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RAIDERS WRAP-UP
CONFIDENCE IS KEY
Gold medal experience Sometimes it’s the most unlikely of experiences that can give you a new unique perspective. That’s what happened to student-athlete Raekyiah Williams when she took an internship over the summer at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Williams, who hails from Fountain, Colorado and plays on MSOE’s women’s basketball team, made the most of her experience and it led to some out-of-the-box chances to learn about her major, biomedical engineering.
At her internship, Raekyiah Williams met Dartanyon Crockett, a Judo athlete and Paralympian. He won the bronze medal in the men’s 90 kg. division at both the 2012 Summer Paralympics and the 2016 Paralympics. Crockett is legally blind.
“I was initially interested in the position because of its connection to sports,” said the sophomore guard. “I wanted something that had to do with sports since I play in college, and I thought it would be fun.” Williams was hired as a guest experience team member. Every day she would work in a different area of the museum and assist guests with any questions they had, as well as provide useful information that would enhance their experience during their visit. This in itself had a learning curve to it, as she didn’t have much background on the Olympic games. “When I initially applied for the job, I didn’t really know what it entailed, I just thought it sounded cool. I’ve never really watched the Olympics or Paralympics, so I didn’t know much about them.” Williams worked in the campus’ four different sections: Introduction to the Games, the Summer Games, the Lab and the Athletic Training Wing. It was the Lab that piqued her interest the most.
