Ellyn Adelmann is a Junior at Gustavus, a devout Christian, a soccer player, a Gustie Buddy, a future sports psychologist, and has also been speaking Spanish as a non-native for more than 5 years. It seems like a lot to be Ellyn Adelmann, but, as she’ll tell you, this is actually pretty tame.

“As a freshman, I was your typical Gustie. I was overinvolved and practically had no time for myself,” Ellyn said.

She was involved in anything she could get her hands on, and it took her that entire year to realize that she needed time for herself.

“I didn’t know what to do with myself because I’d never had the time to just do nothing,” she said.

Now, Ellyn uses her time precisely, being a part of four different on-campus groups.

“As stressed out students, we constantly have things that tear us down, but there are so many things we take for granted everyday,” she said.

Ellyn’s faith plays a large part in her ability to separate herself from this stress.

“It’s really nice to have the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) where you can not only relate to people who share your faith, but you meet people outside of your own group that you might not have met before,” Ellyn said.

Similarly, as a soccer player, Ellyn strives to do her best to improve.

“She is able to relate to others almost effortlessly and is incredibly aware of how she can positively influence another individual through the relationship she builds with them.” — Laura Burnett-Kurie

“Ellyn is constantly putting in the time and work to improve as a soccer player… She’s incredibly coachable, always wants to learn and elevate her game and those characteristics paired with her hard work certainly makes her an exceptional individual,” Her coach, Health and Exercise Science Instructor Laura Burnett-Kurie said.

Ellyn will also tell you that hard work does and has paid off.

“Last year, we were predicted as a team to finish 2nd to last in the MIAC conference. To end up winning that very same and extremely competitive conference was really rewarding as a player and as a team,” Ellyn said.

As her coach on the Gustavus Women’s soccer team, Laura Burnett-Kurie has known Ellyn the entire time she’s been at Gustavus.

Coach Burnett-Kurie will also be the first person to tell you how friendly and outgoing Ellyn is.

“She is able to relate to others almost effortlessly and is incredibly aware of how she can positively influence another individual through the relationships she builds with them,” Coach Burnett-Kurie said.

One of Ellyn’s good friends Laura Johnson also commented on her sociability.

“She cares so much for the people around her and I feel blessed to have such a caring person in my life. As we walk around campus, she will constantly be greeting people, asking how they are doing, and engage in conversation,” Johnson said.

“She cares so much for the people around her and I feel blessed to have such a caring person in my life.” — Laura  Johnson

Ellyn describes herself as outgoing and loves being around people to engage in social interaction.

This outgoing personality has also been put to use through the on-campus club known as Language Buddies.

Language Buddies helps out families within the St. Peter Community who don’t speak English as their first language and need help adjusting to the city.

Having taken Spanish for as long as she has, Ellyn is the ideal candidate for a volunteer position such as this.

Next semester, Ellyn will be studying abroad in Lima, Peru where she plans to not only explore Peruvian culture, but also work on her studio art minor.

She’s enrolled in at least one scenic photography class and with the sites of Lima, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a good place to take a gorgeous photo for her collection.