The word Renaissance man is often casually thrown around to describe any person with more than a passing interest in anything outside the mainstream cultural hobbies. But senior Catherine “Cat” Jamison of the Bucknell Bison volleyball team embodies the definition of a modern Renaissance woman. Her accomplishments and interests outside the volleyball court are as diverse and varied as Leonardo da Vinci.
Beyond delivering kills on the court against fearful and startled opposition, Jamison works on a Civil War documentary, publishes articles in prestigious publications, and saves the world’s honey supply by assisting her father with backyard beekeeping. Between semesters, she served two summers as an intern for Fox News. It is a heavy schedule, but the senior Creative Writing major has figured out how to balance her academic and playing careers.
The Bison volleyball program has witnessed marked improvement during Jamison’s tenure. Last season, the team recorded its first Patriot League Tournament bid since 2010 and first winning season since 2015. That effort would not have occurred without Jamison’s strong right arm. Cat was second on the team in kills, seventh in the Patriot League in kills, and tenth in the PL for points. This season, the Bison seemed posed to repeat their feat and make a play for the top four of the always-competitive Patriot League.
When she isn’t authoring kills on the court, Jamison writes nonfiction and long personal essays. As part of a class assignment, she is writing a novel with the hopes of publication after completion. The story is in the popular and alluring mystery genre. She described the overall tone of the planned volume as “creepy.” In the field of shorter works, she had some nonfiction and some poetry pieces published in several literary magazines. She also covered Bison athletics for the school newspaper and has an internship with West Branch, Bucknell's literary magazine affiliate.
“I just submitted to a bunch of magazines and got accepted. It is a simple process. You just have to put your soul out there. It is hard. I used to never let anyone read anything. But that is not an option in classes. So, I learned how to share.”
She works for the Open Discourse Coalition in downtown Lewisburg. She and her team are creating a Civil War documentary, "Bucknell in the Civil War and the Underground Railroad," that focuses specifically on the impact that Bucknellians had on the conflict.
“A couple of our students fought in the war, and the documentary is about how the war impacted them. Bucknell’s affiliation in the Civil War, back when it was called the University of Lewisburg. The town was a site for the Underground Railroad. It covers all that. It has been a lot of fun to create it.”
She and another student went all over Pennsylvania to obtain footage. They went to Gettysburg to shoot the hallowed battlefield. They interviewed Civil War experts on the road while some folks came to Lewisburg. Jamison handled researching and scripting the program. Don’t think the documentary will only be seen by tourists or classmates. The program is scheduled for a spring release date on a local television station. It has a planned length of 30 minutes. Updates will be issued on Bucknell volleyball social media when more information regarding the premiere becomes available.
Playing volleyball in college was no sure outcome for Jamison. In her youth, she played the viola competitively and considered majoring in music. She also participated in her high school’s acapella group. Jamison hasn’t continued her musical pursuits with any Bucknell groups but can be found singing on karaoke nights, and unlike most karaoke singers, she could make it on American Idol.
Regarding athletics, growing up in a lacrosse town, she was bitten by the bug. But Jamison, per her personality, never sidelined herself to one sport. She played basketball, field hockey, and tennis but did not play volleyball until it was offered in middle school. Once she started volleyball, however, she exclusively focused on the sport, and the decision paid off.
Why Bucknell? Every student-athlete has his or her reasons for choosing the campus on the Susquehanna's pleasant banks, but Jamison’s decision was driven by a broad range of ideals:
“I wanted a school where I could be not just an athlete. As much as I love volleyball, I did not want it to be my only priority. I wanted to go to school to go to school. I wanted high academic programs and to have a social life. I can work on campus, and there are other Division I programs where a student-athlete cannot do that. Plus, Bucknell has a great creative writing program. I wanted to be close enough to home. I visited 30 schools, and Bucknell was the first school where I felt I was meant to be there.”
What she loves about Bucknell is how accepting and loving the small-town community is.
“Everybody here is rooting for you, and being in a rural area adds such a sense of community. How so many of the outsiders are rooting for us. Joe at the cafeteria has our game schedule and yells it at everyone who walks in. Or Vinnie (a known worker at Bucknell games), who gives high-fives when the team runs by, or all the other characters who root so enthusiastically for us. I am not from a rural area, so I appreciate the support.”
She enjoys all of her professors but Professor Paul Sievers, well-known for his efforts in the Bucknell Orthodox community, stands out. She worked on the documentary with him and he played an enormous role in her development.
For Sievers’ part, Jamison stands out to him:
Cat is a creative, insightful student whose active participation really helped make a course she took with me on American literature and country music a success. She made great connections across different types of texts and music in an in-depth way. She also is incredibly talented as a student documentary maker and editor. In addition, I was very impressed with her athletic talents when visiting her games--she has a powerful spike but also is a gifted leader!
Jamison spent the last two summers as an intern with Fox News. She specifically worked with the #1 show on cable: The Five. She had the opportunity to work in an assistant producer role and pitch ideas. Cat received a firsthand account of how a major news program works. Since she worked on every show from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., she interacted with many media celebrities.
“To be able to work with them and see how everything happens every day, so smoothly, amidst all the craziness. It was just insanely awesome. Just walking around the office and seeing every presidential candidate was surreal. It was great.”
On her first day, Cat, by happenstance, had the opportunity to meet Caitlyn Jenner in the elevator.
“She was in the studio to discuss biological males competing in women’s sports. She was conversing with someone else in the elevator, and I was standing there, thinking this is crazy. She looked over at me and said, “You must be an athlete.” That was the extent of the interaction and my highlight.”
Jamison also had the opportunity to work with a personal hero: Judge Jeanine.
“I really idolize many of the women there, especially Judge Jeanine. She has been my role model for as long as I can remember. To be able to work with them and have an actual relationship was great!”
Entering her final season in Orange & Blue, the main goal is to win a Patriot League Championship, but she has several individual desires.
“I really want to win. I want the team to go far in the Patriot League Tournament. I want to leave the program on a high note, and my best way of doing that is to hit the ball really hard and score as much as possible.”
Considering she currently leads the team in kills and ranks tenth in the Patriot League in the category, she is fulfilling those goals.
The 2023 squad is a blend of newcomers entering into the mix, sophomores returning after strong freshmen campaigns, juniors stepping into the upperclassmen roles, and seniors seeking to finish what the 2022 team started. As a senior, Jamison’s job consists of managing the various factors and directing them to victory.
Anyone who watches Bucknell volleyball recognizes Jamison’s natural leadership. As such, she has considered a career in coaching, not right away, but somewhere down the line. She enjoys teaching, and her charisma serves well with younger players, as seen by the growth of Bucknell’s freshmen.
“One of the reasons that our team has been so successful is because of our relationships off the court. We are blessed to have a small team because you really do get to know each other. No one disappears into the shadows. The closer you are to your team, the better you will be. Period. Volleyball is such a chemistry sport. You need to be able to rely upon each other and have that faith and trust. There are friendships, and there are sports friendships. You can’t find those anywhere else except in sports."
Cat is in the process of making memories, but she takes time to reflect on the treasured moments that have occurred thus far. The 2022 team breaking through and making the Patriot League Tournament for the first time in a decade resonates with her. She also smiles at the team’s ability at the “reverse sweep.” For those not proficient in volleyball lingo, a reverse sweep happens when a team is down two sets to zero and wins the final three sets. The Bison pulled off the feat at Akron this season.
Thanks to COVID-19 disrupting the natural order, Jamison has one final year of eligibility to use. The usage is dependent on which jobs are available. She is currently in the portal, but as she puts it, “plenty of dominos have to fall.” Cat would like to play but is OK with 2023 serving as her last season on the volleyball court.
Whatever happens in the future, thanks to her diverse interests and skills, Jamison is destined to script for herself a well-rounded tomorrow. Until then, the goal is a team title and one final storybook season with the Bison!
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