Lindsay Eisenman '26 came to Claremont McKenna College looking for a place where she could thrive in the classroom and on the tennis court. She found that balance in the CMS scholar-leader-athlete experience, one that pushes her to grow as a student, competitor, and leader every day.

For Eisenman, the draw was as much about the environment as it was about the opportunity. Small classes, close connections with professors, and a team culture built on accountability made CMS feel like the right fit.

"CMC was the right fit for me because it allowed me to focus on my academic experience while still playing tennis at a high level," she said. "I liked how the class sizes here were small, allowing me to connect with my professors and classmates."

Now a key contributor for the Athenas, Eisenman has embraced CMS's commitment to developing scholar-leader-athletes, most recently through her involvement in the "We Lead the Way" program, a leadership initiative designed to help student-athletes carry the lessons of sport into life beyond athletics.

Learning to Lead

Eisenman's interest in leadership began with a simple desire to get more involved in the CMS community. Through the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), she found a platform to represent her peers and help shape the student-athlete experience.

"I joined the CMS Student-Athlete Advisory Committee because I wanted to be more involved within the athletic community and represent the voices of student-athletes," she said. "Being part of SAAC has allowed me to take on a leadership role and collaborate with athletes from other sports."

That spirit of collaboration led her to "We Lead the Way," a program created by CMS alumnus Josh Keough '04 to equip student-athletes with the skills and mindset to "go pro in life." Eisenman first learned about the initiative while interning at Genentech, where she met Keough.

"I was interested in participating because I thought it was a great opportunity to further develop my leadership skills and apply these lessons back to my own team," she said.

The program has quickly become a cornerstone of her experience at CMS. Through workshops and roundtable discussions with student-athletes from across the department, Eisenman has gained new perspective on what it means to lead.

"The most meaningful experience in this program has been hearing about other SAAC members' leadership experiences," she said. "Listening to their stories has allowed me to reflect on my own experience, and has shown me that there are many different ways to lead effectively."
 
Finding Balance

While leadership development has been a highlight, the foundation of Eisenman's CMS journey remains the daily discipline required to balance academics and athletics. The Athenas tennis program demands excellence, and Eisenman has embraced the challenge alongside teammates who share her drive.

"I have loved my time on the CMS women's tennis team, as it has allowed me to compete at a high level alongside my amazing teammates," she said. "It has been rewarding to see our success over the years after putting in the hard work at practice."

The key, she said, is time management, a lesson that has shaped her growth both on and off the court.

"An important lesson that I have learned during my time at CMS is the importance of time management," Eisenman said. "As a student-athlete, I have had to balance the demands of academics, athletics, and other extra-curricular activities which has pushed me to become more organized with my time. This discipline has allowed me to succeed in multiple different areas."

That intentional approach extends to her studies, where she values the same qualities that make her successful in tennis: preparation, consistency, and resilience.

"Balancing academics and athletics has been one of the more challenging aspects during my time here at CMS, but I have learned how to manage my time effectively and prioritize my responsibilities," she said. "I have also learned to use my time intentionally for things that I am passionate about, which helps me stay motivated."

A Community of Scholar-Leader-Athletes

Eisenman believes what sets CMS apart is the expectation of excellence across disciplines - and the support to pursue it. "The CMS scholar-leader-athlete experience is unique because it emphasizes excellence in multiple different disciplines simultaneously, while also encouraging student-athletes to develop a sense of community," she said.

Through SAAC and "We Lead the Way," she has seen first-hand how bringing student-athletes from different teams together can strengthen that community.

"SAAC is working to create a stronger community for CMS scholar-leader-athletes through the 'We Lead the Way' program, which has allowed us to develop our leadership skills," she said. "Over the past couple of months, we have participated in engaging conversations with our peers to share our personal experiences as a leader on campus. This has allowed me to build a community across different teams and learn what it means to be an effective leader."
 
That cross-team collaboration is intentional. Eisenman said the program has helped formalize a culture of leadership that has long existed at CMS by providing structure and shared language for growth.

"The 'We Lead the Way' program has helped formalize this culture by providing a structured framework student-athletes can follow to continue developing leadership skills," she said. "This program gives intentional opportunities to student-athletes to continue learning and reflecting upon their own experiences."

Going Pro in Life

For Eisenman, the goal is to carry those lessons forward - into her team, her career, and her life after CMS.

"In my eyes, the saying 'go pro in life' means using the lessons that I have learned as a CMS student-athlete and applying them beyond the classroom and the court," she said. "It emphasizes the importance of approaching everything I do with the same level of commitment, accountability, and professionalism."

She hopes future Athenas and Stags will have the same opportunities to grow that she has had. "I hope that the 'We Lead the Way' program will be able to provide current student-athletes with the tools and guidance to apply their skills in their professional life after CMS," she said. "This will allow the transition after graduation to become a lot smoother, as student-athletes will already have had experience in leadership, teamwork, and effective communication."

Looking back, Eisenman is grateful to be part of something that is still taking shape, helping to build a program that will serve CMS student-athletes for years to come.

"It has been really exciting being a part of a new CMS program, because we are able to give our feedback and shape the future of the program," she said. "It will be rewarding to see our ideas being implemented and how we can make a real impact on future CMS student-athletes."