OLYMPIA, Wash. – Corona Parker (Sr., Grad. academically) from The Evergreen State College women's track and field team is the Evergreen Featured Athlete of the Week for May 7, 2025. Parker, a competitor for the Geoducks in the high jump, is from Tualatin, Oregon, where she graduated from Tualatin High School.

Parker initially chose Evergreen because of its unique approach to learning. Then, she discovered that competing in track and field was an option. Now, as a graduate student, she's been participating in track and field with the Geoducks for five years.

"I chose Evergreen for the interdisciplinary courses of study and later I found out that I could continue my track and field career," Parker explained. "So, I emailed the coach at the time, and a few weeks later, I received a handwritten letter in the mail."

Her growth as a track and field athlete has included time as a multi-event athlete, participating in the indoor pentathlon and the outdoor heptathlon. She's also been a high jumper. She set Evergreen's school record in the high jump last year and has qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the high jump with a new school record of 1.66 meters (5' 5.25") this season. She will compete at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships this weekend.

"I am feeling excited, grateful, and accomplished," Parker said. "After ending my last collegiate season as a multi-eventer and felling dissatisfied like I left a lot unseen, I was able to come into the outdoor season with a fresh mindset. I had a historically good first outdoor meet and cleared the qualifying height for nationals. It is my fifth year training with the team and I have had incredible coaches, each teaching me something new."

Parker has put in many hours improving as a track and field competitor. She often high jumps at the back of Evergreen's gymnasium in the Costantino Recreation Center, especially during the indoor season. She also includes the weight room in her workout efforts.

"Over the years, I have spent a lot of time training in the weight room and the track," Parker noted. "I believe my success as a high jumper comes from training as a heptathlete. That training has kept me well-rounded, and the various events help me overcome lulls in performance."

As a Geoduck, Parker appreciates the closeness of the track and field athletes at Evergreen, especially since she often needs to practice alone.

"My favorite thing about being a part of the team is the relationships I have formed over the years," Parker commented. "The last couple of years the team went to all the same meets, and we were able to get really close. This season, I have been in the classroom, Monday through Friday and have trained independently. I miss being around the team, but it has been so exciting seeing everyone chase after their goals."

Some of Parker's connections with her teammates have been away from the track. Team-building can take shape in many ways.

"My top memory was when we bleach-dyed t-shirts," Parker said. "As a captain, I wanted us to have more team clothes, bus as we started bleaching the shirts they changed all sorts of colors bases on the sizing. The smalls bleached pink, mediums were blue, and the larges were orange. We figured it must have had something to do with the batches. It was fun seeing everyone wear their shirts the rest of the season."

Parker has spent much of the current academic year as a student teacher. It has been a great experience for her.

"Being in the classroom has been a rewarding challenge," she asserted. "The fourth and fifth graders that I work with are hilarious and sweet. It has been a blast learning and teaching with them. Every day something weird or funny happens. That's working with kids. You never know what to expect."

As the 2025 track and field season nears the end of the schedule and the spring quarter gets closer to its conclusion, Parker is ready to take the next step. She already has a bachelor's degree with focuses on humanities and social justice and how they pertain to education.

"This June, I will be walking with my Master in Teaching degree with an endorsement for K-8," Parker said. "My degrees have prepared me to be a responsive teacher. I plan to substitute teach for a year to decide on the district and school where I want to teach."