The 2024 season is quickly approaching. With the start of camp only weeks away, it’s time to meet the team.
To help the members of the Gridiron Club get to know the team, “Meet the Senior” will be a frequent feature on the site. This senior spotlight is a great chance to learn more about each senior, with the hopes of forming connections between current players and alumni.
Without further ado, let’s meet senior wideout Mason Bala from Wickliffe, OH.
Why did you choose to attend John Carroll?
I chose John Carroll for the culture and ability to be involved within our community and our history as a Jesuit University.
What does being a Blue Streak mean to you?
To continue to build our way. To continue to grow and improve ourselves as well as the others that are around us. To have the ability to put other ahead of you serving as a true Man of Carroll.
What are some of your favorite memories as a student at JCU?
Some of my memories as a student include my club activities, specifically the Consulting Club, in which we had a live case study with our on-campus Food Buggy. I also enjoyed the tours of companies that we took with the Finance Club learning about each company and how each employee that got to speak got to where they were.
What is the best part about being a student-athlete at JCU?
All fall camps, as we each grow closer and closer with one another through the beginning of August getting through the long days and sinking into the battle rhythm of meetings, practice, lifts, and meals as each of us grow through camp becoming a family.
What else have you been involved with on campus besides football?
Finance Club, Consulting Club, and the Economics Association
Which JCU faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
Dr. Welki has made a great impact on me, as he was my first class with his Stats class, which was my first introduction into collegiate classes. There, I learned how to study harder and prove that if I put in the work one will get noticed and one will do well in the class. Also, Dr. Steinburg made a great impact on me as he gave me real life examples of finance for accounting finally connecting many of the dots that I had left scrambled in my head. His class finally gave me the ability to put my learning to use as we learned at companies financial statements and went through each line explaining what it means and what is hidden between the lines.
Reflecting back on your time at JCU, what advice would you give an incoming freshman?
Buy into the process. Become a more well-rounded person learning in school and get involved with everything you can. The proof of initiative will get you far and you will learn more valuable information through involvement than standing on the sidelines.
What do you want to do for a living when you graduate from JCU?
I want to become a financial analyst for a larger company controlling their finances in the most effective way.
TWO MINUTE DRILL
Favorite JCU Football memory: Camp
Favorite professor: Dr. Welki & Dr. Steinburg
Favorite Cleveland activity: Browns games
Favorite JCU tradition: Jesuit Day of Service
Favorite place on campus: Bloomberg Lab
Fun Fact: I got to meet CEO of Fortune 500 company STERIS at a speaker event.
