As the fall semester rolls on, Chico State student-athletes remain hopeful there will be some type of meaningful competition before the conclusion of the academic year. Many Wildcats have busied themselves concentrating on virtual classes, working out, and staying in touch with their team and coaches. One particular ’Cat, Chico State women’s soccer defender Madeline Joseph, has not only stayed on top of her studies and worked hard to stay connected with her teammates, she’s used the suspension of the fall sports season to involve herself with several charitable causes while taking on an internship that could lead to an exciting career. Her amazing productivity during the pandemic makes Madeline Joseph the latest Wildcat of the Week.
One thing’s for sure: no moss grows under Madeline’s feet. The business information systems major is kept plenty busy from her home base of Arcadia. In addition to her virtual classwork, Joseph has found the time to intern for a Southern California businesswoman who specializes in marketing and branding in the Hollywood fashion industry.
“We connect with stylists interested in loaning or renting jewelry and different shoe brands for photo shoots and TV shows,” Joseph said. “I’ve been given the responsibility to help grow the brand by working on the website, engaging with customers, and posting new shoe styles to the website and social media like Facebook and Instagram. I also direct questions to our customer service team, or I’ll handle them myself.” Joseph estimated she does about 80 percent of her internship remotely from home.
A two-year member of Chico State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Joseph has been involved with many of the organization’s community service events. Last month Joseph joined her fellow SAAC members in raising money through the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event on October 10.
“I was still home; in fact, everyone was in different areas,” Joseph said about taking part in the two-mile run/walk. “Our SAAC team raised over 100 dollars, and we all sent pictures from wherever we participated in the walk. Even though we were far away from each other, seeing everyone wearing purple and doing something meaningful was really awesome.”
Joseph used her birthday in September to ask well-wishers to donate to the American Cancer Society.
“I do different things every year,” Joseph said. “It’s a cause that’s near and dear to my heart. I have an aunt that has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and a cousin who is in chemotherapy due to breast cancer. It’s something that’s really important to me.”
On top of schoolwork, a job, and her SAAC responsibilities, Joseph also budgets time to work out as she recovers from an ACL tear that kept her out of all but five Wildcat matches in 2019.
“I’ve had the luxury of going to physical therapy twice a week,” Joseph said. “I also meet with one of my old trainers three times a week to focus on sprinting and soccer skills.”
Like most Chico State student-athletes, Joseph has used Zoom meetings to stay close to with her Wildcat teammates.
“Every week the team has a module reading from a specific book,” Joseph said. “We discuss the books weekly, then we meet later with larger groups to discuss the books with our coaches. We also use our Zoom meetings to discuss life, school…whatever’s going on. Though we can’t be with one another, it’s a great way to stay connected.”
Somehow, the always busy Joseph does find some time for herself.
“Monday through Friday is the time to grind,” Joseph said. “On the weekends I get the chance to sleep in, treat myself to a ‘cheat meal,’ do some less-intense workouts, and spend time with my family and boyfriend.”
One thing that Joseph does miss that she would normally be enjoying in the fall is being on the Chico State campus.
“I miss the independence and individual freedom to do whatever you want. That’s something we’re all missing right now,” Joseph said. “Just waking up, going to lifting, feeling sore afterwards. Running into people on campus and interacting with them. I miss that people connection.”
When asked if she thought the women’s soccer team would see some type of action in the coming months, Joseph was quick with an optimistic response.
“One hundred percent,” she said. “I’m hoping for five to 10 games—that’s my goal. You have to have a positive mindset. How else would you be thinking?”
Joseph has not only her women’s soccer teammates, but everyone in the Wildcat Family in mind and hopes they remain optimistic as well.
“We all just need to take a break, look back and realize we’ve come this far,” Joseph said. “We’ve all been through challenges in our careers and have grown because of them. I hope everyone remembers we’re all in this together, and hopefully we’ll get through this soon.”
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