Impact Of A Scholarship: Kaitlyn Schmeiser

The day Kaitlyn Schmeiser walked on campus at 10 years old for a softball camp, she knew Maryland was the only school that she ever wanted to play for. 

College Park stayed on her mind throughout middle and high school, and as she became a sought-after local recruit, she knew what decision to make. 

As a lifelong Maryland fan, and Dunkirk native, she committed to the Terps, and that decision transformed her life on and off the field.

Schmeiser starred all four years in Maryland (2012-15) and was a force on the mound for the Terps. Not only that, but she also starred in the classroom as she was named to the All-ACC Academic Team in 2012 and 2013 and Academic All-Big Ten in 2015.  

For Schmeiser, she cared just as much about the academics as she did about the athletics. Being a scholarship student-athlete is something that has impacted her life from the day she committed until now. 

“Being a Maryland scholarship student-athlete is everything I could’ve ever wanted,” Schmeiser said. “From being a softball player, to being a student, and everything in between, it was truly an amazing time in my life.”

As a freshman, she made 23 appearances in the circle and pitched 79.0 innings over 14 games. Schmeiser pitched six complete games, racked up 60 strikeouts, and even held No. 1 Alabama to one hit, and one earned run during her appearance against the mighty Crimson Tide.  

She kept the momentum going into her sophomore year, where she made 40 pitching appearances and started a team-high 28 games. Schmeiser led the team in wins with 14 and even went unbeaten over a six-game span. 

The incremental progress continued throughout her junior season, where she led the team in strikeouts with 88, but it was her senior year in 2015 where she established herself as the true ace of the team. 

Schmeiser’s final season in College Park was her best as she led the team across the board in every major pitching category. Schmeiser posted a 19-12 record, 3.49 ERA, threw nine complete games, and had 176 strikeouts over 208 innings pitched.

It was a season that was years in the making and gave Schmeiser everything she wanted in a final year at the school she loves. 

“Senior year, in general, was an amazing experience,” Schmeiser said. “I remember when we played Michigan, which was ranked top-10, at home. I managed to hold them to one run and give myself a big bounce-back season. It felt like closure from the season and my four years here at Maryland.”

What made her time at Maryland even more special was that her sister, Lindsey, was also a member of the team. The Schmeiser sisters were both fantastic as the younger Lindsey was the  ACC Freshman of the Year and a member of the All-ACC First Team in 2013, and later named to the First Team All-Big Ten in 2015.

The pair were not only sisters, but also best friends and had the trust built up that made them both better. 

“We did everything together,” she said. “We trained together, we went to lessons together, and we played together. She’s a year behind me but she always played up on my teams because she was just that good.”

Schmeiser grew up in Calvert County, Maryland, and while her parents nurtured her athletic gifts, with their dad going as far as renovating a barn for them to hit and pitch balls in, they were much more focused on the importance of education. That idea stuck with their daughter, as Kaitlyn would win multiple academic awards throughout high school.

Softball was always meant to be a stepping stone, and that’s exactly what Schmeiser did as she parlayed her gifts to set her up for the future. Maryland’s commitment to academic excellence was a key reason why Schmeiser committed, and it’s a promise that the university kept. 

“Beyond school and beyond softball, there is more that Maryland helped open up for me,” she said. “Maryland helped in every way possible for leaving school and entering the workforce.”  

Schmeiser still holds herself to these high standards, as she is a Senior Account Executive at Chapman Cubine Allen + Hussey, which deals in direct mail, telemarketing, digital and mobile strategies. 

As a creative strategist, designer, and self-described storyteller, Schmeiser works in the fundraising department. It led her to a great connection with the non-profit organization, Reach for Uganda. Schmeiser currently volunteers with their Gala efforts and fundraises for schooling and kids in the impoverished country. 

“You can make such a huge impact in the world, even if you think what you are doing is small,” she said. “Working in a non-profit creates such an emotional reward. Stepping up and helping one other person creates a huge difference that you wouldn’t expect.”

Schmeiser spent her last two years as a student in the art building, and she said it felt like a different world, and the dynamic was different. “My classes helped develop theories and a different outlook on life. I was exposed to so many people, different beliefs, and different outlooks on life which still help me even to this day.”

Involving herself in so many different organizations is largely possible because of her benefits as a Terp. 

Since graduating from Maryland, Schmeiser has been actively involved with the M Club, which is a group that provides former Terp athletes with the opportunity to continue to be involved in Maryland Athletics once their eligibility has expired.

“The M Club is an amazing opportunity for former athletes like me who want to give back,” Schmeiser said. “I was blessed to be given the opportunity that I was, and I love the idea of being able to give it to current and future student-athletes.” 

Schmeiser has a lot of goals for her career, but one of them is to one day be able to fully fund a student-athlete scholarship the way that others did for her. To this day, she continues to sing the praises of all of those involved with the M Club who choose to use their resources to help the school that they love.

“I am extremely thankful for the amazing opportunity to have played softball here,” Schmeiser said. “I am very thankful to the donors, and I hope one day to give back to someone else, to give them the experience I had.”