FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Jamie Legner, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Apr. 9, 2012 - Cory Schillerstrom knows just what to do to be successful on the court and in the classroom. This elementary education major has been an Academic All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) selection every year she has been eligible and was also selected to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar Athlete Team in 2008 and 2009.

She was one of two freshmen selected to the All-CCIW Team after finishing fourth at the CCIW Championships. She is the first Cardinal to earn All-CCIW honors all four years of competition. In the fall of 2010, Schillerstrom posted a new school record for number of matches won in the No. 1 position. This past fall she finished with a 9-8 record, playing at the No. 1 singles position, and also went 9-5 record at No. 1 doubles.


Q: How long have you been playing tennis?
A: I've been around it my whole life because my whole family plays, but I just did it for fun when I was little and I didn't start playing seriously until I was maybe ten or eleven.

Q: Have you ever played any other sports?
A: Yeah, I did cross country and track all through high school and I played soccer when I was little and I danced, too.

Q: What is your favorite thing about playing tennis?
A: I like that you can go and park your brain on something else for a little while because life is just getting more hectic and it's nice to just get a break. I also like doing it a lot for my dad just because he's my coach and it gives him something nice to do.

Q: What is your biggest goal for this season?
A: I think I just forgot about the wins and stuff because I had focused so much on that in high school so I just decided as long as I go out there and have fun with it because I can be a head case. My goal was just to not get upset on the court and just do it for fun and do the best I can.

Q: What is one of the team's goals?
A: We had a lot of younger talent this year and I think their goal was to still finish in the top four in the conference. I think it was just to have a winning record because we do have such a young team with a lot of talent but not as much experience.

Q: Are you involved in any on-campus activities?
A: CIA (Cardinals in Action), it's a volunteer group. I try to go to the Student Leaders Association of Teacher Educators (SLATE) meetings for education majors and Kappa Delta Pi for education also.

Q: What other campus activities do you like to attend?
A: I liked going to the football games because one of my friends was on the cheerleading squad and so I liked going to see that. I also like to watch volleyball but this past year has been pretty crazy so I haven't been able to come to much but I like to go to a lot of the jazz performances too because a lot of my friends are in that.

Q: What is your favorite thing about North Central College?
A: I love that it's in Naperville because I think that Naperville has a lot to offer and North Central as far as their education program goes the professors are amazing and I like the fact that they can give you so much attention and really sit with you one on one and help you. I think that's a huge part of North Central College.

Q: What made you decide to major in elementary education?
A: I come from a family of teachers and I always loved Elementary school when I was little and I just remember the teachers and I remember that it wasn't so much the subject they were teaching but I remember my teachers making me feel like I was worth something and I want to give students that same feeling.

Q: What do you want to do with that major after you graduate?
A: Just recently I was accepted into the Peace Corps so I want to teach for that and that will be right after I student teach. I've been thinking a lot about maybe doing an inner city CPS or something but I think good teachers are needed anywhere you go.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I will go straight to the Peace Corps after I student teach in the fall and I leave in February.

Q: Who is your biggest role model?
A: My mom and my dad. Everything I know I owe to them, just as far as relationships or how they approach problems and they're just awesome people.