WASHINGTON (July 2, 2021) – Howard University rising senior marketing major, journalism minor
Mekhi Abbott continues the tennis Senior Spotlight series with a graduate edition, featuring
Aria Ragas (Johns Creek, Ga).
Q: At what age did you get into tennis and how?
A: I got into tennis when I was around four or five years old. I was an athletic kid who participated in many sports and tennis was just the next sport in line for me to try. It came pretty natural to me and my family is pretty big into tennis, so my grandma would take me to tennis practice during the summers and the sport just stuck with me. I began putting my focus on the [tennis] court and playing year round.
Q: Who or what would you say was your motivation on the tennis court? Also, is there anyone you admire in the tennis world who you maybe model your game after?
A: I would definitely say my friends and family motivate me to be the best person I can, both on and off the court.
My favorite tennis player would be
Serena Williams (American Tennis Champion), based off what she was able to achieve given her circumstances. She has had a long, successful career; thus, making her the greatest tennis player of all-time. I admire that she continues to compete, even though she has nothing more to prove. So, I would say that's the closest thing I have in terms of someone who I highly respect; however, I play my own game and it speaks for itself.
Q: Can you revisit the moment you received your athletic scholarship and what kind of emotions you felt at the time?
A: When I got the call that I was receiving an athletic scholarship, it was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I was with my friend and she was listening and cheering, which really added to that moment. It was kind of a euphoria of emotions and just a great overall feeling. It felt good knowing my parents weren't really going to dish out any more money for my schooling.
Q: What will you miss the most about Howard?
A: The people, the environment and the atmosphere. I will miss being around so many successful, creative and influential people on a daily basis.
Any given day on the yard, you will see musicians, singers, dancers, scholars and just overall so many talented people. It is almost like a black utopia, but a genuine raw space at the same time. No one is putting on a mask or trying to outperform someone else, they're just being themselves. It is a space where black people can just exist as loudly, as vibrant or as quietly as they want.
Q: Give me some hype songs you would listen to while training or pre-match.
A:
Hello, Good Morning by Dirty Money ft. T.I. and Rick Ross because this song would definitely get me going and kept me motivated for those 6 a.m. practices, lol
Q: What is something you accomplished at Howard that you are most proud of?
A: Being on the board of the United Nations Association and getting that program off the ground running.
I would also say one of my biggest accomplishments is implementing a financial literacy course for Howard University's entire student body. It is in the process of being developed and implemented into the curriculum this summer. It is important that minorities have those financial literacy skills to help combat the wealth gap that disproportionally affects the black community.
Q: Given the increased discourse and spotlight on mental health really being driven by A-list athletes and celebrities like Brandon Marshall (former NFL player), Dak Prescott (NFL Player), Kevin Love (NBA Champion) and most recently, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, what is your position of how mental health can affect athletes? Specifically, on a collegiate level given on the added stress and pressures of academics and potential financial burden.
A: Mental health is an extremely important topic that is not spoken enough. You're working every day, expected to perform while maintaining good grades and manage a social life. So at times, it can be extremely draining. Balancing tennis, academics and my social life was really a challenge at times, but I always had support from my family, teammates and classmates.
Also, a healthy environment is very important. Luckily, my team was very supportive when I went through rough patches. They would help me through those challenging times and vice versa.
If you are dealing with an unhealthy environment, your mental health can deteriorate, which takes time to rebound.
Q: What advice do you have for black kids who may be expressing interest in a sport like tennis, especially since it is not the most popular sport in the Black community?
A: My advice is to find a support system and try tennis.
With any sport, you're going to win some and you're going to lose some. But if you have a good support system around you, like I had, it's important and beneficial.
It doesn't have to necessarily be tennis, though. I would highly recommend kids try team-based sports, so they can experience a support system, like teammates to lean on.
With me, I had the best of both worlds because, individually, I was competing for myself; however, I always had family and teammates having my back, which made the journey better.
Q: What are your post-graduation plans?
A: Post-graduation, I will be moving to New York and working as a consultant at Accenture.
I am also planning on going back to school and getting my Master of Business Administration. I am not certain on the school yet, but I have been accepted into Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT).
*UPDATE: Aria Ragas will be a future Sloanie as she was accepted into MIT Sloan School of Management's Deferred MBA Program. This program will allow Ragas to work for 2-5 years with a guaranteed seat in admission into MIT Sloan's business school.*
Q: Lastly, what is the biggest thing you are going to take away from your Howard experience?
A: In all, it has been an amazing experience and I would not be the woman I am today if I had not attended Howard. HU helped my leadership skills while developing my personality and social skills.
I thank everyone – my classmates, teammates, Coach
Larry Strickland (Howard's former Director of Tennis) and the rest of the coaching staff for help molding me into the woman I am today.
About Ragas:
- Personal:
- Hometown: Johns Creek, Georgia
- Major: Business Administration
- Academic:
- Maintained a 3.95 GPA
- Four-Time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Commissioner's All-Academic Team
- Four-Time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Academic-Scholar
- Athletic:
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
