Volleyball player Abigail Veit and Dr. Wayne Aho

About Abigail Veit: 

• Senior
• 5-11 outside hitter
• Native of Cary, N.C. 

About Dr. Aho: 

• Assistant Professor of Management
• Owns a B.S in Business Administration from Western Kentucky, a Masters of Business Administration from Marylhurst University and a Doctor of Business Adminstration from George Fox University
• Has been teaching at Western Carolina since 2014 after retiring from the corporate world

Abigail Veit and Dr. Wayne Aho on Western Carolina's campus

Q&A with Abigail Veit:

• What did you like most about Dr. Aho's class? Dr. Aho’s classes are always challenging. You have to put in the time and effort, but his teaching style is so engaging. He treats his students as colleagues with respect and gives them the tools to prosper after college in the business world. He teaches you so much more than just the material from textbooks; he builds students into confident public speakers, teaches us how to communicate in business lingo, deliver an effective presentation, and really prepares students for their careers.
•  What makes Dr. Aho a good teacher?  Dr. Aho is such a great professor because he has so much experience and knowledge from his previous career that he brings to the class. He is truly passionate about what he is teaching, cares about his students, and wants to see each one succeed.
• What is something you’re involved in outside of class and sports that we may not know? I really love the outdoors and exploring the different activities you can do in this area. The Blue Ridge Mountains are such an incredible place to live and WCU provides so many great classes and opportunities for students to get more involved. I rented camping equipment from Base Camp Cullowhee and went camping for the first time this semester! I also took Alpine Skiing class last semester, I’m currently taking Rock Climbing, and have plans to take snowboarding and white water canoeing next semester. Being a student-athlete is very demanding but if you time manage well enough you can fit in other things that are important to you as well!
• How do you manage academics, athletics and a social life? What is your key to good time management? I could not live without my planner or the reminders app on my phone. I try to keep all my plans and tasks together in my planner to organize what I have upcoming and what I need to complete that day. Sometimes if I have a really busy day, I will time block the day out to make sure I get everything done and stay productive.
• What is your favorite spot on campus? I really enjoy the center of campus where the fountain and clock tower are located. However, if I need to get some schoolwork done, I’ll go to the coffee shop right above campus, Hillside Grind.
• What is the most important skill you've learned through participation in your sport? I think the most important skill I’ve learned through volleyball would be to overcome adversity. Within a team sport, you have to be able to learn from failure or loss, work towards a common goal with teammates that may be very different from yourself, and push through physical and mental battles.
• Do you have any nicknames? Or if you could choose your own, what would it be and why? If I could choose my own nickname I would just choose Abigail. Throughout my life I’ve always gone by “Abbey” up until freshman year of college. After I arrived at WCU I wanted to try out my full name. When I started playing on the volleyball team, I was given the new nickname of “Gail” by all my teammates because Abigail was too long of a word to yell on the court. So, if I could go by any name, I’d like to be called Abigail because no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to make it stick.  
• What are your plans post grad? I’ve been job searching primarily around Raleigh, NC. I don’t have a specific position in mind but I also have plans to obtain my real estate license to potentially pursue a career in real estate as well. Right now, I am trying to keep my options open by applying to a variety of positions.
  
  Q&A with Dr. Aho:
   
• What was it like having Abigail in your class? 1) Abigail never missed a class except for WCU events. She always kept me apprised of those absences and never missed an assignment or deadline regardless of her athletic commitments and travels. 2) Abigail actively pursued additional learning opportunities. Over the course of the three classes I taught in which Abigail was a student, she completed two Honors College Contracts which required extensive research, writing, and oral presentations to her classmates. 3) Abigail displayed outstanding leadership qualities including teamwork, listening to diverse opinions, and the ability to make strategic decisions. In other words, Abigail demonstrated a high degree of professionalism in the classroom.
• What is your favorite sport or hobby? What do you like to do in your free time? I am an avid cyclist. While I prefer road cycling, I’m getting into mountain biking when weather keeps me off the roads.
• How often are you able to watch your student-athletes compete?  Not as often as I would like due to scheduling and travel. I was so impressed with the athleticism of women’s volleyball I plan to bring my two granddaughters to games this year so they can witness the power and strength of women’s athletic competition.
• What’s your favorite spot on campus? The area around the water fountain and clock tower. The buzz from the student activity is exhilarating.
• What is your favorite thing about teaching? Without question, classroom interaction with my students. Those are the magical moments that I will remember when no longer teaching.
• What would students be surprised to find out about you? My interest in physical fitness and mental health. I think this is an under-explored area that I find fascinating.
• What is one class your schools offers that you wish you could take? Exercise physiology. 

About Classroom Connections: In its second year, Classroom Connections is a weekly feature that showcases student-athletes away from the playing field and highlights the relationship between student-athlete and professor.