USC's student-athletes are more than just champions on the field, court, diamond and pool --- they're champions in the classroom as well. Each week, we will get to know one of these scholarly Trojans a bit better in our academic spotlight.
Name: Brianna Daboub
Class: Junior
Sport: Women's Water Polo
Major: Health & Human Sciences
GPA: 3.18
Aubrey Kragen (AK): Can you describe the Health & Human Sciences program?
Brianna Daboub (DB): It actually started my sophomore year --- I was one of the first people to join the major. It's an interdisciplinary major, so it kind of pulls from psychology, sociology, bio and a bunch of different traditional majors. I really like it --- it's not actually super science-intensive, but it definitely gives you experience in the healthcare field, and that's definitely where I want to be once I graduate.
AK: So the major didn't exist when you showed up at USC? How did you hear about it?
BD: I was just exploring all the majors, really, trying to find what I really liked to do. And my academic advisor recommended me to my major advisor now, and he told me about the major and I loved it immediately and declared.
AK: What about the health world intrigues you?
BD: I think because I play sports, I'm really into the human body. I find that really interesting. But I'm kind of geared more toward the business aspect of health now. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree --- my mom was in marketing and my dad is basically in marketing --- he does sales for Univision. So I think we're kind of a business-oriented family.
AK: You mentioned you wanted to go into healthcare. What exactly do you want to do with your degree?
BD: I don't know exactly. Maybe health administration, so hopefully that's where my Entrepreneurship minor can come into play, with more of the business side. But I'm still exploring all my options right now and looking into possibly going to graduate school.
AK: Was the Entrepreneurship minor something you came in wanting to do or did you kind of fall into it?
BD: One of my friends told me that I should take an entrepreneurship class, because she's an Entrepreneurship minor and she said the professors are great and that she really loved it. So I decided to take Management of Small Business, and I loved my professor. She was great and I just fell in love with it, so I decided to take another one and I loved that class as well.
AK: You were a team captain as a sophomore last year, right? What was that experience like, being an underclassman but having older teammates look up to you?
BD: It was definitely challenging and I was trying to figure it out as we went. But I had Avery Peterson as a co-captain and Alegra Hueso and they definitely helped me out. At a certain point, I had to realize that I was voted captain by my peers, so I had to be a leader and take on that role. It wasn't easy, but I had an incredible team that supported me and made me look good. The credit goes to them.
AK: One of your brothers is a USC student too. What's it like having a sibling here?
BD: It's great having him here. I don't see him as much as I'd hope, but when we see each other on campus, we say hello. It's great having another Trojan in the house, because my oldest brother went to UCLA and played water polo there, so there's kind of a family rivalry. We're pretty supportive of one another and supporting each other's successes.
AK: How would you describe the dynamic having two Trojans and a Bruin in the family?
BD: I think that's more where we butt heads, but I definitely support my oldest brother Anthony and everything that he does. And he does the same for me. When he was in the water, I cheered for him and when I was in the water he cheered for me, and that's how it works.
AK: Lastly, what are your goals as a student-athlete and going forward?
BD: Well, obviously you want to be as successful as you can be and get the best grades you can to set yourself up for the rest of your life. To graduate would be my number one goal academically. Water polo-wise, winning the next two championships, but focusing on this next one first. And beyond that, that's the big question.
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