best!