Julianna Uhrik, a senior majoring in communications, is a member of the women’s golf team who has been performing well in the classroom as well as on the golf course. Uhrik has been involved in various community service and Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) activities such as last year’s greatly successful Operation Santa.  

Q. You are from Modesto, California... what brought you up to Oregon State?

A. “I initially wasn’t looking to coming here at all until I met Rise [Lakowske] when she was watching at the USGA Juniors in Connecticut. She watched me play a few holes and then asked me after the tournament if I wanted to come on a visit. So I came on an official visit just a couple weeks before the signing date. I had already gone on my other four and I just loved it here so here I am.”

Q. What have you enjoyed most about your stay here in Corvallis and the time spent with OSU golf?

A. “The people I’ve met and the lifelong friends I’ve made with my team. Just the opportunity to play a college sport and travel to the places I’ve been.

I love the traveling. The opportunities we get as a team to go all the places we go is amazing. For example, we went to Hawaii, and we are going again this year. I’d never been to Hawaii my whole entire life until I came here. We went two years so far. That tournament is really fun because Rise schedules at least one day free and do whatever in Hawaii.  I really, really enjoy that. And just traveling to all of the other states that golf has taken me has been really fun. I still want to travel outside of the country. I would really like to go to Europe and experience that life. I will have that opportunity because we have a couple teammates from that area.”

Q. You are a communications major, what got you interested in that field?

A. “I’ve always been a very social person and I like talking and I love people, so I thought this would be the best major for me and I’ve really enjoyed. I haven’t really gotten into the media part of yet, I’m taking some of those classes this year. That is something in the future that I think there is a good possibility for me to get into.”

Q. What do you plan on doing with that degree once you’ve graduated and your OSU golf career has reached its end?

A. “I’m going to try play professional golf. My coach has a lot of connections with NIKE so I’m also thinking of doing something with that, interning to some degree. Mainly the idea is to go to Qualifying School if my game is ready and then if I don’t make that I plan to go on a mini-tour like the Futures Tour.”

Q. Being a student-athlete is tough, but being able to do succeed in the classroom and on the course is even more difficult.

A. “I’ve definitely gotten a lot better at time-management from my freshman year. I’ve just learned that when you are in golf season you just have to get things done. When we are away in tournaments, it’s so hard to do homework and get studying done. When you are playing golf and having meetings, it just takes so much time, so I’ve gotten really good at time-management. Also, the first day of classes I get to know the professors really well so they know what I’m up against and let them know that I do care about school too.”

Q. How long have you been playing golf and how did you get interested in the sport? Any major influences?

A. “I’ve been playing since I was six years old. When my dad started playing he got me started. He started liking it so much he built a little 40-yard hole in our backyard with two greens and two sand traps. I just started hitting out there, had contests and then I just picked it up from there and fell in love with it.”

Q. When you look back on your years at Oregon State what will you remember most?

A. “The great people, my team, the school spirit, the support, the whole athletic department. I will remember my teammates and my roommates the most. I’ve had some really great teammates and roommates.”  

Q. What do you like to do when you actually get a little time to yourself?

A. “I love hanging out with my friends. I just like being around people, just having a good time with them whether it be shopping or going to the movies. I also like working out.”