“I credit so much of who I am — as not only a person but a student — to my time on the basketball floor and how much carryover there is as what it means to be a good player, a good teammate, and how that translates to being a good student in the classroom,” Padilla said. “Just speaking for the four of us, our commitment to success in basketball is easily translated to wanting to challenge ourselves with this master’s program.”
Padilla said that her basketball career will end after USC, and she will move into an accounting role. She has big entrepreneurial dreams.“Later down the line, my goal is to start my own company. I think the foundation that I’ve had here at Marshall will help me in whatever field I go into, but will especially be relevant when that time comes to start something of my own.”
Makolo’s post-grad plans are motivated by her own challenges as an international basketball player. Raised in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, Makolo worked hard to be recognized by American collegiate basketball programs. According to her, this is a common struggle for many international players. She believes her time at Greif could help bridge that gap for other young women, much in the same way that Basketball Without Borders spreads the sport in Africa and Europe.
“A lot of kids don’t get the chance to experience playing in the States, and I want to do something similar [to Basketball Without Borders], like an academy in underdeveloped countries that’s going to help people to reach their dream and eventually play in the NCAA,” Makolo said.
Makolo isn’t alone. With the advent of NIL, hundreds of athletes are using their platforms and resources to give back to their communities. Makolo often recalls messages from young basketball players back home who are inspired by her journey to USC. That support drives her to do more.
“You might not think that you have influence power on others, but when you look at the stuff that you do — you affect people in a way,” Makolo said. “That really opened my eyes because sometimes I [thought], ‘We’re not like LeBron, We’re not Kobe.’ … But if you think about it, there’s people in town or back home that still look up to us … Your impact can be not as big as the ‘celebrities,’ but you still have an impact in the world.”
In March, Makolo, Padilla, and the rest of the team closed out an incredible season. On May 10, they’ll end their USC journey, and launch new entrepreneurial adventures. they’ll make the transition to alumni in the Trojan Network, each forever linked with hundreds of thousands of alumni.