When the title of "student-athlete" comes up in conversation, the "athlete" portion of that designation is mostly focused on. After all, scoring a game-winning goal or knocking down a buzzer beater is far more exciting than sitting in a classroom or studying for an exam.

But, with that focus on athletics, one can often forget that student-athletes are also university students, all of whom are pursuing degrees and specializations. In some cases, an athlete's academic focus is almost as interesting as their performance. 

Perhaps one of the more intriguing such cases is Madison Lalonde (Blenheim, Ont.), a veteran of Ryerson's women's hockey team and a fourth-year Occupational and Public Health (BASc) student. In a time of crisis and reckoning for society's relationship with public health, such a degree is applicable almost to a tee.

Ryerson's School of Occupation and Public Health, which has been operating since 1953, has several specializations for undergraduate students. In particular the degree specialization Lalonde is pursuing focuses on epidemiology, ergonomics, and risk assessment. 

Though she originally thought she wanted to be a paramedic or a firefighter, Lalonde chose to pursue a degree in occupational health and safety because of how it fits into the process of responding to an incident.

"I like the fact that I'm actually preventing injuries from happening," she said. "And then, people are able to go home to their families at the end of the day, which is the ideal goal."

Most people don't know what her degree consists of, Lalonde admitted. Much to her chagrin, some assume she's studying occupational therapy just because of the common word shared between that specialization and her degree.

Still, Lalonde has enjoyed what her degree has to offer. In particular, she looks forward to the opportunity of completing an internship, where and whenever that may be. At this point, she's well ahead in terms of practical experience; she worked briefly as public health inspector at her local unit in nearby Chatham-Kent, Ont., a position that was not always welcomed with open arms, she noted. 

"You're not always the most wanted person on site," Lalonde laughed about being a health inspector. "Somebody has to do it."

In fact, her field of study might be more important now than ever. With a global pandemic raging on—and a sudden hyper-politicization of adherence to public health guidelines consuming most discourse—professionals who are well-versed in public health and safety are becoming increasingly valuable. So too are the frontline workers themselves, Lalonde added. 

"I think we should be giving them more credit," Lalonde said of public health workers. "At the end of the day, they're trying their best. They're not trying to make our lives more miserable."

On Ryerson's campus, Lalonde is seeing stringent COVID protocols being enacted to protect the community. Since September, she's worked at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) in customer service and outreach at the front desk. 

Though a little disappointing given how lively the facility normally is, she acknowledges that the protocols put in place by the university are necessarily intense. 

"I would be doing all of that in the workplace," Lalonde said of the MAC's extensive COVID-19 protocols. "Because my main priority is protecting the workers."

At this point, Lalonde isn't sure whether or not graduate school is on the horizon. With the pandemic cancelling the 2020-21 season and Lalonde not utilizing a year of eligibility, returning to school for another degree while taking advantage of the lost year of playing time could be in the cards, she said. Of course, only if such an educational decision is worth the time and effort.  

"I think some people are considering it, but obviously to an extent where it makes sense," Lalonde remarked of the idea of returning to school post-graduation to continue playing hockey. "That's where I'm at.

"Now, I have a little bit more wiggle room," she added.

Hockey aside, educational success remains the top priority for Madison Lalonde, whose mother is a frontline worker. It may not be the easiest or most glamorous of industries to enter, but it could pay handsome dividends, especially now. 

For more academic profiles on our student-athletes, stay tuned to ryersonrams.ca