Dean Fulton

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT CROSS COUNTRY?

I think it's really a mental game. I think it really allows you to push the boundaries of yourself as a person and how you behave and other aspects of life. I think it teaches you good life lessons and it's just a fun sport. There's great kids. I've never had a bad team. The coaches have always been great mentors, too.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE GOOD AT CROSS COUNTRY?

I think anybody can run cross-country, but not anybody can be a good at cross country. Anybody can go out there and run, but it takes a special somebody to really apply yourself and push yourself through that pain. Five miles isn't easy, especially when you're running at race pace. So I think somebody just needs to bring confidence and determination to the table to be a good runner. That's what separates the boys from the men, as they say.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR TEAM DYNAMIC?

My team at Penn College is one of my favorite teams I've run for. I had a great team in high school, but coming into college as a freshman, not knowing many people, I think cross country really presented me with the opportunity to meet people. I knew that coming into it, but I was still nervous. Once I got to meet most of the teammates and especially the coach, I really found a second home here. I think that's why I was actually able to really push myself to my fullest within running and outside of running.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE LIFE AS A STUDENT-ATHLETE?

I think I'm able to balance it fairly well. I think you just have to have a determination to do well in school and in your sport. So I think I'm able to balance that fairly well. It's just a matter of going to Tutoring Services when you need to and asking your professors for help, which is fairly easy here because we have such a small class size each class that you're actually able to meet with your professor after class or in their office hours as opposed to a bigger school. So I've found it manageable to balance my life as a student-athlete and a full-time student.

APART FROM SCHOOL AND CROSS COUNTRY, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LIKE TO DO?

We live in a very beautiful area of the state. We're in a small city, but we're surrounded by mountains on each side. So typically I'll go down to Pine Creek, hang out towards Lock Haven, do some hikes, and go fishing. We have a lot of great hiking trails, so I highly encourage anybody who's into hiking and outdoor activities to come to this school. The opportunities are endless with the hikes and the views. There are some great areas around here. Other than that, I enjoy just hanging out with friends, going to the movies and things like that.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO DO AFTER GRADUATION?

Penn College has definitely provided me with the confidence to go into the workforce. I feel confident meeting one-on-one with my professors so I've been able to attain a lot of knowledge outside the classroom as well. I received a lot of mentoring outside the classroom and inside. I think the small class sizes have really helped me focus and dial in. I can see myself working in some sort of marketing job after college. And I have my professors to thank and my coach and everybody who's been a mentor and helped get me where I need to go.