Written by Jeremy Brown, WKU Athletic Communications
The life of a student-athlete at the collegiate level can be hectic, to say at the least. Balancing a full class load, completing classwork, practicing 20 hours a week and competing against athletic programs across the country is an average week at the office.
That kind of schedule thrusts 18-22-year olds into being professional time managers.
Caitlin Hesse, a sophomore midfielder for the WKU soccer team, has figured out a way to manage all those responsibilities and then some. She contributes significantly on the field and is perfect in the classroom through three complete semesters, all while serving under-privileged children in South America.
Following a church service earlier this semester, Hesse felt called to find more ways to serve and love others. Hesse responded to that call by turning to a familiar outlet of service -- Compassion International.
Compassion International is an organization that exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled adults. The goal of the program is to help release children from poverty by receiving donations from sponsors around the world. Sponsors not only contribute to children's lives financially, but they're also interactive with exchanges of pictures and letters of encouragement.
Hesse and her family began their involvement with Compassion International after hearing about the program at church in her hometown of Atlanta, Ga. in 2011. The Hesse family began sponsoring Karen, a young girl living in Ecuador, after Caitlin met her on a church mission trip that summer. Karen is still sponsored by the Hesse family and they regularly communicate to this day.
It didn't take long for Hesse to heed her calling in February -- she wanted to sponsor another child through Compassion International. Hesse told her Lady Topper teammates and coaches about Karen, the mission of Compassion International and her desire to serve more. Every player and coach supported Hesse's passion for the idea and gave her $20 to sponsor another child.
After searching through a waiting list of children needing to be sponsored Hesse found Arlyn, a 5-year-old Ecuador native who was among the longest wait-listed children on Compassion International's website. Hesse and the Lady Toppers began sponsoring Arlyn, who lives with her grandmother, in February and are now donating about $40 a month.
The money the Lady Toppers are sending Arlyn's way is helping her get through school with a tutor, a scenario that wouldn't have been possible without their generous giving. Arlyn lives in La Troncal, La Puntilla, which is a town in the coastal region of Ecuador that doesn't have a sewage system. Hesse organizes the team's donations and is responsible for sending money Arlyn's way through her own bank account each month.
Hesse and her teammates all have access to the Compassion International account that allows them to interact with Arlyn on a regular basis. They communicate not only on the web, but they've also exchanged letters and photos early on in their relationship. Arlyn's first letter to the Lady Toppers thanked them for their sponsorship and asked them to pray for her family.
Hesse's heart for kids is one of the many qualities that distinguish her as one of the most outstanding student-athletes at WKU. The C-USA All-Academic Team selection holds a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA as a biology major and has accounted for two goals and two assists as an attacking midfielder for back-to-back 10-win WKU teams.
She's managing to do all she does with an 18-hour class load this spring that features courses such as physics to go along with a spring soccer season. Hesse wouldn't label herself as such, but she's certainly a professional time manager. More importantly, however, she's a Hilltopper with heart.
