George Washington University Athletics
Alumni Spotlight: Robby Wacker
10/28/2024 10:03:00 AM | Baseball
Robby Wacker '24, a two-year member of GW's baseball team, played in 100 career games with the Buff & Blue. The Greenville, N.C. native was a mainstay at the hot corner and racked up a .256 batting average, 91 total hits, 64 RBI and 69 runs scored during his time with the Revolutionaries. After completing his collegiate career, Wacker joined a long list of GW baseball alums who are making an immediate impact in the workplace and using the skills they learned in Foggy Bottom to become leaders in the professional world.
1. What are you currently doing, and where are you living?
I'm in a management rotational program at Capital One. Currently, I'm a third-party manager in the small business banking division. I am living in Washington, DC.
2. What career path did you choose after graduation, and how did your GW experience influence that choice?
I chose to pursue a rotational program so I could experience a wide range of job functions and opportunities, while also growing my business management background. At GW I studied management through the business school, which exposed me to the versatility and value of a management background. The GW career center also helped me prepare early to secure an internship before my first season. That allowed me to pour extra time into baseball and also led to a full-time job offer which I accepted before my final year.
3. How did your student-athlete experience shape you both personally and professionally?
My experience as a student-athlete taught me countless lessons that have propelled me personally and professionally. To balance elite athletic performance, high-level academics and enjoying the college experience required a level of time management and discipline that many do not experience before the professional world. These skills are separators and prepare you to live an enjoyable life of success after your athletic career comes to an end.
4. What was the transition like from being a college athlete to your post-college life?
The transition post-graduation has been very enjoyable. I was fortunate to leave it all on the field and secured a job that excited me when my playing career was over. The hardest part has been not having the camaraderie of 35 close friends around all the time, but I've enjoyed traveling and exploring other interests in my newfound free time.
5. What are your fondest memories from your time at GW?
My favorite memory at GW was beating VCU this past year. It was a season-defining comeback and series win that the whole team was involved in. I had never been a part of a series that exciting, and without it we would likely have missed the playoffs. Day to day I miss the constant excitement and the small things like team dinners after a long day at the field.
6. What advice would you give current college athletes about preparing for life after sports?
Prepare to be a professional on the field and off the field every day, but also enjoy where your feet are. It's not an easy task, but by taking advantage of the resources afforded to student-athletes, you can set yourself up to be in a position where you can't lose. By committing to prepare yourself athletically and professionally/academically, you find yourself in a position of confidence where no matter what happens you will succeed. It's also just as important to recognize and celebrate the hard work you've done day after day. College goes by in a blink (even for a six-year athlete like myself), and too often we look back with regrets. Waste no days, leave nothing in the tank and take time to enjoy the process. College athletics is truly a one-of-a-kind experience, but too often it's not realized until it's already passed.
1. What are you currently doing, and where are you living?
I'm in a management rotational program at Capital One. Currently, I'm a third-party manager in the small business banking division. I am living in Washington, DC.
2. What career path did you choose after graduation, and how did your GW experience influence that choice?
I chose to pursue a rotational program so I could experience a wide range of job functions and opportunities, while also growing my business management background. At GW I studied management through the business school, which exposed me to the versatility and value of a management background. The GW career center also helped me prepare early to secure an internship before my first season. That allowed me to pour extra time into baseball and also led to a full-time job offer which I accepted before my final year.
3. How did your student-athlete experience shape you both personally and professionally?
My experience as a student-athlete taught me countless lessons that have propelled me personally and professionally. To balance elite athletic performance, high-level academics and enjoying the college experience required a level of time management and discipline that many do not experience before the professional world. These skills are separators and prepare you to live an enjoyable life of success after your athletic career comes to an end.
4. What was the transition like from being a college athlete to your post-college life?
The transition post-graduation has been very enjoyable. I was fortunate to leave it all on the field and secured a job that excited me when my playing career was over. The hardest part has been not having the camaraderie of 35 close friends around all the time, but I've enjoyed traveling and exploring other interests in my newfound free time.
5. What are your fondest memories from your time at GW?
My favorite memory at GW was beating VCU this past year. It was a season-defining comeback and series win that the whole team was involved in. I had never been a part of a series that exciting, and without it we would likely have missed the playoffs. Day to day I miss the constant excitement and the small things like team dinners after a long day at the field.
6. What advice would you give current college athletes about preparing for life after sports?
Prepare to be a professional on the field and off the field every day, but also enjoy where your feet are. It's not an easy task, but by taking advantage of the resources afforded to student-athletes, you can set yourself up to be in a position where you can't lose. By committing to prepare yourself athletically and professionally/academically, you find yourself in a position of confidence where no matter what happens you will succeed. It's also just as important to recognize and celebrate the hard work you've done day after day. College goes by in a blink (even for a six-year athlete like myself), and too often we look back with regrets. Waste no days, leave nothing in the tank and take time to enjoy the process. College athletics is truly a one-of-a-kind experience, but too often it's not realized until it's already passed.
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