University of North Carolina Athletics
I'm A Tar Heel: Acacia Cosentino
January 29, 2015 | Women's Gymnastics
Dear Tar Heel Family,
There are no words to fully communicate how special this University is. That very topic has dominated my own thoughts, as well as many conversations with fellow Tar Heels, since day one on this campus, and it's prevalence has only grown. There are one million and one things that initially brought me here to UNC. This campus draws you in with its breathtaking beauty, school spirit, and impeccable reputation as an elite university. However, what has kept me here, and caused me to want to stay here forever, has been the Tar Heel family. Family is simply a group of people with whom you share a special bond, with whom you share great joy, and with whom you grow. Carolina has provided just this many times over.
Through gymnastics I have grown in perseverance, integrity, gratitude, and selflessness. I have learned integrity from Coach Derek Galvin, who has modeled this trait every day in the gym. I have learned selflessness from my teammates, who have shown me how much more rewarding it is to put others first. I have learned perseverance from failures and injuries, all of which prove that success isn't always measured by material standards. I have learned gratitude from the Tar Heel tradition, which reminds me everyday how thankful and blessed I am to walk the bricked paths, sing the alma mater, and look up at the Carolina blue sky.
If that weren't enough, my experience in Carolina's challenging academic program has meant the world to me as well, almost literally. First of all, the incredible professors and classes here have expanded my mind and filled me with a love of knowledge and learning that will last a lifetime. Secondly, what I have achieved as a student at Carolina has opened up so many opportunities for me in my future. All of the hard work was worth it knowing that I can travel the world and pursue my dreams with confidence that I'll succeed with the skills I have acquired at Carolina.
As my final semester here comes and goes, I will cherish every second remembering what a privilege and a blessing it is to not only attend this great University, but represent the family as I step out on the competition floor for my final season as a gymnast. I will cherish the education and the athletic success, but most importantly it is the lifelong friends and warmth of the Tar Heel family that I will forever hold in my heart. I know I speak for all UNC student-athletes when I say that there is no place like Chapel Hill – a little piece of Heaven on Earth, and I can't thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of it and for your incredible support all along the way!
My name is Acacia Cosentino, and I am so proud to forever be a Tar Heel!
