Widener Valedictorian Talks Balancing Academics With Athletics

by Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Saturday is graduation day for Widener University's Class of 2016. It's a special day for the entire graduating class, including the valedictorian, who kept herself quite busy during her four years in Chester.

Alison Alkins of Aston finished her college career with a 4.0 grade point average, earning a degree in elementary and special education.

Excelling academically like that is very difficult - but making it even more impressive is the fact that Alkins did it while also starring on the softball field.

Hitting .393 for the Pride in 144 career games, and spending two seasons as a team captain, she talks about balancing the classroom with athletics.

"At first it was really difficult. I needed to learn a lot of time management and balancing my time wisely between school and sports," said Alkins, "But I felt that, without softball, I wouldn't have been the same person because it's built my character and helped me become who I am and without it I feel like I kind of would've been lost in college."

Alkins says she is interviewing now for teaching jobs and also has her eye on coaching softball