Senior Circuit...Justina OlivaJustina Oliva almost didn’t come to Wofford. In fact, the Easley, S.C., native was picking out housing at Clemson when she had a change of heart.
“I reconsidered because of the small class sizes and the more personal setting at Wofford,” she recalls. “The potential of getting to know professors better, as well as the greater flexibility when asking for their help outside of class, swayed my decision. Also, growing up in a small town, I didn’t want to be overwhelmed by a large city around me. Spartanburg is a nice place to go whenever one needs to escape campus for a bit.”
Oliva is constantly on the run, literally.
“I’ve run track and cross country all four years here,” she says. “I have run downtown Spartanburg more times than I can count. I’ve learned how to push past pain and finish a race, and what it means to motivate someone else to do the same. Despite various injuries, I enjoyed working with a team so dedicated. When my last season ends, I may even miss the 6 am practices, as the start of a day wouldn’t be the same without racing against the teammates I’ve gotten to know over the years.”
Oliva is majoring in English with a minor in sociology. She is also part of the English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta.
“I started out in Business Economics, but I didn’t last long,” she says. “I just love literature, and some of my best memories come from open discussions over the many texts read for class. While I planned to double major in sociology, I finally decided that doubling and running may not be conducive to my sleep schedule. But I found the subject too interesting not to do anything with it.”
As graduation nears, she is working on graduate school applications, and says she isn’t sure where she wants to go or do yet. She is considering teaching English for a while, and possibly getting her masters’ degree and certification from the University of South Carolina.
“I just want to do something I enjoy doing,” she says. “I’m not sure if I can let go of English just yet.”
Nor can she let go of the many memories made here at Wofford.
“Some of my best memories range from eating out with teammates after competitions to simply spending time with friends,” she says. “Going to Wofford introduced me to people with different backgrounds, from different countries even, and I hope to remember all the people I’ve met, as well as the TV nights and homework-induced laments together over dinner in Burwell.”