Something Bigger Than Himself

Daniel Owens says he hasn’t always felt comfortable with his identity. But ever since attending the University of Maryland, he has grown as a student-athlete and individual through his experiences as a football player studying kinesiology. 

Owens is a sophomore defensive lineman for the Terps and a Baltimore native. He chose to attend the University of Maryland after his sister attended the school and shared her positive experiences. Being close to home was important for him, but his instant connection with teammates and involvement with the Kubasik First Impact Program indicated that Maryland was the place for him.

The Kubasik First Impact Program is designed to help second-year student-athletes discover their identity, strengths, and passions through experiential education, exposure to careers, and an opportunity to build career-ready skills. 

Owens saw the program as a perfect opportunity to explore his identity outside of football. Owens is one of 17 student-athletes from nine different athletic teams currently involved with the program. He says his involvement has allowed him to grow as a student-athlete. 

“It’s important to be a part of the Kubasik program because [student athletes] need to build a basis for who they are and what they want to do,” Owens said. …“[The program] gives you the opportunity to hear from a lot of experienced people in the business world and other avenues.”

In the Spring of each semester, the Maryland Made staff shares the Kubasik First Impact Program opportunity with coaches and academic athletic counselors to identify potential student-athletes for the program. Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development Sydney Anderson meets with applicants to review how the program will assist them during their second year and beyond. 

Anderson says Owens has greatly benefited from his involvement.

"Watching Daniel's growth and development throughout the Kubasik First Impact Program has been nothing short of amazing,” she said. “His energy, initiative and engagement have been influential towards his peers and I can proudly say he is an emerging leader within Maryland Athletics."

The program was created by Jane and Chris Kubasik. Owens described Jane as “A woman who loves hearing our testimonies and has a genuine interest in how she can help us maximize our capabilities.” 

At the end of the program, graduates are granted a spot in the Maryland Made InTERPship Academy, where they spend the summer working in their selected field and getting hands-on experience. All graduates also receive $500 to put toward their professional goals, such as testing preparation, certification costs, and more. 

“[They] built this program so that when people are done with their sport they’re not just left broken and empty,” Owens said.

As an emerging leader on the football team, Owens found his identity through his faith. He had many people place the word of God in his life. His grandmother was a devout Christian in his life, and when she passed away when he was in high school, he sought to continue exploring what he had learned from her.  

Owens learned it's his relationship with God that counts. In the past, he believed that Christianity was about fulfilling certain requirements to make it to heaven. He has realized his relationship with God is more important than anything else. He wants to make sure that every day, he is a representative of Christ and is a part of something bigger than himself.

The defensive lineman also says his roommate, Caleb Wheatland, is a strong influence in Owens’ growth in faith. They began to attend bible study multiple times a week and attend Zion Church every Sunday. This helped build his confidence and realize the importance of thinking about the future. 

“[Caleb] was solid in his understanding of God and wanted to make disciples of other people,” Owens said. “When you have people like that surrounding you, it's kind of hard not to take a look inside yourself.”

Owens’ growth in the classroom led to him understanding his ideal career path after football. As a kinesiology major, he hopes to motivate others during their athletic careers as a physical trainer. He wants to work with athletes and help them maximize their capabilities, just like the Kubasik First Impact Program has done for him. 

“There are a lot of people who can really be great but don’t have the resources or someone to believe in them and push them towards greater things,” Owens said. “I want to be that for somebody. All of the people in my life have done that for me and I would be remiss if I didn’t pay that forward.”