As a star athlete and the valedictorian of her class at Mount Everett Regional School in Sheffield, MA, there was no shortage of colleges willing to open their doors to Gwendolyn Carpenter. The opportunity to be a part of two athletic programs, as well as a great experience during an overnight visit to campus, left no doubt in Carpenter’s mind that Framingham State was the spot for her.

“You know it when you find your school,” she says. “My dad played college baseball, and I have watched the relationships he has maintained so many years later. I wanted a similar experience. I have absolutely loved it here.”

Carpenter just finished her senior year at Framingham State, where she helped lead the women’s basketball and softball teams to conference titles. In addition to her many awards and honors on the field, she was also named a Division III Academic All-American.

“It’s been awesome being a part of two programs that are at the top of the conference,” says Carpenter. “I’ve gotten the college experience I was really looking for.”

Off the field, Carpenter is a Biology major with a Pre-Health concentration. She has already applied to graduate physician assistant programs and is interested in orthopedic medicine and working with athletes. Carpenter has thrived in the Biology program, while balancing the demands of two NCAA athletic programs.

“I’ve had amazing professors who are very supportive,” she says. “They are interested in game results and in tune with what I have going on outside the class. I played three sports in high school, so I am used to having very little extra time. It forces me to get my work done and not procrastinate.”

Carpenter says her overall experience at FSU has exceeded her expectations, and she is confident that, similar to her father, she has made lifelong relationships.

“You don’t realize the impact a place is having on you in the moment, but I have met my best friends at FSU,” she says. “The people are the reason I ended up here, and I’m just lucky to have found a place that fit so perfectly.”