Julia is the one half of our amazing sister team, a self-proclaimed “Queen of Everything” at NECC (or, Professional Development and Graduate Studies Administrative Coordinator), and lover of all things outdoors!
The 2017 Boston Marathon will be Julia’s first marathon, though she is no stranger to running. She ran cross country and track in high school, and began running 15 years ago with her dad. “Up to this point, my longest run has been 16 miles. The elements have played a role in how comfortable those long runs have been. Training in the winter presents its own challenges. Running through the cold and snow is something I usually avoid, but that is not possible right now. Sometimes it’s so cold you can’t feel any aches and pains though, so there’s always a silver lining!”
Julia is also committed to raising $11,000 for NECC students, many of whom she knows and used to teach. She worked directly with students for three years before moving into an administrative role.
“Those were the most difficult and most rewarding three years I’ve experienced. Since moving to a more administrative position, I still feel passionately about advocating for the students here, and this has been a great outlet for me to be able to disseminate my passion to my family, friends and community. The students here deserve the best, and this is a way I can make a difference and give them some of the things I know they deserve.”
Julia’s favorite moment so far during training has been going through the process with her older sister Ali and running together in Washington, D.C. and in Vail, Colorado. Check out her fundraising page to learn more about her Boston Marathon journey – www.crowdrise.com/neccBoston2017/fundraiser/juliaszalwinski