Impact Of A Scholarship: Amy Dion

Amy Dion still remembers the first time she ever came to the University of Maryland. She didn’t know where College Park was on a map before she started getting recruited, but once she was on campus she knew this was a place she would never forget.

“From the moment I stepped foot on campus, I was in awe,” Dion said. “I remember walking through campus and having an overwhelming feeling that I was home. I know it may sound cliché but that’s truly how I remember it.”

A native of Chicago suburb, Algonquin, Illinois, Dion said she was only two hours into her visit when she made up her mind that she wanted to be a Terp. When she finally met her future coaches and teammates before a match, the connection was instant. Despite being recruited by Colorado State, North Carolina and Wisconsin, Dion wanted to put on the Maryland uniform more than anything. Two weeks later she committed and her family immediately started flying a Maryland flag outside of their home to make it official.

Dion understood the power of clicking with her teammates. She started playing travel volleyball with Sky High Volleyball Club when she was nine years old and stuck with the same club until she went off to college. Dion helped Sky High win two AAU national championship titles in 2010 and 2011. 

When Dion got to Maryland in the fall of 2012 she made her presence known on and off the court. About halfway through her freshman season, she earned a spot in the starting lineup as libero. Dion also became heavily involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, eventually serving as the president. 

“At Maryland, I felt like I had the world at my fingertips,” said Dion. “The resources provided to student-athletes were endless. Not only did I feel that they provided me with the tools to be the best athlete I could be, they also provided me with resources to prepare me for life after volleyball.”

Dion didn’t wait for her career as a student-athlete to end before she started working on her future. 

During her senior season, Amy Dion the volleyball player doubled as Ms. Dion the teacher to a class of fourth grade students at Montpelier Elementary School in Laurel. When she wasn’t on the road traveling to matches, Dion was working as a student teacher. The experiences she gained at Maryland gave her a leg up in her field and she was able to make a smooth transition into her professional life.

“I didn’t understand the impact my scholarship had on me until I graduated and realized the incredible opportunity I was given,” Dion said. “Being debt-free, especially during a time like this, will forever have me indebted to the Terrapin Club.”

Dion is now doing her part to help shape the minds of the next generation and train future student-athletes. She is a fifth grade teacher back in her home state of Illinois and she coaches the Barrington High School Bronco’s girls volleyball team. 

“Being on scholarship not only gave me an incredible experience and opportunity while I was a student-athlete, but it set me up to have a fearless future following graduation.”

Other than the athletic and professional advancements she gained during her time at Maryland, Dion said the relationships she formed with her coaches and teammates are irreplaceable. Whether it be the hours spent on buses together, pre-game locker room dance parties, quad days, going out or staying in, Dion and her teammates just loved being around each other. 

“Any time I was able to be with my teammates are memories I’ll always hold close to my heart,” she said.

Even four years after leaving College Park, those friendships are as strong as ever. Dion and her fiancé Frank are planning their wedding and she is already looking forward to sharing the day and celebrating with her former teammates. Dion still keeps up with the Terps during volleyball season as she has made a point to support the team on the road whenever she can. 

“As a student-athlete I felt beyond proud putting on my Maryland jersey and I feel that same pride when I put on any Maryland gear now,” she said.

Dion said the impact of her scholarship reached far beyond her own life. Earning a scholarship to play at Maryland changed the lives and futures of her family members and teammates, which is something she reminds herself of every day. Dion’s younger sister, Ally, was inspired watching her sister become a Division I athlete. It lit the fire in her that helped her get where she is now, a member of the Southeast Missouri State University volleyball team.

“I cannot even put into words how thankful I am for [the Terrapin Club’s] generosity and selflessness,” Dion said. “I truly hope that I am in a position at some point in my life to do what Maryland did for me and continues to do for athletes every single day.”