Beyond Academics — Maako Fangajei

Football

I’ve played football since I was four, and I am looking to continue playing throughout my time in college. I’ve played recreationally in Bowling Green, Ohio; at Princeton Football Club in New Jersey; at FC Saint-Sulpice and Foot Region Morges (FRM) in Switzerland. I played at FRM for seven years and was fortunate enough to win two league titles and a state cup, along with a variety of off-season tournament wins.

My time playing across these teams has taught me to lead by example and collaborate in high-stakes environments where coordination is crucial to win in tight situations. I’ve improved my communication greatly both with regard to clarity and conciseness; football also allowed me to pick up French fluently at a much faster pace than is normal.

Snowboarding

I started out skiing in 2017, and switched to snowboarding in 2022 after deciding I needed a new challenge to tackle in the winter season. Winter sports in general give me the opportunity to challenge myself physically outside football, while simultaneously appreciating the beauty of nature and the outdoors.

Over the next few seasons, I'm looking forward to becoming more comfortable in the snow park and hopefully teaching my youngest brother to snowboard, too!

Travel

I've moved around a lot, and living in Switzerland has given me the chance to explore even more thanks to its position in central Europe. I enjoy the exposure that travel gives me to new cultures and ways of life.

I hope to study abroad in Hong Kong while at Tech; I'm also excited to explore Central America during my time in Atlanta.