For Sarah Burgum, soccer has always been more than just a game. Starting at the age of four, she found joy in the sport’s atmosphere.

“I’ve always had fun with it, but it was also something I was really competitive at,” she says.

Whether it was backyard battles with her twin brother or practice at the YMCA, she developed a drive for competition early on. Today that competitive fire has brought her to the women’s soccer team at the University of Minnesota Crookston, where she balances a packed schedule as a fourth-year student-athlete, leader, and aspiring pediatric occupational therapist.

“Crookston feels like a second home,” says Burgum, who has received the UMC Imle Family Scholarship, among others. “People are very friendly, very conversational, and you can tell that this is just a good environment to be a part of.”

When she’s not on the soccer field, Burgum serves as president of the UMN Crookston Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has been part of the Green Bandana Project, an initiative that promotes mental health awareness, and the “One Love on Us” campaign, which fosters conversations about healthy relationships.

Last year Burgum also was one of three student-athletes selected to represent the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Charlotte, North Carolina. She spent four days participating in leadership training and deep discussions about the student-athlete experience.

“We had really meaningful conversations about the challenges we face on our campuses and how we can be better leaders, not just for our teams, but for our futures,” she says.

Her biggest takeaway? Learning how to be a vulnerable leader.

“Being strong and respected is important, but so is being human,” she says. “Everyone is going through something, and it’s important to recognize that and support each other.”

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