GREENSBORO -Being a student-athlete at a Division I university is nothing short of a challenge. The act of balancing academics and athletics takes dedication and discipline.  Despite the challenges and pressures associated with being a student-athlete, there are some students who seem to rise to the occasion and exceed expectations. Shakia Forbes is such a student.

On Friday at 7:15 p.m., Forbes will become the third Aggie in school history to compete in the NCAA Indoor National Championships. Forbes, a two-time MEAC outdoor long jump champion,  enters the indoor championships as the 11^th ranked long jumper in the nation. If she finishes in the top eight over the weekend, she will be deemed an All-American.

"Shakia is an excellent example of what I always ask our student-athletes to embrace, being an ambassador for the university," said James Daniels, interim director of track and field programs at A&T. "I am very proud of her and her outstanding accomplishments academically and athletically. (Assistant coach) Katrina Allen has done a great job preparing Shakia this season."  

Forbes has not only been the star jumper for the North Carolina A&T track and field program, she has also managed to be a star in the classroom. She recently was accepted into one of the top speech pathology graduate programs in the country at the University of North Carolina.

In 2011, she was A&T's co-Academic Female Athlete of the Year with a 3.94 grade point average. As if that is not enough to boast about, Forbes also holds the school record in the long with a leap of 20-feet, 9-inches. Forbes simply credits her success as a student-athlete to her own desire to be the best person she can be.

"When I'm in the classroom, I give it my all, and when I'm on the track I give it my all. That mentality has allowed me to reach the success that I have had," said Forbes. "It is very stressful and challenging being a student-athlete, but you have to find the balance. You have to put a lot a time into both athletics and academics to do well in each. It's still a struggle."

On track surface, Forbes has been fantastic. She continues to break both school and personal records in the long jump. The scholar-athlete was named MEAC track and field athlete of the week on Feb. 9 after an impressive showing at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, where she placed third in the women's long jump and set a then school record with a distance of 20-feet, 8-inches.

Forbes also has two first-place finishes under her belt this season, as she won the long jump at the Penn State and Virginia Tech Invitationals.

In order to juggle the expectation of continued success in the classroom and on the track, Forbes sets goals to help stay focused.

"In terms of academics, my goal for the season was to maintain my GPA and work harder to get it higher. My goal in track is to always get better when I jump," said Forbes. "Every time I compete, I am challenging myself to get better results each time. That's what I've been doing, and I am satisfied with the results so far."

Prior to becoming an Aggie, Forbes competed at Seton Hall. While on the track and field team at Seton Hall, she won the Big East Outdoor Championship in the long jump and earned first place at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships held in Poland. She decided to attend A&T when Seton Hall's four track and field programs were eliminated for financial concerns after her freshman season.  

"Moving to North Carolina allowed me to be closer to family, who I didn't see much while I was living in New Jersey," said Forbes. "A&T is so family-oriented, and I have accomplished so much since I have been here. I am very happy with my decision to become an Aggie."

The majority of well-adjusted student-athletes, who seem to excel both academically and athletically in college, had a similar pattern of success in high school. Forbes is no different. Forbes' excellent study habits were evident early as she graduated from Bethel High School in Hampton, Va., with a 3.9 GPA. As a track and field athlete, Forbes was a member of the varsity track and field program for two years and performed on one of the biggest stages in the country. She finished first in the high school division of the girls long jump at the Penn State Invitational. She was ranked No. 1 in the nation among high school students  

"Eleventh grade is when I started taking track seriously," Forbes said. "I originally played basketball in high school and one of my coaches saw a lot of talent in me and encouraged me to pursue track. In high school I worked hard and followed the advice of my coaches and it paid off. Running track was fun for me and winning was a perk."

Now a senior, this track star has the added pressure of figuring out life post-graduation. With impressive academics and excellent track and field accomplishments under her belt, Forbes is now weighing her options.

"Right now, I don't have a set after-graduation plan. I have already applied to graduate school to be a speech therapist. But since I am doing so well athletically this season, I am considering my options there. It depends on how the season goes for me," explained Forbes.

To be afforded the opportunity to pursue both her passion for speech therapy and her passion for track and field is the ideal situation for a student-athlete approaching graduation. Forbes' dedication to her academics and her athletics is admirable and is paying off during a time when it matters the most.

"[Shakia] is an excellent example of what a student-athlete should be or seek to become," said Daniels. "She deserves every award and accolade she is earning."