Meet International Student & Chatham Squash Star, Jared Nalliah
First-year student and squash athlete, Jared Nalliah
When Chatham first-year Jared Nalliah arrived on Shadyside campus last fall, it was not only his first time at Chatham—it was his first time in the United States. Growing up in Malaysia—a whopping 32-hour flight from Pittsburgh—Nalliah was an active and adventurous kid, splitting his time between basketball, badminton, and squash. When the time came to focus his energetic efforts towards one sport in particular, he chose squash, partly in hopes that it could help him realize another dream: “Ever since I was 10, the goal for me and my family was for me to come here and study in the States. Chatham gave me that opportunity and I'm forever grateful.”
But the path to Chatham wasn’t exactly straightforward, at least not at first. After setting his sights on playing squash at another university, plans fell through and that university’s coach told Jared to look into Chatham instead: “He told me that Chatham had great financial aid for international students, especially student athletes. I did some of my own research on Chatham, and I realized that we have an integrated program with Carnegie Mellon University, which is one of the best schools in the world. It was a real good catch for me and it worked out in my favor.”
Now, as a multi-hyphenate first-year—international student, student athlete, an interdisciplinary major in international business and marketing, and entrepreneurship club member—Jared is managing a busy schedule while making the most of what Pittsburgh has to offer. And while he didn’t experience “culture shock” per se upon arriving to the U.S., his advice to other international students would be to “come prepared” academically: “That’s number one. Get prepared to compete academically and become a social butterfly. I'm currently a member of the entrepreneurship club, and I feel like that was a really good choice for me. It doesn't just look good on your resume; it's a good learning experience. It pushes you out of your comfort zone. When you’re having downtime, look into clubs, sports teams, and campus jobs. Pack your schedule. You won't regret it. Trust me.”
So far, the highlight of his Chatham experience has been competing with the squash team, which is currently ranked 13th in the U.S. and has a chance to shoot higher after two meets the weekend of February 12th. And though squash has yet to take the U.S. by storm, Jared is confident that college programs like Chatham’s are paving the way for the sport to take hold. When asked what he wishes more people knew about squash, he offered the following insight: “I feel like it doesn't get the recognition that it deserves. I've been feeling that way ever since I picked up the racket. It's easy to think to yourself, am I committing my life to this sport that no one really knows about? [But] it's a great sport and a great workout. You can actually burn the most calories per hour playing squash compared to any other sport. It keeps you fit and it's exciting once you understand it. I feel like [part of] the reason why it doesn't get the recognition that it deserves is because of accessibility. For instance, there are basketball courts and soccer fields everywhere. You don't really see squash courts out in the open. It's an indoor sport so you have to go to golf clubs and [wealthy] places to find them. I hope in the future, not just for Chatham squash but squash in general, that it grows in the United States. It has been growing leaps and bounds over the last few years because of college squash, but I hope it makes even further strides.”
Jared’s time at Chatham is just getting started, and with all that he has already accomplished, we can’t wait to see what’s next. His future plans include an MBA, a comfortable living, and a healthy work-life balance. But he is sure to emphasize that that is a ways away: “I still feel like I'm relatively new here, it's only my second semester. In a way I'm still getting used to things but at the same time, I feel seasoned.”
Chatham Men’s Squash is hosting Navy and Western Ontario this weekend on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13. For more information, click here.