When Bend, Oregon native Anna Rodgers moved to Spokane, Washington, she decided to try out track with a friend. The long jump quickly became her passion.
“Long jump kind of fell in my lap … fits me and my personality. I think throwing myself into sand just kind of feels right,” Rodgers said.
Getting young girls involved in the STEM field at a young age can build their confidence in a field where they are the minority, which is another reason why Rodgers is so passionate about neurosciences and psychology.
Rodgers believes in showing elementary school kids that they have the potential to work in the
STEM field even if they have not seen people who look like them do the same. Once Rodgers wraps her bachelor’s degree this year, she will keep her focus on academia, pursuing her masters in neuroscience. Rodgers draws her inspiration from her sister, who was diagnosed with a mutation of the RET gene, responsible for providing instructions for producing a protein involved in signaling within cells. Her sister was the primary reason for Rodgers’s constant desire to ask the ‘why’ and expand her understanding. The drive to understand how the world around her works will serve her well as she works her way through graduate school and athletics.Being one of the top long jumpers in the Pac-12 requires commitment and focus to one’s sport, but as Rodgers has learned, it is important to have interests outside of her sport. Staying grounded has been crucial to Rodger’s success, which is why she is heavily involved with student organizations such as Black Student-Athlete Association.
“I fell into something beautiful,” Rodgers said.
As president of the BSAA, she is incredibly proud of the work that she is doing with the WSU Black Student Union to create a safe community for students and allies in Pullman. The…
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