ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON spotted.iupui.edu
Straight out of high school, Quinn McCallion had to make one of the biggest decisions of his life. He could stay at home in Oxford, England and continue on with university, or he could achieve the lifestyle he had been dreaming of and move to the U.S.
As a highly skilled goalkeeper in soccer, who served as a longtime member of Reading FC Academy, he knew his education and athletics would benefit if he made the decision to move 4,000 miles away from home. So, he dove into his final assignment of researching possibilities for his new future.
While there are so many colleges and universities in the U.S. to choose from, IUPUI checked all of the boxes for McCallion. Being from the countryside of England, IUPUI gave him the urban feel he was yearning for, and the campus offers a Division I soccer program and prestigious degree programs. He also found that colleges in the U.S. have a different learning approach than universities in England, and IUPUI would offer him more life experiences and connections to take with him after graduation.
"There is a more rounded approach to college over here, rather than in England where it is straight out of a book," McCallion said. "Learn it again and again until you can't forget it, and take a test at the end and see how you do. Whereas in the U.S., the material is more useful and skillful."
As an athlete, McCallion has always been interested in the human body and its capabilities. Majoring in exercise science was a no-brainer.
While all of McCallion's hopes and dreams seemed to be lining up nicely, he also had to prepare for life as an international student. He spent the last two years of his high school career at a boarding school, so being away from his family was nothing new.
Coupling that independence with life in a new country came as a huge shock. As the youngest of four children, McCallion was the first sibling in his family to go to college in the U.S.
"I had to take care of anything and everything alone," he said. "Including forms, applications, taxes, visas and all those things that I wouldn't even think about if I were staying home. Getting my head around those kinds of things was definitely challenging, but I knew I wanted to be in a new environment and find my way around."
Once he arrived in Indianapolis, getting comfortable and settling in had its ups and downs. With the help of the men's soccer team and the IUPUI athletic department, making new friends became second nature.
"Meeting the guys on the team, seeing how welcoming they were since I'm not from this country and how willing they were to help me out to get settled made me feel a lot better about the situation," McCallion said. "I see the rest of the soccer team as brothers now."
McCallion fell in love with the culture and entertainment that comes with living in the U.S. and found a second home in the Circle City. He now gets to experience things that England doesn't have -- like March Madness, the Super Bowl and Thanksgiving. He even fell into the goal-driven mentality that Americans embrace.
"It is almost like a more exciting culture," he said. "I definitely enjoy how (enthusiastic) people are here. I enjoy how people are really into the grind, and they embrace fitness or school. I love that mentality to get it done -- no matter what it takes."
Coming to the U.S. only morphed McCallion into a better person, something he wouldn’t have experienced in England.
"The U.S. and IUPUI has definitely met my expectations of what I thought I would get out of the experience," McCallion said. "I feel like anyone that can come over should. I have grown massively as a person and developed unbelievable personal skills that I don’t think I would have if I stayed in England."
His time at IUPUI has affected him in nothing but positive ways. So much so that he sees himself possibly living in Indianapolis for the years to come. After he graduates in May, McCallion hopes to continue on with school to pursue a master's degree in kinesiology and possibly continue on professionally with soccer.
"I am very aware that (going pro) is not easy, but I am definitely more than willing to stick it out, go through the highs and lows of it and see what I can do," he said. "While playing is important to me, I like having my academics as a back bone."
If McCallion had to give advice to any new international students coming to IUPUI, he would emphasize to take everything in one day at a time. It can be overwhelming for someone coming to the U.S. for the first time, but if you pace yourself, you will set yourself up for success.
"I would definitely say embrace everything, enjoy everything and make sure to get involved as much as possible," he said. "I found a home within the soccer team, and I think it is really important for international students to find their place on campus and people that they feel share common interests."
Comments