Alicia Marzouca ’24 began attending Pine Crest School in the fourth grade. Emphasizing the importance of education, Alicia’s parents viewed Pine Crest as an institution of excellence with high academic standards and felt that it was the perfect place to enroll her, along with her two older brothers Chris ’17 and Tony ’20.
In the eight years that Alicia was a student, she became an active member of the community, involved in several clubs, activities, athletics, and extracurriculars. She was a staple on PCTV, a member of more than one academic honor society, and was the recipient of first-team and all-county awards over several seasons of softball. As a senior, Alicia was awarded the J. William Munsey Scholar-Athlete Award, considered the highest honor a student-athlete can receive at Pine Crest, for her consistent demonstrations of academic and athletic excellence, sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship.
While Alicia’s time as a Panther was drawing to a close, we had the opportunity to speak with her about some of her fondest Pine Crest memories, and what lies ahead.
When did you begin your time at Pine Crest, why do you believe this is the school your parents chose for you?
Alicia Marzouca ’24 (AM): I started Pine Crest in the fourth grade, and both of my brothers were already students in the Upper School at the time. My parents have always had high expectations for achievement, and academics are an important aspect of growing up for them. Because of this, they saw Pine Crest as the perfect place for my siblings and me.
How did you find a balance between your academics, athletics, and other activities you were a part of here?
AM: Although it was incredibly challenging, I chose to be very disciplined. I knew that becoming a Division 1 athlete was the end goal I had for myself, so that motivated me to work my hardest. I trained almost every single day, whether it was playing basketball, or conditioning for softball. I also made sure to prioritize academics and stay focused while in school to ensure that I succeeded.
What are the other activities, clubs, extracurriculars, etc. that you were involved in? How did you become interested or involved in them, and how have they influenced you?
AM: I was involved in the Black Student Association (BSA) and PCTV. BSA was a group that I could go to and a place where I found a sense of belonging and community, being surrounded by other students who were similar to me. We all came together in club meetings and talked about our experiences and social lives while connecting through our culture. With PCTV, I always enjoyed being an editor and filmmaker so it was the perfect extracurricular for me to explore. In my senior year, we traveled to California to participate in the Student Television Network (STN) National Convention where we placed in several different categories. These two activities both gave me a sense of community in different ways that I will cherish forever.
You are moving on to Columbia University in the fall. Can you tell us why you chose Columbia and what you plan to study there?
AM: I chose Columbia because of how diverse and motivated the student body is. I’m excited to be studying neuroscience on a pre-med track. The Core Curriculum is unique to the University, and I’m looking forward to exploring subjects that are outside of my major, which I anticipate will further my academic interests. The softball coaches at Columbia also believed in me from the day that I committed, and the environment that they established with the team is unmatched by the other schools I considered.
You have been a student-athlete, excelling in two sports (basketball and softball) during your time here at Pine Crest. Now, you will be an NCAA Division 1 athlete and continue to play softball at Columbia. How has softball impacted you?
AM: Softball has taught me discipline and motivated me to work hard on and off the field. An important aspect of the game that is not often discussed, is to never have bad body language because that can affect other areas. It’s about maintaining a positive mindset even when things get tough, and that’s something that has taught me to always stay motivated; things may not always work out the way you want them to, but it’s important to keep pushing through.
What are some of your fondest memories from softball?
AM: Some of my fondest memories are winning state championship tournaments and contributing to our wins. In the fall of 2022, my team won a tournament, and I prevented the other team from scoring only two possible runs by throwing them out at home plate from the outfield. I will always remember this because I helped my team in a crucial moment, leading to winning the championship.
What did it mean to you to win the Munsey Award this year?
AM: It meant a lot to me to win the Munsey Award because it was a reflection of all of the hard work I’ve put in over my years in the Upper School. I could not have done it without the support from my softball and basketball coaches as well as the teachers who helped me become the best student that I could be.
What is something you love to do outside of school or school-related activities?
AM: Something I love to do outside of school is to spend time playing basketball with my two older brothers. They both played basketball growing up, so I also grew up around the sport; it's a pivotal aspect of all of our lives. We are all extremely competitive, and it's so much fun to play with them whenever they're home from college.
Who were some of your favorite teachers from your time here, and why?
AM: Mr. Curran, who taught Pre-Calculus Honors my junior year, was one of my favorite teachers because of how high energy he was every single day of class. He found a way to turn every lesson into a story and made math easy for me to learn and understand. He was also someone who was interested in my softball career and asked me, "When will I see you hit another home run?" almost every day. Ms. Alexanderson is also one of my favorite teachers, who taught my Psychology and Post-AP Psychology Research classes. She introduced me to what is now my favorite subject and something I will pursue in college. She always supported me and taught me everything I know about psychology, and that's something I'll always be grateful for.
What is your fondest Pine Crest memory, and what will you miss the most?
AM: My fondest Pine Crest memory is my signing day, the day I committed to Columbia. All of my coaches and friends came out to support me, and it was amazing seeing everyone excited for me to move on to the next chapter. I will always be grateful for those who supported me throughout that process. What I will miss most is the sense of community I had with the senior class throughout high school. Everyone was friendly with each other and it made high school much easier and so fun for all of us as we bonded.
What is one of the biggest takeaways you are leaving Pine Crest with?
AM: Always work hard to accomplish your goals because it will help you in the long run. Whether athletically or academically, I always made sure to pour 100% of my effort into everything I did and tried my best to motivate my classmates and encourage them to do the same, which always had a positive outcome.
If you could impart some wisdom or advice to someone who will be starting at Pine Crest as a freshman in the fall, what would that be?
AM: Make the most of all of the activities and events that happen at school because you only have the high school experience once. Never regret anything. Doing well and finding success is necessary, but having fun is the most important thing in high school.