Balancing academics and athletics isn’t always easy.
It takes hard work, determination, keen organizational skills and a caring and encouraging academic community — all of which fourth-year St. Michael’s College student Natasha Klasios was lucky enough to have.
“I’ve always found the University and its professors to be supportive and understanding of any academic or athletic conflicts that arose during my time as a student athlete,” said Klasios.
But the Silver T award-winning Varsity Blues striker, recognized earlier this year for an outstanding performance on the women’s soccer team, is quick to mention that while things could get hectic from time to time — she was more than happy to juggle her time on the field with the classroom.
“Balancing school and soccer was never a chore for me, because it was something I loved to do,” said Klasios. “There was nowhere I would have rather been than competing with my teammates.”
Klasios’ experience as a Varsity Blues athlete also went international when she represented U of T as the only Varsity Blues athlete on the Canadian women’s soccer team during the 2017 FISU Summer Universiade in Taipei, Taiwan.
“My Varsity Blues experience taught me how to deal with adversity, and that talent and hard work are necessary for success,” said Klasios. “It was a privilege to wear the blue and white and compete for four seasons with the Blues.”
Klasios also received a USPORTS Academic All-Canadian Award for the 2017-18 year — which recognizes student-athletes who achieve an academic standing of 80 per cent or better while playing on one of their university's varsity teams.
“It was a great honour to get this award with a few of my teammates and friends, as it recognized our hard work and efforts off the field,” said Klasios.
And Klasios put in the work.
With a double major in ecology & evolutionary biology (EEB) and global health, Klasios was interested in bridging the two fields, pointing out how reliant our wellbeing is on the functioning of natural ecosystems.
As an undergraduate researcher in EEB professor Chelsea Rochman’s lab, Klasios traveled to San Francisco to collect samples for her undergraduate thesis — investigating if mussels and clams from the San Francisco Bay were ingesting microplastics.
Working alongside scientists from the San Francisco Estuary Institute, Klasios collected resident species and retrieved transplanted mussels from sites within the San Francisco Bay — providing her with firsthand field sampling experience.
“The experience was a bit of a dream come true for me, as I wanted to become a marine biologist growing up,” said Klasios. “Participating in this project allowed me to live that dream and also fully appreciate and understand the entirety of the research process.”
This fall, Klasios will be pursuing her master’s degree in zoology at the University of British Columbia, conducting research that will work to create a sustainable future for natural ecosystems and humans.
“I’m really looking forward to conducting research that is grounded in ecological theory and will also help us better understand and hopefully aid in managing some of the great threats aquatic ecosystems face,” said Klasios.
As for the new cohort of Arts & Science undergraduates about to start their academic careers at U of T in the fall, Klasios has one piece of advice.
“Get involved! There are so many opportunities available, take advantage of them. U of T is a big school, but I was able to make the most of my time by getting involved in academic research and with the Varsity Blues community.”
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