Marymount senior Kathryn Wilson, a starting guard on the Saints' nationally-ranked women's basketball team, is this week's featured student-athlete in the CAC website "INTRODUCING ..." series. 

Wilson, who yesterday was named the CAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week, is in her second season as a team captain and third-year as a starter for MU.  Wilson is also a three-year member of the CAC All-Academic team.

What is your background in the sport you play?  I've been playing basketball since I was in the 3^rd grade. It wasn't until my 8^th grade year that I had decided that basketball was the sport that I really wanted to play. Until that time I had been equally playing both tennis and basketball. Although I continued to play tennis in high school, basketball was my true love. I made even more of a commitment to basketball after my freshman year in college because I had the chance to experience college basketball and see what I needed to improve on to get better.

What is your favorite spot on campus?  My favorite spot on campus is definitely my room-it is my sanctuary. It is where I go to relax, to do work, and to get peace (especially before games) when I need it. Since I am a Resident Assistant I have a room to myself so I don't have to worry about if the room is messy or noisy.

Other than you team, what organization(s) do you participate in?  One organization that I am a part of is Residence Life. I am in my 2^nd year as a Resident Assistant (RA) on campus. I basically maintain a safe and comfortable living environment for the female residents and plan events for the residents. Along with Residence Life, I am also a part of Marymount's Student Development.  During this past summer, I spent my time as an Orientation Leader for the university. I was a resource for the incoming freshmen if they had questions about the university and I participated in different activities to help the freshmen adjust to college life. I love both of these jobs because they serve as great ways to meet new people.

What is the most important societal issue facing college students?  I think an important societal issue facing college students is diversity. I think college is a time in our lives when we not only prepare for our futures but we also prepare for the real world. In college, diversity comes in many forms and some people have a harder time than others adjusting to the diversity they face in college.

What is your major in college, and what is the most important thing you learned in that discipline?  My major is Criminal Justice/Forensic Science Concentration. The most important thing that I learned in this field is the many possible job opportunities offered. I learned the basics of the criminal justice system and all other important information that applies. But I think learning about the career options was important because I was able to determine what path I wanted to take with the information that I was learning.

If you could give one piece of advice to elementary school children, what would that advice be?  I would tell elementary students to write down their goals and envision them. Whatever you want to be, whatever you want to do, whatever you want to accomplish in your life-write it down and envision it. Putting your goals in writing and placing it some place where you see it every day prevents you from forgetting it. For example, I made a poster saying "1 chance" for my dorm wall. This reminds me that its my senior year and I only have one chance to do my best in both academics and athletics.

What is your favorite form of entertainment?  MOVIES!!!-I have a HUGE DVD collection in my room. I love to watch movies. Some people call me "Blockbuster" because I have over a hundred movies in my room. I have a huge variety of movies, so depending on my mood during the day if I have time I'll watch a movie that is suitable.

Outside of the Capital Athletic Conference, who or what is your favorite sports person or team?  Kevin Garnett is my favorite player to watch because of the passion and the emotion that he has on the floor. He is who I try to imitate when I play basketball. Not the way he plays, but the energy he shows on the floor.

Name 3 people, real or fictional, living or dead, that you'd like to have dinner with.  The first person I would like to have dinner with would be Barack Obama. I would love to talk to him about the way he felt when he was elected president, especially compared to the way the country once was. I would also like to ask him about what change he sees in the future for the country, not just initiated by his work in the White House but by the monumental event of him being elected president of the United States.

The second person I would like to have dinner with would be my grandmother, Catherine Giles. She passed away when I was a sophomore in high school. But there has been so much that I have done since then and I would just want to hear her thoughts about what I have done and just laugh with her like we always used to do.

The last person that I would like to have dinner with is Keyshia Cole. She is my favorite music artists. Not only because of her music but the way that she has overcome so much adversity in her life to be where she is today. And she seems like such a strong woman to have been brought through her past and be able to still stand tall.