In an intense semifinal soccer game against Brooklyn College, women’s soccer captain Alexandria Nembhard utilized her leadership skills to guide her teammates through the  match.

The team received a red card but moved forward to the next round, advancing to the finals in the CUNY Athletic Conference and ultimately winning the championship game against Lehman College. The women’s soccer team, led by senior honors student and captain, Alexandria Nembhard, is equipped with the leadership tools to support her teammates and peers on and off the field.

“I played soccer like my whole life, and I always knew I wanted to play in college, and I wasn’t really sure about where,” said Nembhard.

Growing up in a small town in Michigan, Nembhard nurtured her passion for the game of soccer and social justice.

After attending a soccer camp in Connecticut where Nembhard first met John Jay’s staff, she visited the school and committed to John Jay, where she is now pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and Community Justice.

Nembhard described the mentorship she has received from John Jay staff. “My coach [Ajani Clunie] has been a really big motivator for me because he’s really positive, and he talks to us a lot about our self-worth and value. And he kind of pushes us to be the best version of ourselves, not just in soccer, but as students too,” said Nembhard.

As an honors student, Nembhard serves as a peer mentor. Inspired by her own peer mentors a few years prior, she takes pride in guiding students through their academic journey, much like how she mentors her newer teammates on the soccer team.

“Allie is always there to discuss any concerns or share insights, whether it’s about soccer or academics at John Jay,” said Cailyn MacLellan, her teammate, a second-year fraud examination major.

Nembhard explained that her leadership style is rooted in authenticity, positivity, and encouragement.

“I always give 100% on the field and off the field. I try to be really friendly and approachable to my teammates,” said Nembhard.

Her approach was particularly helpful during the tough semifinal game. Nembhard emphasized that support for her teammates and mentees is the most important thing, especially as a leader.

Nembhard’s role as captain led to her and co-captain Ellarose Bianca to be recognized at a New York Gotham FC game on October 5th at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

“It was really cool because we were able to do the coin toss at the game and meet the captain of the Gotham FC that day. It was Lynn Williams, who was on the national team. So that was really cool,” said Nembhard.

According to Forbes , the growth of professional women’s sports viewership has significantly increased over the past few years. Nembhard explained her feelings about the impact this has on her and younger generations.

“It’s been really cool, I think, especially for me and like the other queer players on our team; it’s really empowering because so many of the women’s professional teams and athletes have queer people. The NWSL is focused on having queer, inclusive teams, so having women and girls get coverage on social media, on TV, I feel like it’s going to do a lot of good for the younger generations,” said Nembhard.

Being a student-athlete at John Jay has been a positive experience for Nembhard, and her leadership roles along with the guidance of her coaches and mentors have motivated her to explore her career passions through internships.

“I did my internship at Children’s Aid, which was a nonprofit, and I worked on the events team and development side of things. So it was a really good experience and has led me to many cool, different opportunities, and one, for example, right now, I’m working with New York Road Runners,” said Nembhard.

The athletics program at John Jay has supported Nembhard in her career aspirations and has helped her find what’s next after her time at John Jay.

“What we promise our student-athletes is three things. One, that they’ll get a positive athletic and academic experience. Two,  they’ll graduate. And three, in that they’ll have some type of clue after graduation what they’ll do,” said Brandon Fieland, Acting Director of John Jay Athletics.

Nembhard described her long-term career goals, inspired by what she has learned as a student-athlete and honors student.

“My eventual career goal is to get my master’s in clinical social work and be an advocate for people of color, queer people, and survivors of trauma, and I kind of want to work with families and teens and do child abuse prevention, but eventually be a therapist, but also work in a nonprofit setting,” said Nembhard.

Nembhard demonstrates hard work on and off the field as a student-athlete and leader at John Jay. She shared her thoughts about what leadership means to her.

“There’s so many different ways to be a leader, even if you’re not a captain. You can still be a leader on the team. It just depends on your work ethic, how you treat people, and the energy you bring every day,” said Nembhard.

For more information about Nembhard, visit the John Jay College Athletics website.