WASHINGTON – Georgetown University female student-athletes were part of an innovative initiative on Monday evening as they attended ESPNW's Campus Conversations held in McDonough Arena.
 
"We hope this panel helped our student-athletes in your transition from college to the professional world," said Senior Associate Athletics Director for Business and Finance/Senior Woman Administrator Sharon Brummell.  "I have to say thank you to our panelists for sharing your experiences, both past and present for our future.  Thank you to ESPN daring to come and put together a program of this magnitude for our female student-athletes." 
 
The program was developed for major athletic departments with a proven commitment to women athletes.  It was designed to prepare student-athletes for success after graduation through panel discussions and breakout sessions with accomplished university alumnae and ESPN Talent.  Georgetown is the first school in the BIG EAST Conference to host the event.
 
The panel was moderated by ESPN's Michele Steele who said, "This is all about making the transition from playing a sport full time to living a life full time and we all need advice.  You know what?  It's going to be okay."
 
Each of the panelists brought a different perspective and different advice for the 100 female student-athletes in attendance.
 
Raina Kelley
Managing Editor of ESPN's The Undefeated
"It's all going to be fine. I'm not in the slightest bit joking, you are all going to be fabulous and it's all going to be fine.  You're all going to kick butt and you're going to do exactly what you want to do, maybe not exactly when you want to do it, and maybe not exactly how you want to do it, but you're going to get it done."
 
Ashley Darcy-Mahoney, PhD, NNP, FAAN
2006, Women's Soccer
George Washington University Director of Infant Research, Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute
"What you do here and what you do when you leave here matters.  It matters that you are all here being men and women for others, and the work that you do whether it's business or health or science or journalism.  What you do and how you do it matters and how you carry yourself matters."
 
Noelle Verity Koetje
1991, Women's Lacrosse
Managing Director, Alternatives
State Street Bank
"I work on Wall Street which is sort of like playing the longest, toughest, 28-year game you've ever played.  I swim with the sharks every day and a lot of what I use I learned here being a student-athlete and knowing how to prioritize, dig deep, be disciplined, give an assist are really instrumental in my career." 
 
Faith Woodard
2017, Women's Basketball
Reporter
WBOC-TV 16
"Take advantage of the Career Center…I think I did a pretty good job of that while I was in school, but working hard while you're in school, taking advantage of the resources that are available to you.  The business school, the Career Center Hoya Gateway, those resources are probably not going to be available to you once you leave.  Some of the resources available to you right now put you in a good position to reach out to people."