As a child Chantal Luedeke would sit and watch medical dramas like General Hospital and E.R. with her mom. As entertained as she was by the dramas, she was equally intrigued by the medical jargon and hustle and bustle of working in the medical field.

Now a junior at North Carolina A&T, the Chesapeake, Va., native is not only a member of the Aggies track and field team, she is pursuing her lifelong plan of joining the medical industry.

The hurdler is studying biology with hopes of becoming a physician's assistant in the Navy. She boasts an impressive 3.3 grade point average, and she is the first person in her family to pursue a college degree. Ms. Luedeke is the latest student-athlete featured in our Aggie Academic Spotlight series.

 "It is important to remember what you came to college for," said Luedeke. "My family and friends have been behind me 100 percent of the way and my accomplishments are not just for myself, but for them as well."