Senior Business Administration major Sandra Mason hopes to be a source of support and inspiration for others

Senior Business Administration major Sandra Mason was recruited to Lees-McRae to play on the women’s basketball team, but her time on the court, and the team’s recent success, is far from the sole defining factor of Mason’s college career. In fact, much of her time as a student has been spent ensuring that her athletic career would not be the only thing that shaped her time at Lees-McRae.

Mason is a Sullivan Fellow—a member of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation which focuses on leadership and community service—and through the program she has worked with another Sullivan Fellow on a project that focuses on the mental health of student-athletes.

“We get lost in our identity sometimes. Student-athletes might not think they’re more than just a student-athlete, that they don’t have anything else to offer. If they’re not performing well, it can take a toll on outside life and extracurricular activities that they may be passionate about,” Mason said. “If things aren’t going so well on our athletic teams it can weigh us down in a whole different light. I want to serve as a resource and a reminder that you’re so much more than the sport that you play.”

She said her time as a Sullivan Fellow has broken her out of her shell and pushed her to lead by being a supporter of and resource for other students on campus. This became particularly important when Hurricane Helene created destruction in the region, leaving many people uncertain of their next steps.

Throughout that process, Mason said she strived to be someone that others could lean on and ask for help. She wanted to be a friendly face around campus in a difficult situation, and she said that experience is one she will carry with her moving forward as she begins a full-time position as a leasing consultant in Raleigh following graduation.

This desire to lead by example and leave her community better than she found it also carries through into Mason’s time on the basketball court.

“Four years ago, the women’s basketball team wasn’t anything to talk about on campus. We barely got a turnout at games between students, faculty, and staff. I remember in coming here, I didn’t want to go to the top program in Conference Carolinas. I wanted to go somewhere where I could change the culture, leave a legacy, and leave my mark,” Mason said. “The hurricane made me stronger in a sense and allowed me to be the rock for those around me. A lot of times we just focus on ourselves, but this place and this community have allowed me to be selfless because the people around me are. I only want to pour into and help the people around me.”

As she prepares to begin her post-graduate career, Mason is also putting the finishing touches on her final act as a Lees-McRae student: her Commencement speech. Mason will be one of two student speakers addressing the Class of 2026 at this year’s ceremony, and she hopes to leave her peers with a message of celebration for their accomplishments and hope for their futures.

“From this day forward, you will start taking those steps and making those shots to be the person that you’ve always wanted to be. You’ve been through college, you’ve made your mistakes, now just go out into the world and be confident in who you are and try to be great every single day,” she said.