Álvaro Velasco

The Student-Athlete Experience 2025 is more than just a name—it’s a campaign built on the voices of international student-athletes who live, train, and compete in the U.S. every single day. No one understands what it’s like to be an international student-athlete in 2025 better than someone living it right now. 

Train. Study. Compete. Grow. 

Through real stories from around the world, we’re showing what it means to give everything to the sport you love, your education, and your future while building a new life thousands of miles from home. 

Because it’s not just about matches or titles. It’s about the drive, the sacrifice, the growth, and the community you find along the way. Being a student-athlete in 2025 is demanding but powerful, unforgettable, and an experience you carry with you forever. 

We asked Freija Aflenzer, a soccer player from Austria studying at Eckerd College, to give a glimpse into her student-athlete experience. 

The Student-Athlete Experience 2025: This is what living it really feels like.