Next up on 25 Days of Excellence features Julia Fair, a senior goaltender for the women’s hockey team. Julia is very active on the ice but spends lot of her time helping others off the ice. As a presidential ambassador at Neumann University, Fair strives for excellence on a daily basis. Julia believes excellence can come through staying positive, being determined, while inspiring others. See how Julia Fair views excellence.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about doing my best at whatever I set my mind to. Right now these things are hockey, golf, and doing well with my school work.
What are you most grateful for in life?
I am most grateful for my parents because they have supported me so much throughout my life especially my college career and have been life coaches for me.
What are the most important things to you in life?
God, family, and hockey are the most important to me. I would not know where I would be without my faith or my family. Hockey is my biggest passion and I love working hard and the rink is one of my favorite places to be.
How would you describe yourself?
I would say that I am practical, determined, motivated, loving and compassionate.
What are your values? What do you represent? Who do you want to embody?
I think I represent the RISES values and also hard work and commitment to whatever I am involved in. I want to embody a servant leader because they lead by example, they look out for what is best for the other people that are involved in their mission.
Look at your life right now. Are you living the life of your dreams?
I am living out two of my dreams. My first dream was to play college hockey and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be able to reach that dream. I also had the dream of putting on a Team USA jersey. It was not for hockey but I was able to do it for the sport of Ringette and it was a great honor to represent the United States of America.
What advice would you give yourself 3 years ago?
If I could give myself advice 3 years ago, I would say to have more fun and not to be so serious all the time. I would also tell myself to keep working hard and no matter how well I play, keep my head held up because I have reached my dream of playing college hockey and I am not going to play well every single game.
What do you want to achieve in life.. Short term vs long term?
Short term, I would like to strive to continue playing hockey competitively, hopefully as a professional while starting my accounting career. Long term, I would like to continue being involved in the hockey community and become a partner at a CPA firm.
What drives you?
There are two things that drive me, one is striving to be the best I can be. The other is that I am lucky to be able to have the skills and abilities to do what I do and how lucky I am to be able to do certain things. My sister was disabled and everyday tasks were a challenge. Knowing that I am so lucky to have the abilities and skills I do, it drives me to excel at everything.
What does excellence mean to you?
Excellence to me is reaching and work towards being at the top of your field, your sport, or your industry. Putting everything you can into it to improve day after day and working towards it ethically while helping others. In hockey, I see excellence as working together as a team to reach a common goal. Excellence does not always mean winning or reaching toward perfection, but it does mean the approach and effort that is put towards the end goal.