Jillian Dunleavy: Taking Sport, Military Service With Seriousness, Pride
This is the twelth in a series of feature stories during the fall 2023 semester. Each campus will be featured once throughout the semester as we highlight happenings, people and interesting stories from around the PSUAC.
Story courtesy of Evan Gruver, Penn State Shenango athletics.
SHARON, Pa. - “I like the idea of the tradition, honor, and routine that comes with service.” Penn State Shenango junior volleyball player Jillian Dunleavy always had a desire to join the military, but the COVID outbreak in 2020 derailed those plans, at least initially. “It’s something out of my comfort zone, so it’s a good character-building opportunity.”
Dunleavy came to Penn State Shenango in 2021 out of Heartland Christian School in Columbiana, Ohio. A desire to compete on the volleyball court, and a need to stay close to home meant that Shenango was the perfect fit.
“Volleyball was a major motivator for coming to Penn State Shenango. On top of the location, being close to my home and some family situations I was going through at the time, Shenango made the most sense to me.”
As with many student-athletes, sports were an outlet for Dunleavy who believes that participating in athletics helps her stay focused on everything else in her life.
“Sports have always been therapeutic to me,” she said. “It’s been a release, something to take my mind off things.”
During her time with the Shenango Lions, Dunleavy has found success on the court. Currently, she is the Penn State Shenango volleyball career leader in matches played (57), career sets played (189), solo blocks (48), and total blocks (79). She is also in the top ten in kills, assists, aces, digs, and points.
As a student first and an athlete second, her achievements in the classroom are equally important as she pursues a degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology.
“For a while I wanted to be a criminal psychologist or criminal profiler. I thought I wanted to go into the secret service or the FBI, maybe doing negotiations or something along those lines.”
Fast forward to 2023 and her dream of joining the military is finally being realized. “There’s a history of military service on my dad’s side of the family, so I wanted to be able to continue that tradition.”
Dunleavy is currently slated to leave for basic training in January 2024. “The Air Force has some really good resources to enhance my career opportunities, which is part of why I chose to join the reserves instead of active duty.”
Fall 2023 has been a time of growth for Dunleavy as a leader for the Lions. In preparation for her transition to basic training, she has been engaged with the “Development Training Flight,” which she claims has helped her learn new skills that she can apply to the team as a captain. Her growth in this area has been noticed by everyone on campus, including Athletic Director Brandon Padgett.
"Jill is unquestionably a leader on our campus. Her perseverance during difficult times shows such strength that it absolutely impresses me,” Padgett said. “I know that Jill draws her strength through her faith, and her willingness to lead with her faith at the center of what she does and who she is, is inspiring."
Dunleavy has plans to return to Shenango in the fall 2024 semester to complete her degree following her time in the reserves.