Discoveries in Education Spotlight: Kailey Sheehan

Leading With Purpose Beyond the Pool

Kailey Sheehan is a Health & Physical Education major and captain of the Rowan University Women’s Swim Team whose impact reaches far beyond competition. While she leads her teammates in the pool, Kailey has also emerged as a campus advocate for cancer awareness, student-athlete mental health, and community engagement—demonstrating how education, leadership, and athletics can work together to create meaningful change.

Athletics as a Platform for Advocacy

In October, Kailey organized Rowan University’s first-ever Pink Out Swim Meet in support of the HEADStrong Foundation, an organization that provides assistance to families affected by cancer. The idea had been something she wanted to pursue for years, inspired by seeing similar efforts in other sports. Over the summer, she reached out to HEADStrong and began turning the vision into reality.

The cause was deeply personal. In 2023, Kailey lost her cousin after a battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. That experience fueled her commitment and kept her motivated throughout the planning process. With the support of her teammates and coaches, the event raised more than $12,000—an outcome Kailey describes as both humbling and incredibly rewarding. She hopes the Pink Out Swim Meet will become an annual tradition for the program.

Championing Mental Health in Athletics

Kailey is also an active member of The Hidden Opponent, a Rowan organization dedicated to supporting student-athlete mental health. Through this involvement, she works to help normalize conversations around wellness, emotional health, and balance in competitive environments. She understands firsthand the pressures that student-athletes face and believes that creating space for openness and support is essential to long-term success—both academically and personally.

Shaped by the Student-Athlete Experience

Being a student-athlete has strongly influenced Kailey’s understanding of leadership. Swimming has taught her discipline, resilience, and the importance of leading by example. Those lessons translate beyond athletics into how she builds relationships, collaborates with others, and approaches challenges. She strives to be a positive, supportive teammate and believes leadership is rooted in consistency, empathy, and accountability.

A Future Educator’s Vision

As a future health and physical education teacher, Kailey sees her advocacy work as inseparable from her professional identity. She believes teaching is about more than delivering content—it’s about connection, care, and creating environments where students feel seen and supported. She is particularly passionate about teaching self-care, wellness, and healthy ways to manage stress—skills students can carry well beyond the classroom.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

Kailey credits her time at Rowan with helping her develop perspective. College has brought challenges and change, but it has also taught her to step back, stay grounded, and focus on what truly matters. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue using her platform as an athlete, educator, and coach to advocate for causes she cares deeply about—proving that leadership, at its best, creates impact far beyond any single role.