Michelle Schwendenmann ‘07
Civil Engineering


imageMichelle Schwendenmann ‘07, civil engineering major, is a trained killer.

…at least as far as her performance on the volleyball court is concerned. As a senior captain of the Mountain Hawk’s women’s volleyball league, the Ohio native totaled double digit kills in 18 of the Mountain Hawks 29 matches last season, including a season best 22 in a victory over LaSalle.

A two time All-Patriot League selection and member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Schendenmann also carries a 3.20 grade point average in the classroom as a civil engineering major. “I have always been fascinated with large structures,” she says. “It is just something that has always interested me. I enjoy seeing construction and watching how different building projects develop.”

As a freshman, Schwendenmann was a First Team All-Patriot League selection after ranking seventh in the league with a career-best 375 kills. During her sophomore season Michelle led the Brown and White with 320 kills, and ranked third on the team with 192 digs.

Her interest in structural systems notwithstanding, Schwendenmann really ‘digs’ amusement parks. “I’m a total roller coaster enthusiast,” she claims, “and my dream would be to go into the amusement business and design theme parks. I have always enjoyed entertaining people, and in this way I could do so on a large scale.”

Schwendenmann says that every student at Lehigh has a lot to balance, and anyone participating in a sport has that and so much more. “I write out a schedule each week outlining which assignments are due that week and which exams are coming up,” she explains. “I use evenings after practice to my advantage and complete a majority of my work in that time. When long away trips are planned for the weekend and I know I will be limited in study time, I work hard that week to finish everything for the next. It is obviously not the easiest thing to balance academics and athletics and still manage to have time to relax and socialize, but it is definitely worth it. I have been blessed with the opportunity to play the sport that I love, at a university where I can further my education to obtain a career that I will love.”