The Next Big Thing: Savannah Boyd

This March, we celebrate Women's History Month by shining a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of women within the Shanghai American School community.

Kicking (or rather swinging) things off is Pudong Senior Savannah Boyd. From birdies on the golf course to solos on stage, Savannah has been making the most of her time at SAS. In the fall, she'll be taking her talents to Wellesley College, where she'll join the golf team and pursue another passion of hers: environmental science.

Can you tell us about where you’re heading next year?

Next year, I'll be at Wellesley College studying environmental studies and playing for their golf team. I began looking and thinking about college in the 10th grade, and then in the summer between my junior and senior year, I began the process of recruiting for golf. I reached out to as many coaches as possible of the schools I wanted to attend. That eventually narrowed things down to the coach from Wellesley. I enjoyed her personality, and I really liked the team.

Do you have any words of advice for students starting the college application journey?

This is more geared toward student athletes, if you're good at a certain sport and thinking about going through the recruiting process, think about exactly what kind of balance you want to have in college. For example, if you want to play at a really good sports school, you might not have as much time for academics or even be limited in the major you can pursue. I would reflect on how important your sport and academics are, then look at colleges that have the kind of balance you're looking for.

Do you feel prepared for college, balancing your academic and golf pursuits?

The course load I took at SAS was rigorous because I took IB and AP courses. This has given me a good trial for what it will be like in college, especially as I'm also doing a sport. I have experience managing my time well with a challenging course load and my other hobbies, golf and theater.

What are your fondest memories of SAS and the community here?

In eighth grade, I played in a tournament hosted at Shanghai Links, and I was shocked to see all of my middle school teachers there. They had all come to support me at the tournament, and I was able to show a different side of myself to my teachers. SAS places emphasis on their students, whether in high school, middle school, or elementary, doing extracurricular activities. There's a wide range of options, and I have always felt comfortable pursuing multiple hobbies outside of my studies.

Good luck next year, Savannah! Can’t wait to see all that you accomplish at Wellesley.