How exactly does an Olympic gymnast win a gold medal at a bowling alley? For Julia Vitagliano, it’s just another day in the life for the Conn women’s rowing team’s senior standout.
However, life at Connecticut College is so much more than rowing for the senior Psychology major and Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectionality studies minor. Off the water, she is a member of the clinical psychology research group and is involved with PICA and the Women’s Empowerment Initiative. She is also an avid fan of women’s gymnastics.
During her time at Conn, she has also worked in the admissions office as both a tour guide and a senior admission fellow.
“It’s really fun to get to know somebody in a short period of time,” Vitagliano says of her work in admissions. “I feel like I just got here… like I was just in that position. These four years went by really fast.”
Once she arrived at Conn, the Newton, Massachusetts native knew she wanted to get involved in the campus community and saw the women’s rowing team as a chance to try something new after playing basketball and running long-distance in high school.
“I didn’t plan to do a sport, but I joined the team as a freshman in October, in time for winter season. It’s made my Conn experience really great,” she says. “It’s been a great experience and I’ve met so many new people.”
Being a part of the team has been a transformative experience for Vitagliano, as she believes rowing has increased her self-esteem and confidence. Although she was not a very vocal member of the team during her freshman season, she has grown to bring positive energy and strength to the stroke seat during her senior fall.
“Having a group of strong, powerful women being by my side every day is a big aspect of that. Doing a sport that is so taxing on the body for all four years is a big accomplishment. Some of my best friends are on the team, and we’re all really close.”
The closeness of this team is best represented by events that take place during one of the campus’s quieter times – spring break. The team returns from break after a short time away to practice for the spring season, and has time off the water to engage in team-bonding activities such as a costume contest at a bowling alley.
“We dressed up as Olympic athletes, so I went as a gymnast and won the gold medal for the costume contest. We had fun, we bonded, we bowled together… It was a fun time for all of us. The little moments we share have made us become closer as a team.”
Now that her four years are nearly spent, Vitagliano has turned some of her focus towards life after Conn. Once she graduates, she plans to take a year to work and travel while applying for graduate programs in prevention and intervention surrounding mental health.
Vitagliano is described by her friends and teammates as being very positive, and she carries that trait with her in all aspects of her life. She is inspired by empowering others and sharing a positive outlook on life with others. She wants to have as much fun in life as she can. •
