The 2020 Senior Perspectives is the 15th in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of teams at Harvard have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Harvard.

Kat Hughes
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Concentration: Economics
House Affiliation: Winthrop

When I first decided that I wanted to come to Harvard, I hadn't yet toured the campus, met any players on the team or even consulted my parents. After just one short meeting with Coach Stone, however, I was certain that I wanted to be a part of the program she had built here. While there were still a lot of unknowns as to what my experience might look like, it was clear that if I were able give my best to the team, Harvard Hockey would in turn help me to become a better version of myself.
 
As a graduating senior, I feel so lucky to have experienced what is behind the incredibly special family that Coach Stone described to me years earlier. She has built a program that values consistency, hard work, and a team first mentality – all of which translate on the ice but more importantly, help to grow compassionate and strong individuals off the ice.
 
The Bright-Landry has been the most valuable classroom I could imagine. Through the exhilarating wins, heartbreaking losses and all the memories in between, I have grown into a better teammate, leader and friend.
 
For a while I had feared that the end of my hockey career would mean losing an integral part of my identity. I realize now, however, that the family Harvard Athletics has given me and the lessons I've learned here will stay with me forever. My time at Harvard has shaped who I am today, and that is not lost just because my name is no longer on a roster. I am so thankful to have had the Harvard Hockey family be my greatest support system over the past four years, and I am excited for the next chapter, knowing we will always be connected.