|
|
|
August 2005
|
ALUMNI NEWS |
|
| Alumna Supports Love of Athletics and AU Christy-Langenfeld’s gift befits her personality. The longtime athletic department supporter has carried a competitive fire and burning desire to win since she first set foot on campus two decades ago. “I’ve always enjoyed the competitive nature of athletics,” she said. “In team sports, the ability to win collectively as a group, working together and being in a position as a group to win is very satisfying to me.” Growing up in Somerset County, N.J., there was hardly a team sport Christy-Langenfeld didn’t take to. During a remarkable four years at Hillsborough High that landed her in the school’s Hall of Fame, she excelled in field hockey, softball, and basketball. “I really had a love of basketball, so I started playing field hockey for conditioning,” she said. “It turns out it was the sport I achieved the most in. I was all-state, and that was the sport I had the opportunity to play Division I.” Intent on pursuing a business degree, Christy-Langenfeld visited several universities before choosing AU. “I really enjoyed the city and liked the opportunities that were available both on and off campus,” she said. “And the chance to play Division I field hockey was very appealing.” After arriving in Washington, Christy-Langenfeld quickly—and naturally— forged into leadership roles. “She was an excellent player and leader right from the beginning,” said her coach, Barb Reimann. “The other players on the team liked her, she had a very outgoing personality and a good sense of humor.” All qualities that undoubtedly served her well both in her capacity as a center-midfield on the field hockey team—and as president of the student government during the 1987–88 academic year. “I had a great time in college. I had the opportunity not only academically to pursue interests in finance and marketing, but I was student body president and a resident advisor. I had a resume that said I managed a $500,000 operating budget, and there are not a lot of kids that can do that. AU opened a lot of opportunities for me. I worked on the Hill for a law firm. It gave me a well-rounded experience.” Intensely driven and focused, Christy-Langenfeld has carved a highly successful business career for herself since graduating from AU. She’s now network solutions president for communications giant Lucent Technologies, running the $7.5 billion products arm of the company. “I have always enjoyed winning, and I think business is a lot like sports,” she said. “Even today business affords me a great opportunity for leadership, to think about what’s going on competitively, what you have to do to beat the competition. I think athletics clearly lends itself to that. Really, opportunities are available to those in business who are focused and willing to take a risk. My opportunity to play sports since I was very small really prepared me for that.” Christy-Langenfeld has been impressed by the manner in which Coach Steve Jennings has navigated AU into the pantheon of top collegiate field hockey programs. She follows the Eagles as closely as possible and stays involved with the sport by coaching her daughter Samantha’s youth field hockey team. She and her husband, Randy, have four children ranging in age from 14 to 3. “I’m very blessed,” she said. “I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to go to AU and achieve what I wanted to achieve. I’m a big a believer, especially as a female, in what athletics can teach. AU provided me some aid when I was there, so I thought it was appropriate to make sure that I continue to contribute and give back.” -Mike Unger |
Each time a shot fired by a woman on AU’s field hockey team finds the back of the net at the sparkling new William I Jacobs Recreation Complex, the tally will be displayed on a shiny scoreboard funded by Cindy Christy-Langenfeld, KSB/BSBA '88.