Swimmer Jamie Yeh savored the moment as she signed her official letter of intent to attend and swim for Yale University. This momentous event capped off countless hours of studying, training and striving to achieve an incredible 4.8 GPA and a laundry list of athletic accomplishments in the pool. Even in Irvine, where academic excellence and athletic prowess are the envy of the nation, Yeh is in a league of her own.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Yeh to discuss her many successes and future at Yale…
Why did you set your sights on Yale?
Yeh: My family always felt I could do anything and encouraged me to aim for the top. At first, I didn’t think that I would be able to make it in swimming. By the middle of my junior year I began to believe it might be possible and pushed even harder. Honestly, I’m kind of surprised myself, and I guess I still don’t really believe that I will be swimming competitively for one of America’s best and most storied universities.
A 4.8! How do you balance academics and athletics?
Yeh: For me, it’s academics, swimming and family. Competitive swimming has taught me to work hard, persevere and to be extremely efficient with my time.
What does the future hold, the Olympics?
Yeh: I don’t know if I’ll make it all the way to the Olympics. I like to tell people that I’m going to swim until I’m 90. I get a lot of joy from swimming, and I hope for a long competitive career .
