“Serving I Live” Spotlight - Meet Ms. Ashley Eisenmenger of North Central College

Most of us cannot even imagine what it would be like to compete in a triathalon on the national stage, much less taking first place. Now try to imagine doing this without your sight. Seems impossible, right? Yet this is the reality for Blue Key member Ashley Eisenmenger. Ashley is one of the founding members of the North Central College Cardinals varsity triathlon team. She thrives in adversity and welcomes a challenge, which is why her entrée into the world of competitive triathlons is somewhat unconventional but not surprising. She competed in her first race after losing a bet.

Now, she is winning. In 2016, she swam, biked, and ran her way to become the Paratriathlon National Champion. In 2017, the Cardinals won first place in the D3 Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships. She is a member of the USA Triathlon Team, and will be competing in the USAT national championship later on this month.

As a triplet, Ashley was born significantly premature. She, along with her two sisters, suffer from a condition known as Retinopathy of Prematurity; however, Ashley’s condition is the most severe. She has had very limited sight all of her life.

When asked how she first came upon running as a sport, Ashley explains that a teacher in high school suggested Ashley try running as a means to cope with vision loss. Ashley grew to appreciate the comfort and predictable curves of the track’s shape as well as the freedom that running offered.

But if you were to meet Ashley, you would know that she is not satisfied with being comfortable and seems to deflect any adulation or praise. Despite being a dean’s list student and a varsity athlete, she is humble. She is also incredibly hardworking. She loves to challenge expectations and excels when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. And so the runner became a competitive triathlete. She now competes with a guide, to whom she is tethered during the swimming and running portions of the race. These activities serve to bookend the tandem biking that takes place in the race’s middle.

That being said, what is truly remarkable about Ashley, is not the fact that she is blind and competes in triathlons, it is her positive attitude and her heart for service. “We all face adversity in one way or another but it’s how we choose to view that adversity and how we choose to perceive it that helps us overcome it.” One can imagine the importance of communication and the level of trust needed to be successful as a blind triathlete. As an Organizational Communications major, Ashley is keenly aware of the value of these characteristics. She sees herself as “a connector… between people and organizations and between various organizations.”

She acts as that connector and as a mentor in her various roles across campus and beyond. As a transfer student from a small town in Illinois, she knows the difficulties that students with visual impairments face when heading to college. She personally mentors these students to help them successfully transition to college. She also shares her story in hopes to inspire and empower others. As a member of North Central’s Blue Key chapter, Ashley serves on the executive board as the chair for service and community outreach. She was instrumental in developing and implementing Code Blue, a program designed to serve the those who serve by recognizing “leaders for the work that they do for our campus and community.”

Ashley has heart, she has determination, and she is a role model for others. She truly exemplifies the Blue Key motto, “Serving, I live.”

Are you, or your chapter, making a significant difference on your campus? Is there an alumnus of your chapter that has continued to give back? Let us know! Contact us at director@bluekey.org