Senior Salute: James Thurman
March 31, 2020
Name: James Thurman
Hometown: Charlotte, Michigan
High School: Charlotte
Athletic accomplishments:
- Earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field
- Cross Country
- Career-best 8K time was 27:56.8.
- Indoor Track and Field
- Middle distance runner, with career-best times of 2:18.84 in the 800m and 5:05.00 in the mile.
- Outdoor Track and Field
- Middle distance runner, with career-best times of 2:18.18 in the 800m, 4:35.96 in the 1,500m and 5:06.48 in the mile.
Clubs/organizations:
- Gamma Iota Sigma, serving as VP of Actuarial Science
- President's Leadership Institute
- Sigma Zeta
Academic honors/awards:
- 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 MIAA Academic Honor Roll
- Dean's List (every semester)
- President's List (four semesters)
Favorite track and field memory:
- Finishing the Oberlin College cross country course in 27:56 which was his first time he finished an 8K race in under 28 minutes.
Favorite non-athletic memory:
- Receiving student life awards for his work as a student life employee
Major:
- Actuarial Science
Plans after graduation:
- Work as an actuary at an insurance company
Who has supported you during your time as a student-athlete?
- My parents, Merle and Jennifer Thurman
Quote from head track and field coach Karen Lutzke:
- "James Thurman grew as an athlete and as a person over the past four years. It has been rewarding to see that his hard work pay off during the cross country season when he achieved personal-best times and contributed to the team's success. This track season, we were looking for the same improvement but I know going forward, James will continue running and challenge himself."
Editor's Note: The COVID-19 pandemic caused the abrubt end to winter and spring sports for the 2019-20 academic year. We are not able to host Senior Day ceremonies to thank these seniors for their dedication to their chosen sport. As a result, we will be posting senior salutes like above for each senior over the coming weeks.