November 2, 2006 
Mercy's Pante and LaVasseur Define Student-Athlete with Spirit and Dedication
When we think of athletes today, the stereotype of "jock" can often be a first instinct. All sports and just getting by in class may be part of those pre-conceived notions. But with a department grade point average of 3.0, Mercy's student-athletes are helping to change that view. They're not stopping there either, taking it another step further by doing what they can to contribute to the Mercy community as well as the local communities. Toss in the fact that many of them are international student-athletes or come from culturally diverse homes, and take on additional off-the-field responsiblities, and it makes their achievements that much more remarkable.
Senior women's soccer players Bia Pante (Vancouver, Canada) and Lindsay Levasseur (Vancouver, Canada) are just two prime examples of that true spirit that lies within a student-athlete. With seven years between them on the team, they are examples of perseverance, hard work and dedication. These two young ladies from Vancouver, Canada have managed to make a life for themselves in a place that was completely new to them just a few years back. Not only are Pante and Lavasseur standout athletes and honor roll students, boasting grade point averages of 3.95 and 3.74, respectively, but they are also Resident Assistants in the Mercy residence hall.
Chioma Egbuchunam, a student-intern in the Mercy College athletics department, sat down with Pante and Levasseur, as they shared with her what it takes to be successful in all that they do.
CE: How do you balance all the responsibilities that you have in your life?
BP: All I need to do in order to balance all of my responsibilities is to think about everything I would lose if I couldn't juggle them. It's a matter of knowing that things have to get done, and the rest just falls into place.
CE: What skills do you feel you possess that help you balance everything out so well?
LL: My ability to adapt to new situations has helped me to grow and succeed here at Mercy. Even though I do admit to making mistakes during those transition periods, I am not one to make the same mistakes twice.
BP: As an international student-athlete/RA, I would not be able to get by without some sense of organization and an ability to prioritize. I'm not sure if I was as organized of a person before I took on all of these roles, but having to juggle these positions definitely forced me to strengthen those skills.
CE: What is it like to be a student-athlete juggling everything,
and being so far from home at the same time?
BP: It's a lot like living in two different worlds. When I'm at Mercy, I only focus on the things that need to be done here.
CE: What have you learned being a part of a collegiate sports team over the past years?
LL: I came from a team that went 17-0 in a season. We've had some different circumstances here that have actually improved my outlook on the game. It is easy to love a game when you are constantly winning, but to still love a game when you aren't always winning, is when you learn that your sport is a part of you, through good times and bad.
BP: I've learned that, unlike youth and club sports, being part of a collegiate sports team requires a huge sense of responsibility and commitment. It's both a job and a hobby.
CE: And what would you pass on to those coming into the program?
LL: Keep your head up! This program is going to be amazing. Just give it time and keep a positive attitude, you will achieve more than you ever imagined.
CE: Being a Resident Assistant, you are constantly dealing with student-athletes in the dorms. Do you feel that improves your relationship with your teammates? Or not? How so?
BP: In general, being a resident assistant brings me closer to many of the residents who I might not otherwise have had a chance to get to know. While a lot of bonding with my teammates happens on the field, I wish I had more time off the field to spend with them. Being an R.A. requires me to separate certain roles, so it is a bit difficult; but I don't think it has hindered my friendships with my teammates in any way.
LL: Not only am I in a position of receiving and giving respect as captain, but they can look at me as someone they can confide in off the field when they are having personal problems. Also, it does help me on the field because I now know more about each player, and who they are as individuals.
CE: What do you do in your spare time? 
LL: Spare time? What's that? In all seriousness, I try to capitalize on any spare time I find by simply just relaxing and winding down. Sometimes it's just nice to turn off your mind and give in to laziness.
BP: Spare time? That's a tough one...before, I would try as much as possible to get off campus if I had a break but nowadays I like to just stay in and relax. Sleep! Once in a blue moon I'll go to the city (I am a foreigner after all), but thinking more locally, there's a wonderful sushi restaurant right in Dobbs Ferry that my friends and I like to go to when we get a chance.
CE: What's the most difficult part of it all?
BP: The most difficult part of taking on so many roles is not having enough free time. It's especially difficult when I have to make choices against the things I would like to do in order to complete the things that I need to do.
LL: Thinking about it now, the most difficult part of it all is being so far away from home. With everything going on around here, I sometimes find myself just wanting to go home and have a home cooked meal (something that should never be taken for granted), and relaxing with my friends and family. It is a worry of mine that home is not an hour away, but a seven hour plane trip. On the up side, I do feel I have created a sense of home in the dorms, and a new family with my fellow RA's. It is also a major help to have someone here who is pretty much my sister.
CE: What are your career goals?
BP: Right now I'm working on my B.A. in English Literature and eventually I would like to teach.
LL: Honestly at this moment, I'm content in pursuing my education and trying to better my life skills, so that in the future I can make the right decisions that will lead me towards a career that I will not only excel in but be happy with.
CE: What would you say it takes to be good at all of the things you do?
LL: I think the most important way to succeed in anything is to have passion. Talent without passion just doesn't work. If I ever believed that I couldn't do any part of my life because I wasn't passionate about it, everything would fall apart.
BP: You have to put your heart into everything you do. If you don't care, it'll show in the quality of the things that you do.
