At age 18, Krystal Clark said goodbye to her family and everything she knew, took a seat on a plane and made a leap of faith.
Approximately 8,400 miles, to be precise.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2024 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at spring commencement.
Clark, who had just graduated high school, left her home in Auckland, New Zealand, to join the UToledo Track and Field team as a freshman Rocket.
She had never been to the United States, let alone visited The University of Toledo campus. She had only exchanged phone calls with Andrea Grove-McDonough, head coach of Toledo’s track and field team, who had recruited Clark at the suggestion of a friend, Paul Hamblyn, who was Clark’s high school coach.
“Paul sent me a Facebook message about a young athlete he coached who he believed had a lot of potential, but more importantly was just a really great kid,” Grove-McDonough said. “We started from there and it’s fair to say we took a chance on each other.
“On paper, her marks were not where we would normally offer a full scholarship, but I trusted him and I also had an instinct about her based on our conversations. I always say it was a leap of faith; from her and her family, and from us that she could be the athlete and teammate Paul believed her to be — and she has been all that and more.”
Less than four years later, Clark is graduating with a 4.0 GPA and a bachelor’s degree in media communication on Saturday, May 4, and her family in New Zealand will be in person to watch as she completes a nearly decade-old dream: securing a scholarship to compete at a Division I university.
“It was my sole focus during high school and my parents sacrificed a lot for me so I could achieve my dream,” Clark said. “They both — especially my mom — were just nervous because of the time I was coming.”
Their daughter was arriving on campus in fall 2020, in the middle of the COVID pandemic, a time that, Clark said, no flights were going into New Zealand. She was leaving her family with no knowledge of when she would be able to come home.
Krystal Clark, right, with Andrea Grove-McDonough, head coach of Toledo’s track and field team.
Clark said she wasn’t worried.
“But my parents, grandparents and every person over the age of 25 who I spoke to suggested I defer for a semester,” she said. “Right up until the day I left, people were trying to talk me out of it, but I knew it was something I had to do then, and I didn’t want to push it off.”
Clark’s perseverance was rewarded.
She would go on to claim the third-fastest time in the 800m (2:08.91) Toledo history in 2022. She also took her classes seriously and joined the Office of University Marketing and Communications as a student writer, where she wrote stories about other successful students at UToledo, many of whom had also overcome their own obstacles.
Her junior year she learned the behind-the-scenes of broadcast journalism through UToledo’s award-winning UT10 News, which remains her favorite class.
“There was something so reaffirming about seeing my work on the big screen and it was such a great learning experience for me,” Clark said.
She also landed a summer internship with Toledo affiliate WTVG (13 ABC).
An injury last fall during a workout the week before Toledo’s first cross-country meet ended her season before it started. But an internship with Voice in Sport, a media company that encourages and empowers girls to stay in sports and compete to the highest level, allowed her to voice her frustration.
“I was writing articles for them and had the opportunity to be a resource that I wish that I had when I was younger. It was a fantastic outlet for all of my anger and frustration, and it gave me a sense of purpose at a time when instead of running with my best friends I was stuck swimming or biking by myself.
“That experience, as much as I hated it, was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to me.”
Clark and teammates Lianna Surtz, Cadence Christie and Laura Nicholson received honors for their victory in the 4000m distance medley at the 2024 Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Earlier this year, Clark and teammates Lianna Surtz, Cadence Christie and Laura Nicholson received honors for their victory in the 4000m distance medley at the 2024 Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Clark also has been a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree including in 2024.
Tisha Mays, an assistant lecturer in the Department of Communication, said she is proud of Clark and her growth into a journalist who has a passion for telling personal stories.
“She was talented from the start and eager to perfect her storytelling, connection to community and industry knowledge,” Mays said. “It has been a true pleasure to be part of Krystal’s educational experience and I am excited for her journey. She is encouraging and inspiring to other students she encounters. Her genuine and kind spirit reflects integrity, curiosity and dedication that will take her anywhere in the world to uncover stories that will inform, educate and inspire. She will be a force in the industry.”
Looking past May 4, Clark said she will continue working with Voice in Sport, writing feature articles for their platform as she interviews for full-time opportunities.
Her long-term goal is to return to New Zealand and use her journalism skills to elevate the voices and stories of Māori, the Indigenous group of New Zealand.
“My love for storytelling began with hearing elders share their history and beliefs,” Clark said. “I want to help broadcast the needs, concerns and rich culture of Māori to the rest of the country.”
As she reflected on that quiet but exhilarating moment on the plane only a few years ago, with only 8,500 miles and a single goal in front of her, she remembered thinking, “This will either be the best decision of my life or the worst decision. Either way, I’m about to find out.”
“And yet, Toledo, the United States and collegiate running were the best decisions I could have possibly made,” Clark said. “I’m glad I didn’t let my fear of discomfort hold me back from chasing my dreams.
“Toledo has become my home. It’s sad to be moving on,” she added. “I’ve always been proud to represent the midnight blue and gold, whether it be on the start line or in a newsroom.”
