It is a truism that business groups often replicate the teamwork apparent in athletic squadrons. After all, corporations face off against other companies in fierce competition and even wear suits while doing so! A business group without trust and teamwork is destined for defeat and failure. For Bucknell women’s track & field star athlete Abby Kates, her experience in the athletic world and the business sphere has prepared her to jump over the competition.
Kates has spent her entire life in competitions. From an early age, the athlete has prevailed upon the fields of friendly strife. She started track & field in fourth grade and never fell out of love with the sport even though Kates dabbled with basketball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and volleyball. Like most athletes, she began specialization in high school when tighter focus was demanded. The decision did not come without sacrifice. Her choice of track & field for collegiate recognition forced her to drop basketball.
“I fell in love with track & field at an early age. Sports were always a major factor in my family. I have an older and younger brother, so we bonded over sports. Track & field was my sport because they never played it. I fell in love with the field events. My mother calls the high jump the ballet of track & field. I had to forego basketball to compete in indoor track & field but I satisfied my inch by playing intramural basketball.”
Emboldened by a desire to run with the winds, she started her career as a sprinter. Her times were satisfactory but lacked that extra burst necessary for top-flight competition. Enter the decisive moment. Read any chronicle of a great athlete, and there is always a moment when destiny beckons. Be it in the form of a coach, parent, or random bystander that sets the athlete upon their preordained journey as written by the fates. For Kates, her track & field coach bluntly mentioned how her height would work for the high jump.
However, it was not an overnight success. Like all great business minds, Kates came to success via an unorthodox solution. She literally flipped the situation.
“Most right-handed people jump off their left foot. So, my coach had me coming from the right side and I was awful. I told him that it felt unnatural to jump off my left foot and if I could try using my right foot. I did so and found immediate improvement. If you watch the high jump at competitions, the right side line is longer than the left side line.”
The maneuver worked and launched a high jump career that included six event victories, two silver medals at Patriot League Championships, fifth in Bucknell history for indoor jump, second in Bucknell history for outdoor jump, and All-East honors at the ECAC Championships.
A desire for academics and athletics drove her decision to attend Bucknell. As often is the case, Bucknell students were the best recruiters. Kates recounted her official visit:
“I could tell the culture here was different than other Patriot League schools. I remember going to the Seventh Street Café to grab milkshakes and hearing how the high jumpers were excited about the upcoming indoor league championships. Everyone was thrilled. I attended a 6 a.m. practice but even there the athletes were pumped up, despite having to run hills. We have continued that good culture.”
As impressive as her high jump career is, her work as a Markets, Innovation, and Design major has been similarly incredible. She considered several diverse choices and picked the major from a long list.
“I thought about something in the media. I was always into sports communications. I also considered a steadier path like accounting. But once I was accepted into the management school the MiDE major stood out because I could do so much with it. The marketing field is open, or you could go more entrepreneurship with the innovation part. I’m able to pave my path. I decided to address my concertation on understanding consumerism which entailed taking psychology classes. It was such a broad major and since I wasn’t sure about my career path it has prepared me for my upcoming job and my internship with Barclays.”
Her Barclays summer 2023 internship was so successful that Kates received a full-time offer to work in Barclays’ Wilmington, Delaware office. She loved her time at the company and praised the culture there. In many aspects, it resembled one of an athlete team. She mentioned how previous employees who had left would eagerly cite the friendliness and positive energy.
“I worked in their product office for Innovation & Product Development. I helped decide what innovations would be the most beneficial to the business. My MiDE major gave me plenty of confidence to speak up in a professional environment about new ideas. I found the internship last fall following the designed timeline. I looked at Bucknell’s Handshake and found the internship. It was perfect since the commute was only 25 minutes from my house. I applied and received the role. I worked with a team of five people in an office of 85. I met and networked with people the entire summer. I would search the directory and ask workers about their positions. The friendly culture encouraged questions and inquiries. The hiring manager asked me if I could see myself working there in the future and I said yes. I can’t wait to join them in their graduate internship!”
Kates cited Professor Gabriela Diego as a massive influence on her career. Diego’s previous experience at PlayWorld influences her classes as she pushes her students to step outside their comfort zone and become truly innovative. She wants her students to follow the MiDE pillars of falling forward and embracing ambiguously. The basis revolves around returning students to that blissful confidence expressed as children before the specter of failure lurked upon the soul. Kates credits her for bringing back her creative confidence. Professor Diego was equally as effusive in her praise of Kates.
“Abby Kates is a natural leader; she is kind and always encourages her peers to do the best work possible. Abby is always prepared and on top of things. Her initiative and disciplined approach to projects makes her an excellent student and teammate. During her time in my courses, she has consistently exhibited an innovative attitude, always curious, open to other points of view, playful, and ready to consider different ways a problem can be solved. She sets the bar for excellence. I am certain that her analytical skills and her clear understanding of the multidisciplinary approach to Innovation will make a positive difference in any organization she joins in the future.”
Kates has also played a massive role in the growth of BizPitch, Bucknell's annual student startup competition. Kates has been working on the competition since her freshman year in 2021 where, due to COVID precautions, it was online. In 2022, it returned with the first in-person audience since 2019. For the 2023 and 2024, the competition was televised on local station WVIA.
"Through BizPitch, I have broadened my reach and increased my involvement on campus. Because of my work with BizPitch, I was able to work with Bucknell's Small Business Development Career. I built up their social media presence from scratch. My goal was to connect the SBDC with the small businesses in the community. This semester, I have worked with Civil War Cider and Born Too Late Tie Dyed regarding social media branding and logos."
Her cooperation and friendliness in the business sphere translate to the athletic world. She, Olivia Boyce, and Karen Hull have become Bucknell’s high jump empresses. The trio swept the high jump podium at the 2024 Patriot League Championships and all three are in the Bucknell top ten for the indoor and outdoor high jump. They have become as close as the Three Musketeers.
"It drives us to push each other. There is no jealousy since we are working for the team's success. It is so important to have depth in a team. We are competing against Army, Boston, and Navy. If they have three athletes in the top ten, so should we. It shows how deep our team is. It is all about scoring points for the team and improving each other. If we were all jumping 5-5 and stuck there, we wouldn't be improving."
A special moment blessed the trio last season. During the 2023 Bucknell Team Challenge, Boyce, Hull, and Kates tied for the Bison outdoor high jump record (5-7 ¾) before Hull separated by jumping 5-8 ¾. The three-way tie symbolizes the trio’s closeness. There doesn’t exist a single fracture of contention in their relationships. Each member’s victory is treated as the trio’s triumph. Their reactions after Hull’s winning leap in the Indoor Championship and their radiant joy on the podium captured their bond for Bison Nation. A picture merely doesn’t say 1,000 words nor, does a video; they express the truth.
"I first broke the outdoor record (set by Taylor O'Brien) at the Susquehanna meet. It was cool to break the standing record. A few weeks later, Karen was attempting 5-7 3/4 and she cleared it. I wasn't competing but I was watching and ran over to congratulate her. A few minutes later, Liv cleared it and we all celebrated together. It was awesome to see this high jump dynasty form. There are always stars on a team but having three high jumpers break the record was awesome."
Kates is pumped up for the Patriot League Outdoor Championships on May 3-4. Bucknell’s Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium will serve as this year’s location. The women’s team is full of senior-laden talent eager to break back into the top three of the conference. In recent years, Army, Boston, and Navy have claimed the first three spots but Kates and the Orange & Blue want to send themselves out hoisting a trophy.
On a personal level, Kates and her jumps group are shooting to repeat what they did at indoor championships and sweep the podium again. She also wants to qualify for the NCAA East Preliminaries in Kentucky. The trio’s feat was historic in Bucknell track & field lore. It would be a suitable conclusion and a great high note for their time together.
Bison Club support is the driving force behind Bucknell Athletics. Your donations directly impact the holistic development of student-athletes from 27 Division I varsity programs who are building a foundation at Bucknell to become leaders and difference-makers around the globe. Make your gift online, or call 570-577-1771 to support your favorite Bison team today. 'rayBucknell!