The deadline for admissions responses was looming and uncertainty was growing:
their ideal university was not yet in the message box
.
However, she remained calm and waited with hope.
July 22, 2020, was a day that will forever remain in your memory
.
That morning, Eugenia became a student and professional athlete at the
University of San Francisco, Pennsylvania.
“
It was a huge joy
, I couldn't hold back the emotion.
After so many months of interviews, document management and nerves,
I achieved what I dreamed of so much
,” says Eugenia Kenny in an interview with
Clarín
.
At only 19 years old
, the young Argentine - originally from the
Province of Buenos Aires
-
made the decision to emigrate to the United States in August 2020
, with the aim of beginning her professional career in the country of opportunities.
The story of a passion
The protagonist of this story was born in Capital Federal, where she lived a memorable childhood, in her words.
However,
her future lay elsewhere
.
Since she was little,
she attended the Liceo Naval Club
,
where she discovered her greatest passion: hockey
.
More than a sport, it ended up becoming a lifestyle, which years later
would open the doors to a life very different from his own.
Eugenia in a library in the United States.
Photo: @eugeniakenny, Instagram.
At the end of 2018
, in their last year of high school, the Argentine club organized a friendly match against a team from a North American university called
“Drexel”
.
At the end, they met for dinner with the players and Eugenia shared a conversation with the American coach that
changed her perspective on life.
That talk provoked a feeling of aspiration in her, which was
a before and after in her way of seeing things
.
She heard what it was like to be a college athlete and the economic possibilities that existed to achieve it, so
she became fascinated.
At the beginning of 2019,
he began to investigate in depth
the requirements
necessary to obtain a sports scholarship in
the United States
.
Some of them were:
obtaining the I-20 study visa to be able to reside in the country, presenting the high school diploma and passport
.
The young Argentine at the University of San Francisco, United States.
Photo: @eugeniakenny, Instagram.
As a result of this, - to make the process easier for her -
in April 2020, Eugenia hired a private agency
to represent her as an athlete.
In this way, for several months she was promoted to different universities,
in order to get the best sports and study offer possible.
After three months, she was admitted - with a scholarship that covers 100% of her studies - to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and International Relations at
her ideal institution: The University of San Francisco
,
Pennsylvania
.
With a mix of emotions,
she said goodbye to her loved ones and embarked on a new adventure.
In the blink of an eye, he found himself at the Ezeiza International Airport, tightly holding his two suitcases that
contained the memories of an entire life
.
It was like this, like
in August 2020, she got on a plane heading to an unknown destination
with many expectations.
A dream fulfilled in the land of opportunities
With the hope of experiencing a new way of life and learning about new cultures,
Eugenia landed in the State of Pennsylvania
.
At that college, her classmates welcomed her with open arms.
Eugenia with her friends in New York, United States.
Photo: @eugeniakenny, Instagram.
“It was difficult for me to leave my country and family, but
it was worth it
.
My dream was so fervent that when I left, only emotion predominated,” says the young woman.
With determination and commitment,
he prepared to train six days a week with a strict regimen
.
At the same time, they required him to study and pass his exams, so
the path was not easy
, according to his words.
“Despite this,
I was attracted to sports professionalism and the American lifestyle
.
The most beautiful thing for me was the people I surrounded myself with and the diversity of landscapes and places I visited.
A unique experience
,” Eugenia explains with joy.
-Why did you choose the United States in particular?
-I chose it
because of university life
.
Basically, I found the idea of being able to
compete professionally in the sport that I am passionate about
and at the same time not losing academic focus extremely attractive.
The young athlete celebrating her graduation with her coaches.
Photo: @eugeniakenny, Instagram.
In that institute,
He built great friendships that, being thousands of kilometers away from his home,
gave him the support he needed
.
“I interacted a lot with international students, with whom
I connected in a genuine and deep way
,” says the graduate.
“One of the memories I treasure most was when we reached the semifinals of the Annual Hockey Cup with my team.
I had the opportunity to travel to New York
and tour the city with my friends,
it was amazing
,” adds Eugenia.
After a while, in
2023
, the young Argentine
graduated from college
and
fulfilled her dream of becoming a professional player
.
Thanks to her efforts and good performance, she was hired for a graduate assistantship at
Millersville University, Pennsylvania
.
Family.
Eugenia saying goodbye to her mother at the Ezeiza International Airport.
Photo: @eugeniakenny, Instagram.
In exchange,
he completes a Master's Degree in Innovation and Technology
, where
his studies are covered and he is paid to work
.
“The possibilities for growth in this country are endless, you know that
if you work hard you can get whatever you want
,” explains the student from her new home.
In the future, his goal is to graduate with the best possible GPA and make the most of
the possibility of working and living in the United States
.