Cornell University only accepts 14 percent of students who apply, and it just so happens that a 2010 Southern Lehigh alumna Rachel D’Epagnier was once part of that percentage. D’Epagnier graduated from Cornell in just three and a half years with a Bachelor of Science in Human Factors and Ergonomics, which is the study of work and its effect on human performance. With her degree, D’Epagnier began her career as an Ergonomics Consultant at a company called Humantech, where they use ergonomics to improve workplace performance.

“When I was at Humantech, I traveled around the world visiting factories, leading training classes for Health and Safety professionals and engineers to assess how likely their employees are being injured on the job,” she said, “and then I helped them design changes to reduce those chances of injury.”

After two and a half years working at Humantech, D’Epagnier decided to go back to school at the University of Virginia, and is currently working on getting her master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, with the goal of pursuing a career in helping to develop athletes.

“Right now, I’m an assistant coach at a youth fitness center, and I thoroughly enjoy it,” D’Epagnier said. “I’m also interning with [University of] Virginia’s men’s basketball team, as well as running a research study that looks at exercise’s effect on Parkinson’s disease.”

In high school, D’Epagnier was captain of Southern Lehigh’s volleyball team and a member of a club volleyball team, Synergy, in King of Prussia. One of the highlights of her volleyball career was winning Southern Lehigh’s first District XI championship.

D’Epagnier continued to play volleyball in college. Her favorite moment was her last game, in which Cornell played against Brown University.

“The head coach sought me out after the game, shook my hand, and said, ‘it has been an honor to watch you play the last four years,’” D’Epagnier said. “That was a pretty powerful and humbling moment I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”

D’Epagnier stills plays volleyball every week on an indoor women’s team, and a co-ed team. She also plays grass and beach volleyball in the summer.

But volleyball isn’t her only notable activity. D’Epagnier danced at Diane Medeiros Academy of Dance through her sophomore year of high school. A well-rounded student, she also participated in tutoring and teen counseling at Southern Lehigh.

“She was tremendously hard-working. She never had a hard time with any of her classes,” Spanish teacher Mrs. Joan Imms-Geiser said. “Rachel was so smart, but so easy to talk to and get along with. She was not in a lot of clubs, but she led by example. Other people from her class looked up to her.”

When she was in high school, D’Epagnier wishes she would have known what she knows now to help her through those years.

“I think we are presented with decisions in life and whichever choice we make, we have to make the best of it. It’s important to pursue what you love, even if it’s scary and a big change,” she said. “When you get to college, don’t let school overwhelm you. Missing out on joining clubs, activities, and meeting friends because you’re working so hard to get one percentage point higher in a class is missing the point of college. Work hard, be responsible, do well, but experience life while you’re at it. Don’t leave college wishing you had done more.”