Life After Mercer Athletics: Amiee Frutchey

Amiee Frutchey, former member of the volleyball team, graduated last May with a Global Health degree from Mercer and is currently working as a Clinical Research Coordinator for Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston in Cambridge, MA.
As soon as she graduated, Frutchey moved to the beach town of Kailua in Hawaii where she planned to stay for a while before starting to apply for graduate school. Frutchey was having a fun and relaxed time in Kailua and started playing sand volleyball as soon as she made some friends.
The University of Hawaii approached Frutchey and offered her to play her last year of eligibility for their sand volleyball team. “A few calls were made and before I knew it I was enrolled as a graduate student and cleared by the NCAA,” said Frutchey.
After a few months playing for the University of Hawaii, Frutchey decided that even though she loved her experience playing volleyball for both Mercer and the University of Hawaii, her aspirations for a successful professional life were more important than her athletic goals. Frutchey moved to Boston and is currently applying to physicians assistant and public health programs, while working for the Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston where she mainly works with patients who are in the end stages of retinal disease and deals with medical sponsors funding clinical trials and patients who are participating in it.
Frutchey has taken away countless lessons from her time as a student athlete. She said one of the most important was learning the value of maintaining balance. The pressures of doing well in school as well as in the court and having a social life, challenged Frutchey to learn how to work through those demands practicing time management and finding a mindset of balance. “My time at Mercer both academically and athletically has shaped me into the person that I am today,” said Frutchey. Her experience as a student-athlete was unlike any other. Having the chance to be supported by her teammates, coaches, athletic department, professors and fans was life-changing. “It’s the 6 hour bus rides, the early morning conditioning, late nights in the 24 hour room, game day, and the nights of celebration after a win. It was such a privilege to be part of that throughout college,” said Frutchey.
Frutchey still follows the team, checks the stats of some of their games and keeps track of their conference performance. She considers that Mercer has continued to grow its presence not only in the southeast but in the country with its athletic programs. Frutchey is a proud Bears fan and tries to keep up with all of the teams, as well as with her teammates who she not only said are a big part of her life but are also some of her best friends. Having graduated almost a year ago, Frutchey realizes how much she misses Mercer, the close proximity to her friends, the tight knit community of Macon and even The Hummingbird.
She encouraged all the student athletes to enjoy the time playing the sport they love with the university’s support behind them as well as taking advantage of the education they are receiving.
Even though her post-graduation experience has been beyond exciting, Frutchey affirms her experience at Mercer was what helped her get where she is today. “I am beyond grateful and appreciative for everyone that was involved in my experience. I loved my time at Mercer and the further removed I am from it the more appreciative I become,” said Frutchey.