Badaru runs into success on track

by Caroline Basile, editor-in-chief

 

When a student makes the transition from high school to college, they tend to miss their home and family. For Lillian Badaru, a member of South Plains Colleges track team, her home is an ocean away.

Badaru, 20, completed school at Arua Public Secondary School in Uganda in 2005 and came to America in 2006 to attend college. Badaru says that she was contacted by Chris Beene, head track and field and cross country coach at SPC. Badaru and Beene exchanged emails and she chose to attend SPC.

"Coach Beene wrote me an email, and we talked and I decided to come here [to SPC]," Badaru says. "I was offered scholarships by different schools, but I really liked SPC."

Another factor in Badaru's choice to attend SPC was that friend and former teammate, Happy Mary Bacia, was also on the track team.

Badaru went through the same changes every student goes through when they go to college. She adjusted to not seeing her family as often as she used to, and she got used to the climate of the area.

"It's so beautiful here, and I really like the people," Badaru says of living in Levelland. "I don't like the cold weather though. When I came here, I had to get a jacket, but it's not too bad. In Uganda, it's humid and not like this climate at all."

Badaru says she has received many opportunities while attending college in the United States, one of which is working at the Complex, SPC's physical education center.

"I prayed to God to give me the strength to endure everything that is going on in my life, and I met people like DeeDee Odorizzi," adds Badaru. "She gave me a job at the Complex and advised me to get my Social Security card, and the school helped me get that."

Badaru is a sophomore pre-nursing major and says she chose her major because it is something that is helpful to know.

"I just wanted a major that would benefit me here in America and at home in Uganda," Badaru says. "Medicine is worldwide."

During the Christmas holidays, Badaru stayed with Glenda Shamburger, associate professor of reading, and her family. 

“She just made herself a little nest in our home," Shamburger says. "She took care of everyone and was always happy and accommodating. Lillian is a very determined girl and was focused on her goal to get to Ohio State."

"Everyone has been so nice to me," Badaru says of those she met while attending SPC. "I'm going to miss them when I go to Ohio."

Badaru hopes that after she begins attending OSU that she will be able to return to Uganda for a visit with her family. Badaru comes from a large family, with six sisters and 11 brothers. 

"There are differences between living in Uganda and here in America," Badaru says. "There are taxes here [in America]. If you go shopping, you have tax added on. Over there, you don't get taxed unless you say something about it."

Badaru says she has received many opportunities being a runner, including traveling the world to attend training and practices.

"I have been to different places to train," Badaru says. "I went to Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Europe to train. My favorite place was Europe. I went to Italy and Paris to train. It was a great place to be, and it was so beautiful." Badaru will be Ohio State's first female runner from Africa. She will transfer to OSU in the fall.

"Ohio State is one of the leading track schools, and that's why I chose them," Badaru says. "The coaches are like the ones here; they are so nice."

Badaru's accomplishments include a second place finish at the 2006 National Junior College Athletic Association's Cross Country championships. Badaru also holds the school's indoor 3,000-meter run record with a time of 9:53.60.

She was named 2007 NJCAA Outdoor All-American at the 2007 NJCAA National Outdoor Meet and finished second at the 2007 NJCAA Cross Country championship. She was also the Most Valuable Player at SPC for the 2006-07 season.

Photos by Melissa Rinehart/Plainsman Press