A Spartan Engineer was recently named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week and was also celebrated as the Big Ten Champion on the final day of this year's Big Ten Indoor Championship.
Jenna Magness earned her first Big Ten honor after her record-setting track and field performance at the B1G SPIRE Invitational on Feb. 12. Magness shattered the Michigan State record in the women's 5,000m, finishing first with a time of 15:42.73. Her time was the third-fastest in the NCAA this season.
She also captured her first Big Ten Indoor Track & Field crown as a Big Ten Champion to pace Michigan State on the final day of action at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. After finishing as a runner-up last season, Magness took control to capture the gold medal with a stellar time of 15:51.46. Two of her Spartan teammates were right behind as MSU finished 1-3-4.
Magness is a senior chemical engineering major from Grand Ledge.
"It's such an honor," she said. "It's very rewarding to receive recognition for my performances on the track, especially since we didn't get a chance to compete in outdoor track last spring due to COVID."
Magness said she has always been interested in chemistry and mathematics and started running competitively in the seventh grade.
"My love for both the sciences and running grew as I continued my schooling," she continued, "so I'm grateful to have this opportunity to pursue both of my passions here at Michigan State University."
After graduation, Magness hopes to work in one of the fields that she discovered while a student at MSU.
"I have developed an interest in the food and beverage industry and packaging industry while I've been completing my degree," she explained. "Upon graduation I hope to get a position as a chemical engineer for a company in either of them."
Magness is also a leader in the College of Engineering as a member of the NSF-funded Supporting Excellent Engineers program and through activities in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science.
"I've been on the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Executive Board for three years now. I'm currently one of the Professionalism Chairs, which involves contacting company representatives about potential sponsorships and offering them an opportunity to have information sessions with students about employment opportunities within their companies.
"Even though it adds another activity to my schedule, I'm so glad I've been a part of AIChE because it has helped me connect with my chemical engineering peers beyond just the classroom," she added.