Dec. 13, 2019

Moore School alumna Jeanelle Scheper (’17 economics, '18 MAEcon) is spending 2019 balancing a new job in data analytics for adidas in the Netherlands while training for the high jump competition in the 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Scheper, who studied math and economics as an undergraduate, completed the Master of Arts in Economics program to refine her economics and data analytics skills and to compete another year on the University of South Carolina track and field team.

“Adidas sponsored me after I competed at South Carolina, so it’s neat to be on the other side and see the business aspects of the company,” she said.

Staying at USC after her eligibility as a student athlete ended, Scheper chose to earn her master’s degree at the Moore School because of the atmosphere she encountered.

“I felt very welcome, so it just seemed like the natural choice,” she said.

While finishing her master’s program, Scheper was competing and taking classes full time and working part time as a graduate assistant. Now, between her Olympics training and working full time in data analytics, she’s using the skills she gained at the Moore School every day.

“My time at South Carolina really prepared me for this phase of life because it taught me how to balance all my responsibilities,” she said.

Scheper encourages other student athletes to consider pursuing their business degrees at USC.

“The professors are extremely accessible, which was one of my favorite aspects of the business school — getting to go to professors’ offices and chatting with them. They were always very interested and supportive of my competition schedule, which is really important for student athletes.”

Scheper will continue training through summer 2020; she finds out in July if she qualifies for the high jump competition in the Tokyo Olympics.

-Madeleine Vath