Viva Kreis, '25 BA

My time at Arizona State University played a direct role in where I am now and what I have accomplished since graduating. While earning my degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies, I was also pursuing an elite handball career, balancing academics with national team commitments and international competition. That experience taught me discipline, time management, and how to perform under pressure, skills that now define my daily life as an Air Force World Class Athlete. Being part of the Air Force World Class Athlete Program has allowed me to train and compete at the highest international level while serving my country. WCAP provides elite athletes with the support, coaching, and resources needed to succeed in both sport and military service, and it has given me the structure to fully dedicate myself to handball without sacrificing professional or personal growth. Representing the United States and the U.S. Air Force has been an honor, and it reinforces the leadership, resilience, and accountability I developed at ASU. The academic training I received at ASU also directly supports my professional work. The interviewing, writing, and media analysis skills I developed are the same tools I now use in journalism, podcasting, and storytelling. That foundation helped me become a published author and illustrator of a children's book focused on female athletes and to take on media and leadership roles within sport. One of my favorite ASU memories is the quiet routine between classes and training, late nights at Hayden Library or early mornings walking to training, realizing I was building the foundation for the life I wanted. ASU did not just prepare me academically. It prepared me to succeed at the highest levels of sport, in the military, and professionally.