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Spring 2021 College Valedictorian

Anna Brandt

College of Education and Human Services Bachelor of Science in Education in Exercise Science

Anna Brandt will miss everyone – her friends, teammates, professors, coaches, the athletics staff. It will be extremely weird to not see them every day as she has for the last four years. But she won’t forget the journey, making those connections, volunteering in the Human Performance Lab that caused her to swap pre-physical therapy for exercise science, being enthralled with the research and exercise testing. She heads to Muncie, Indiana next, to pursue a master’s in exercise physiology at Ball State University. Before we say goodbye and send this valedictorian off, we asked her a few questions. Here’s what Anna had to say.

CSU: Can you tell us about the moment you decided to move forward with Cleveland State University – your “yes, this is the college for me” moment? AB: When I came to CSU on a recruiting visit for the Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field teams, I fell in love with not only the campus and athletics but also the Human Performance Laboratory (HPL). I was amazed at the capabilities, research, and members of the HPL, making the HPL the deciding factor for me to attend CSU.

CSU: What is your favorite CSU memory? AB: During my sophomore year, I broke 5 minutes in the mile at Penn State. This was a goal I had pursued and almost accomplished during that indoor season, so when I finally broke it, I was ecstatic.

CSU: Not all classes are created equal and along the way, we end up with a class that is definitely a “challenge.” How did you rise to that challenge and make it through? AB: Organic Chemistry II was definitely a challenge for me this past semester – especially taking it online. I was constantly reviewing material, trying to stay on top of the ever-growing list of reactions.

CSU: What was the best class you’ve taken at CSU – or maybe the class you enjoyed the most - and why? AB: My favorite class at CSU was Gross Anatomy. I dedicated a large amount of time every day to this class, but the amount of information I learned – and especially my time in the cadaver lab – were totally worth it.

CSU: What advice would you give to the next class, or even a freshman entering your major? AB: Take every opportunity you can to increase your experience and network. You never know what can come of something unless you try it.