Kevin Burke has been a stand out swimmer at Pleasant Valley High School for four years. On Oct. 3, Burke announced his decision to take his talents to Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
IUPUI is a division 1 university that has a great swimming facility, which was exactly what Burke was looking for. “The main selling point for me was their amazing facilities and they have a very good biomedical engineering program, which is what I want to study,” Burke explained.
Burke has been swimming for 12 years, and he gets to add at least four more years to his career. He has been a medal winner at the Iowa state swimming meet two years in a row. Burke was second in the 50 freestyle and sixth in the 100 backstroke last year. The year before he was fourth in the 100 backstroke.
Burke’s success comes from his work ethic that he brings to every practice. Nate Martell, Burke’s teammate, said, “Kevin shows many great qualities which have gotten him very far in his swimming career. His work ethic drives him and he shows up to practice everyday always striving to be better.”
Last year, Burke was told by doctors that he had scoliosis. It came as a shock to Burke, but he didn’t let it change his mind about his swimming career due to his love for the sport. “Surprisingly, the doctors said it shouldn’t be much to worry about. However, it does give me some back pain, but not enough to stop me from swimming,” Burke stated.
When it came down to it, Burke knew IUPUI was right for him. He had no doubt in his mind when he made the decision. “Honestly it wasn’t a very hard decision for me. It came down to two schools and IUPUI really had everything I was looking for. I really enjoyed my visit and could see myself spending the next four years of my life there,” Burke said.
Burke’s teammates have supported him throughout his process of choosing a college, and they couldn’t be happier for him. Martell said, “Kevin committing to IUPUI for swimming is an outstanding accomplishment which he definitely deserves. I look forward to seeing where his future takes him.”
