Impact Of A Scholarship: Kim Rodgers

Former Maryland women’s basketball student-athlete Kim Rodgers knew the second she attended her first Terps basketball game, this place was going to be her home. 

The glamorous red M planted at the center of the court, the eye-popping red and gold decor and the thousands of energized fans standing at the edge of their seats instantly grasped her attention and made her want nothing else than to play on that court. 

Looking back on her experience at Maryland, Rodgers is forever grateful. 

Rodgers, 31, currently resides in Washington D.C. and is working as a Program and Communications Manager at the Center for Community Resilience, which sits in the School of Public Health at George Washington University. 

“You can’t trade the experience of being a student-athlete… I feel very lucky to have had that opportunity,” Rodgers said, who played for the Terps from 2007-12, playing in four NCAA Tournaments.

Rodgers’ basketball career began as a young girl, as her dad taught her how to play in their hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, starting at age six. She lived in the same house throughout her childhood, and her parents still live there today. She has one sister who is 10 years older than her. 

“My family is so close to this day, and I am so fortunate to have had such a stable home life with everything I needed while growing up,” Rodgers said. 

In high school, Rodgers was a four-year starter. She practiced every day, and then went to the gym with her dad for another two hours to get additional work in. At Maryland, Rodgers continued her success as she played in two ACC Championships (2009, 2012), took three trips to the Elite Eight, and received the team’s Selfless Award and Academic Achievement Award after her senior season. 

Rodgers faced several injuries during her time at the university. The summer she arrived, Rodgers tore her ACL and meniscus while playing basketball with a local league. This resulted in her to become a redshirt freshman, in which she extended her time at the university for an additional year. Rodgers experienced another knee surgery during the summer of 2010, causing her to be on crutches during the start of her junior year season. 

Other than the ACC Championships and the trips to the Elite Eight, Rodgers said her favorite memory is when she scored a game-winning basket against Georgia Tech after the power had just gone out. 

“Due to my injuries, there were moments where my career felt up and down, so to have those moments were very special to me,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers received two degrees during her time at the university. She received a communications degree in 2010, and then graduated with an additional degree in psychology in 2012. During her summers as a student, she would work for the Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George’s County in their Public Affairs and Marketing Department. 

“The biggest impact of getting a scholarship to Maryland was the opportunity to get a free education at a top public university,” said Rodgers “I walked away with two degrees and no debt, and that was a game changer because I was able to enter the workforce and not worry about paying back loans. 

“Being a scholarship athlete also prepared me for the real world; having to balance a full schedule of academic and athletic commitments taught me critical life skills like time management, goal setting and prioritization, and teamwork.”

As a student on a scholarship, Rodgers and her family experienced much relief as they didn’t have to worry about the debt many students face after college. She was able to save money to attend graduate school at George Mason University, where she received a master’s degree in health communications in 2016. 

After receiving her master’s, Rodgers found a job with the National Public Health Association which served the nation's local health departments. Rodgers worked as the Communications Manager where she developed communication solutions, options and recommendations that amplify the reach and efficacy of the Infectious Diseases and Informatics team’s activities. 

“Due to this position I became particularly interested in health equity, and learning the ways that structural racism and white supremacy culture are a public health crisis and a detriment of health to so many people of color,” Rodgers said. 

Rodgers held this position until a few months ago, when she began her current job. As the Program and Communications Manager of the Center for Community Resilience, Rodgers works to address the Pair of ACEs, adverse childhood experiences that occur in community environments, with cross-sector networks across the country. The overall goal of her position is to build community resilience for millions of children and families.

On the side, Rodgers runs a communications consulting business where she does freelance work. As someone who is very social justice oriented, Rodgers said this position has allowed her to work on various social justice issues and get more involved. 

Away from work and when we are not in the midst of a pandemic, Rodgers loves doing brunches and happy hours, going to live concerts, and traveling. When she  turned 27, she decided to start taking an international trip every year for her birthday. 

“I have been to eight countries in Europe, climbed to the top of Macchu Picchu in Peru, and explored the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador,” she said. “I’ve been to 15 countries total so far, and although I couldn’t go anywhere in 2020 because of the pandemic, I’m excited to get back to it once it’s safe to travel again.”

Rodgers is forever grateful for the relationships she built with Maryland supporters who were so invested in the program. 

“The relationships I gained were and continue to be so valuable, she said. “I met incredible boosters like Karabelle Pizzigati and Bill Henaghan, both of whom have now passed away but were close mentors that were invested in my success off the court, and gained an extended family of teammates who I’ve remained close with and are now more like family. In every aspect, my scholarship set me up to be where am I today and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

According to Rodgers, the University of Maryland led her to where she is today as it sparked her interest in communications. A women’s basketball season ticket holder who was a Division Chief for the Parks and Recreation introduced her to working for the Public Affairs and Marketing Department, where she was able to get her first real life experience in the field. 

“It’s a beautiful, long journey to where I am now, but this is exactly where I am supposed to be,” Rodgers said.