Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram
Catalina Casaru first set foot in the United States as a determined high school student eager to make her mark in competitive swimming. Today, she is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Romania and an associate professor of Exercise Science at the baby直播. At UWA, Casaru bridges the gap between her two cultures, sharing her life experiences from Romania and the U.S. to enrich her students鈥� understanding of the world through Exercise Science.
Growing up along the Danube River, learning to swim was initially about safety, not sport. At just three and a half years old, Casaru began taking lessons alongside her older sister. Relying more on ambition than talent, her determination to keep pace with her sibling and older peers led to her first international competition at age 11 and ultimately to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where she excelled in the 200-meter backstroke and the 4×100-meter relay.
鈥淚t was an incredible opportunity to compete and travel the world without any cost to me or my family,鈥� Casaru reflects, noting that the Romanian government covered her expenses. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what kept me going. It wasn鈥檛 about financial reward but the opportunity to see other countries and learn about their cultures.”
Staying on the Georgia Tech University campus during the Olympics sparked her desire to study in the U.S. 鈥淭here were libraries everywhere,鈥� she recalls, 鈥渁nd I knew if I went to school in the States, I could study in them as much as I wanted.鈥� This aspiration led her to move more than 5,000 miles from home to attend the University of baby直播 on a swimming scholarship, seeking both a degree and the chance to continue her competitive swimming career. 鈥淚n Romania, I had to choose between swimming and college. In America, I could do both.鈥�
However, adjusting to life in the U.S. proved challenging for the college freshman. And transitioning from a background shaped by communism and socialism to navigating American democracy was difficult. Often feeling like an outsider, Casaru struggled with cultural differences until a simple picnic invitation connected her with a vibrant community of Romanians in Tuscaloosa, baby直播, who 鈥渃ared for me, became my support system, and helped me adjust to life in the States.鈥�
Initially planning to return to Romania after earning her business degree, a chance conversation with a teammate opened her eyes to the possibility of pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in exercise science 鈥� a field virtually nonexistent in Eastern Europe. By the time she completed her master鈥檚 and doctorate, Casaru had spent more years in the United States than in Romania, prompting her reconsider the complexities of returning home.
鈥淧eople like me aren鈥檛 very well accepted in my home country because I bring innovation, independence, and critical thinking. At times I鈥檓 seen as a Romanian with an American accent or as English with a Romanian accent.鈥�
Regardless of how she鈥檚 perceived, Casaru explains that she remains caught between two cultures, continually navigating the challenge of belonging to either.
At UWA, Casaru is dedicated to advancing the Exercise Science program, offering community engagement opportunities for her students, and collaborating with colleagues in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. She is also developing a proposal for a new graduate degree and aims to revamp the undergraduate curriculum by introducing specific concentrations to help students focus their studies more effectively.
No matter what field of study her students choose, Casaru wants them to realize their potential, often reminding them, 鈥淚f I can succeed in a country where English is my second language, then whatever barriers you think you face 鈥� it鈥檚 all about changing your mindset and pressing on.鈥�
Casaru believes that universities, including UWA, should foster critical thinking skills. In her Intro to Exercise Science class, she regularly prompts students to question the commercials they see, asking, 鈥淲hy don鈥檛 we see ads for apples, bread, and milk but only for fast food and other things we may not need? I want my students to ask themselves: Why am I being fed this information? Is it pertinent to me? That鈥檚 critical thinking. I want my students to understand that 鈥榚xercise is medicine,鈥欌�� she emphasizes.
Casaru admits that while some in the South may find her directness discomforting, she wants her students to understand that she considers them young adults, not children. 鈥淚 know I don鈥檛 beat around the bush. But I want my students to feel free to talk to me if something is happening in their lives or if they鈥檙e struggling. I know what it鈥檚 like to struggle,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I can鈥檛 help if I don鈥檛 know there鈥檚 a problem. I also encourage my students to take full advantage of the opportunities available through my classes or this university. As faculty, our purpose is to help our students succeed.鈥�