INTRODUCTION: Rachel Anthony '21 strikes a terrific balance : she can row on either Port or Starboard side, she studies Mechanical Engineering, and the is a member of the NROTC Program.

---

When did you first become involved in rowing?
I first started rowing as a freshman in high school.  
 
What attracted you to it?
I love the peacefulness of it. I love waking up in the morning, rowing across smooth waters, while watching the sunrise. But I also enjoy the excitement of competition. I love meeting and racing against other teams and how it brings our whole team together for a day to cheer each other on.
 
This sport has also taught me a lot about myself. Rowing is just as much physical as it mental. Those who row, learn to push themselves past what they thought their limits were.
 
I have also made some of my best friends through rowing. Unlike many other sports, you can't always see what the rest of your team or boat is doing so you have to trust them blindly (literally).
  
At Friends Select School, did you row on the Schuylkill River? Is that THE place to row?
Yes, the Schuylkill River is home to many boathouses all along the river. People of all ages and skill levels have the chance to learn and race. When I raced for Friends Select, we rowed out of Vesper Boathouse. We shared this boathouse with two other high school teams as well as many elite rowers training for Nationals and the Olympics. There was also a master's program run there in the mornings, and individuals could buy and rent out boats in the boathouse so that they could row whenever they wanted to (except for when the river is frozen).
 
Your shell won a Bronze medal at the Stotesbury Cup. Was that held in Philadelphia?
While Stotebury typically occurs on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, the spring of 2018 when I raced, it was on the Cooper River Lake in New Jersey. Our boat wasn't expected to make it very far, and even when we made it to the finals we were expected to come in last. We ended up surprising ourselves as well as everyone else.  
 
Did you row in any other locations? Cambridge maybe?
I never got to row at Cambridge though wanted to. Besides Cooper River Lake, I got the opportunity to row in Pennsauken, NJ; Camden, NJ, and West Windsor, NJ.  
 
Coach Gaskin lists you as rowing both Port (left) and Starboard (right) sides. Is it a tactical decision where you sit?
 Coach Gaskin does his best to make sure everyone on the team is comfortable in their own seat.  Being able to row both sides means I am able to row anywhere in the boat so that the newer rowers can learn how to row where they are comfortable. I can be easily moved around the boat as line-ups change each day because being able to row both port and starboard means there are eight (nine if you count the coxswain seat) where I can sit, instead of four if I only rowed one side.
 
When the UR Novice 8 boat won the Liberty League title in your first year, where were you sitting?
 I sat bow seat. It's the last seat in the boat and is typically reserved for one of the shorter more technical rowers.
 
You are a member of NROTC (Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps). What does your typical week look like with NROTC commitments?
Usually, I have Naval Science class twice a week and lab once a week. PT (physical training) also occurs twice a week, though I am typically excused from it because of morning practice. Additionally, as ROTC students get older, they have jobs assigned to them and other commitments are arranged when needed.
 
Will you have a service commitment after graduation?
Yes, after college I will be assigned to a ship of my choosing and will serve on it while I work towards getting my Surface Warfare Pin.
 
When you are home, do you work with any youth programs – coaching, counseling, working behind the scenes, etc.? What do you like about doing that?
For the last couple of years, I have worked at a camp run by a mission church. Kids from the surrounding neighborhoods are paid for with donations and volunteering. I am also a lifeguard on the side and worked for a community service organization out in Jackson, MS.  
 
What led you to the University of Rochester? 
The University of Rochester's engineering program and academic curriculum caught my interest, however, after visiting the school, it was the diversity of the student body that led me to where I am now.
 
Why did you choose Mechanical Engineering as your major?
Having always loved math and science, I wanted to put the skills I learned towards creating new things to make the world a better, safer, and more peaceful place.
 
Are you involved in any campus groups tied to your studies?
I was in Engineers without boards but have been broadening my horizons to other groups and organizations as well.