Isaac Alderfer is a dedicated student-athlete and an all-around caring person.
Alderfer shows us what passion, drive, and dedication are and how they can evolve as we grow. Alderfer’s dedication is not limited to just running crosscountry; he’s been an involved student since his first day at EMU.
Before his first year at EMU, Alderfer graduated from Broadway High School in Broadway, Va. Like every senior in high school, Alderfer had to make a decision about where he would go to college.
With EMU and Broadway around ten minutes away from each other, Alderfer was hesitant about going to EMU.
Alderfer said, “Honestly, I did not want to come to EMU for several reasons. One of them was the fact that my parents and grandparents and cousins and uncles have gone to EMU, and I wanted to change that.”
After weighing the options, he made his decision. Another Alderfer became a Royal.
Alderfer feels that he made the right decision coming to EMU. He loves the community here on campus and has become heavily involved. He is also a Yoder scholar, which qualifies him to be a part of the Honors Program at EMU.
Alderfer is unusual in going on a semester-long crosscultural during his first year. He is accompanied by six other first-years. He will be studying Christian Movement and Arabic Language in the Middle East.
“I wasn’t sure if I was completely ready to go before this week, but then [in] being with the rest of the group…[I am] seeing how excited we are all and how much fun it’s going to be, but not just fun, how powerful it is going to be,” Alderfer said.
The success that Alderfer has experienced is not limited to academics. He helped the men’s cross-country team finish sixth in the ODAC tournament. He finished second in his first-ever collegiate race at the Bridgewater XC Challenge.
Alderfer is not a stranger to excelling; he thrives on the track as well. He is a top 20 New Balance Outdoor/Indoor National Athlete.
His passion for the sport is obvious on and off the track. He is committed to staying in shape and taking pride in being a part of his team.
He embraces the pressure that comes along with being a top athlete. “I would say that most of the pressure that I feel isn’t from other people; it’s from myself. That’s just my attitude towards life.”
Alderfer first became serious about competitive track in middle school after starting to run with his dad in the morning to keep in shape. “I love the competition; like, I am a really competitive person in everything I do, but track gives me a direction to point that competitiveness towards.”
Above both athletics and academics is Alderfer’s care for people. “The ‘people’ element of track is great, and I like how running lets me explore new places.”
