University of North Carolina Athletics
SAAC Spotlight: Casey Di Nardo
November 18, 2014 | Field Hockey
Get to know the UNC Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) representatives each week through our SAAC Spotlight series. Next up is Casey Di Nardo, a junior journalism major from Virginia Beach, Va., who is on the field hockey team.
SAAC is composed of appointed representatives from each of UNC's 28 varsity teams and helps promote communication between faculty, administrators, coaches and student-athletes. SAAC members meet monthly to discuss ideas and issues pertinent to UNC Athletics, the ACC and the NCAA.
1. How did you choose your major?
I remember the exact moment I knew I wanted to be a Journalism major. I was in high school and it was a typical Monday night in the Di Nardo household consisting of football. It was halftime and I was sitting on the couch next to my dad going off on a rant about the quarterback when all of a sudden the ESPN interviewer echoed my exact words. My dad turned to me and said, “Wow Case, you'd be pretty good at sideline reporting.” Since then, I majored in Journalism with the hopes of specializing in broadcasting but I fell in love with public relations and that's where I've stayed.
2. What's your favorite class you've taken at UNC and why?
My favorite class at UNC was principles of advertising and public relations (JOMC 137). I loved this class because it used cool examples to explain the course material. One day in class, my teacher showed a car commercial that used Tiger Woods as the celebrity endorser and explained why choosing Woods was a poor decision. The car company was known for being a family car and after Woods' scandal people would no longer view him as a family man. I thought it was so interesting to learn about how important it is when choosing a celebrity to endorse your product.
3. Who is a favorite professor you've had at UNC and what did you enjoy about learning from him or her?
My favorite professor as UNC is Matthew Andrews. Andrews taught my History 128 class freshman year and completely changed my opinion on history. I loved how he used pictures instead of words in his class lectures because it made a visual connection that was easy to remember. Before Andrews' class I thought the United States was pretty close to being perfect. Andrews totally opened my eyes to all the mistakes that our nation has made and how we can try to prevent repeating these mistakes in the future.
4. What are your career goals?
As cliché as it sounds, my career goal is to love my job. I have found that people don't usually end up having the career they expected so I am trying not to set any big expectations for myself. As long as I'm doing something that involves working with people and not sitting behind a desk I will be pretty happy.
5. What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
Don't take anything for granted. Four years flies by and you will never have another experience like college. Take advantage of the classes that UNC has to offer by taking courses that interest you and challenge you. Play every game like it's your last and leave it all out on the field.
6. Why did you choose UNC?
I was deciding between UVa, Duke and UNC but there was just something about UNC that I couldn't shake. UNC offers the total package of academics, athletics and social life. UNC has one of the most recognizable logos and is one of the most well-known universities in the nation. Just the other day my roommates and I were talking about how lucky we are for being able to say that we go to the same University that Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm went to. I mean, what other University can say that?
7. Where is your favorite place to study?
Starbucks is my favorite place to study on campus. If I stay at home I usually end up laying in bed and watching Netflix and if I go to the library I last about two minutes before the silence starts to make me question my sanity. I love atmosphere of Starbucks, like the music playing when you walk in and the smell of coffee.
8. What do you think is the prettiest place on campus?
The field hockey field on Friday nights is the prettiest place on campus (although I may be somewhat biased). There is no other sight than a Friday night field hockey game when the sun is setting and the stands are filled with Carolina blue.
9. What does it mean to be a Division I student-athlete?
Being a Division I student-athlete means being a part of something that's bigger than just one person. I am given an opportunity that many people will never be able to experience. Each year I get to be a part of a group of girls that make sacrifices and put in the work to be one of the top teams in the nation. Being able to play with these girls and watch them develop over four years is something I will never take for granted.
10. What leadership skills have you learned while being a student-athlete at UNC?
The most valuable leadership skill I have learned from being a student-athlete is communication. Over the years I have realized that different people handle criticism in different ways. Some people are good at taking criticism and while others aren't. Learning how to properly communicate with people based on their personalities is crucial for a team to be successful.
11. What's the most important thing you've learned from balancing the demands of athletics and academics?
The most important thing I've learned from balancing the demands of athletics and academics is to not sweat the small stuff. Time management is extremely hard to do when you have such a demanding schedule. I have learned that sometimes I might not be able to get everything done that I wanted to and not to stress myself out over it.
