Academics and Altitude

When Starrett Vesper hits the track, everything else melts away. The pole vaulter said track and field allows him to compete not only with other athletes, but also with himself.

“When I am competing, I get in a zone where I don’t have to think about any problems in the real world and I can just focus on doing what I need to do to get the results I am looking for,” he said.

He had a strong performance in February at the Doc Hale Meet at Virginia Tech, scoring 4,797 points in the heptathlon, second best in program history. That included a meet-best pole vault clearance of 4.85 meters.

He also performs in the classroom. Vesper was named the American Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year for Men’s Indoor Track and Field in 2023.

Assistant track and field coach Jon Debogory said Vesper is a coachable, levelheaded athlete who learns from the good and the bad in practice and competition.

“His kinesthetic awareness is unparalleled,” Debogory said. “He can pick things up extremely quickly. He is a great teammate, always helping and encouraging others.”

That kinesthetic awareness probably comes from the fact Vesper is an exercise physiology major. Through the Honors College, he had the opportunity to work on a biomechanics research project with Anthony Kulas, associate professor in the Department of Health Education and Promotion. He is now pursuing a career as a physician assistant; his next stop is the master’s degree program at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.

“I want to have a job where I can have a positive impact on people’s daily lives,” Vesper said.

His efforts in the classroom and on the track have taught him the importance of surrounding himself with people who have his back.

“Having my family, teammates, coaches and friends to lean on in tough times or through adversity has meant the world to me,” he said. “I know with their support I can overcome any challenge I am faced with.”