WASHINGTON (July 20, 2022) – Howard University Department of Athletics Senior Spotlight series rolls on with another graduate edition, featuring Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Champion
Diana Effiom (Dallas), who was interviewed by
Greg Jones.
Q: What will you miss about Howard after graduation?
A: I will miss the people and the community, especially my throw squad because they motivated and pushed me to be my best.
Q: What was your favorite moment at Howard?
A: My favorite moment at Howard was the first time I won the hammer championships because I was not seeded to win. Also, I set a new personal best and broke the school mark on the same throw. That was a really amazing moment that I shared with my teammates.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I will be pursuing a master's degree in environmental sciences. After that, I will hopefully be going to medical school to pursue an OBGYN degree.
Q: What advice would you give a future Bison?
A: The best advice I would give a future Bison is to soak up every moment because it goes by in the blink of an eye. Also, pursue any opportunities that feel right to you because you never know what roads it might take you down.
Q: When did you start competing in the sport?
A: I started my sophomore year of high school. I was primarily a basketball player and actually joined the track team after basketball season ended to avoid offseason running.
Q: What are some obstacles you faced throughout your collegiate career, how did you overcome them?
A: I encountered a lot of obstacles, but it was always a matter of using what we had and doing our best to make it work.
Q: How do you ease your mind and prepare mentally for meets?
A: I always pray and listen to Gospel music the day before to stay relax. Personally, I perform best when my mind is at rest and ease. On meet day, I always have my go-to rap playlist to get me pumped and ready to compete.
Q: What is your favorite bible verse?
A: My favorite bible verse is Ecclesiastes 1:11. The part that always runs with me says, "he makes beautiful in its time." To me, this means that everyone always has their time to shine and things will always get better. This always motivates me during tough times and kept me humble during times of success.
Q: Who is your favorite rap artist?
A: In general, my favorite rapper is
Nicki Minaj. But, for my warmup playlist, it's
Moneybagg Yo.
Q: What figures have inspired you throughout your collegiate career?
A: My coach
Nicholas Latham (Associate Athletic Director for Operations) definitely inspired me because he always kept me humble and believed in me when I didn't even believe in myself.
Throwing wise, I always admired
Ryan Crouser because he did things that were never done in the throwing community. He was so humble and good, so I stride for that.
Q: Do you plan on continuing your track career after college?
A: As of right now, I do not; however, if the opportunity presents itself, I would definitely consider it.
Q: What accomplishments are you most proud of in your career?
A: I am most proud of my two hammer championships because those were the icing on top of my career.
Also, the women's team winning the indoor and outdoor championships this year meant a lot because the team started from the bottom and we worked our way up. It felt really good to see the hard work pay off during my senior year.
About Effiom
- Personal:
- Academic:
- MEAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team
- Athletic:
- MEAC Hammer Throw Champion
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
