Net Gains
As someone who has played tennis since he was five years old, Joren Stevens has a deep passion for the sport. His love for tennis was also a driving force behind his decision to leave his home country of Belgium to attend Midland University.
“I always wanted to play beyond high school, but I didn’t know that opportunity existed. I worked with a recruiter who got me in touch with Midland. I had a great connection with the coach at the time (Bruno Campos), and Midland had a competitive team and gave me the best offer. I’m doing what I love at Midland, which is playing tennis and getting a degree.”
Joren has been a stellar performer on the court since his arrival three years ago. He is a two-time All-GPAC performer and was named an Academic All-American last season after earning 29 combined wins in doubles and singles. He and his doubles partner, Ben Starman, are currently ranked as the 19th best doubles team in the NAIA by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
“Every match is different, and I love competing. It’s a very strategic game and you have to do something different each time to be able to beat your opponent. That’s what keeps it fun.”
While coming thousands of miles away for college doesn’t come without challenges, he knew it was his best path to success. “I wanted to have the freedom to do my own thing and I think being on my own has helped me grow up a lot quicker. There are always moments you miss home, but this has been a great experience.
“Learning a new language was a big switch, and it was a little bit scary to put yourself out there and try to make new friends. I was fortunate that through Global Warriors, I was able to meet other students who were in the same position as me. Having those things in common made it easier to meet new people.”
His first interest in college was mathematics, but that focus changed to business, specifically marketing. “With mathematics, there were limited opportunities with what I could do, so I began looking at business. I’ve had Nick Schreck (Dean for Dunklau School of Business) for many of my classes, and I’ve really grown to love marketing.”
He put those marketing skills to work last semester as an intern with Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing home repair and renovation services to low-income homeowners in the community. “I ran their social media accounts, email campaign, managed the website, and helped with promotional materials. I really enjoyed it and it gave me a chance to see what a job in marketing looks like.”
A full-time job in marketing will have to wait at least a couple of years for Joren. He will graduate in May, and then is heading to graduate school in Sacramento, California. He plans to play one more year of tennis as he works toward his MBA.
Joren Stevens is a senior Business Administration major from Mol, Belgium.
