Lisa Schofield

Ensuring a New Generation Can Pursue Their Dreams

Lisa M. Schofield (LSA '85) was a member of the Michigan field hockey team from 1981 through 1984. She received her degree in Political Science, and after graduating, pursued a career in the legal industry. Through a generous gift to Michigan Athletics supporting scholarships, she is working to ensure a new generation of field hockey scholar-athletes is able to follow in her footsteps. We spoke with Lisa about what Michigan Athletics means to her, and why she chose to give back as an alumna.

What about your Michigan education did you value?

"I majored in Political Science with an American government concentration. My studies were enlightening and were pivotal in the way I came to view the world. For example, as a result of a class I took on South Africa's Apartheid system, I met several white and black South Africans in that class and got to hear their perspectives first hand. This led me to get involved in a movement focused on pressuring U.S. companies to divest their assets in South Africa. My class work and classmates exposed me to cultural, political, and societal frameworks that informed me in a very meaningful way. Having come from a small school in Pennsylvania, I had a limited view of the world. My academic experience at Michigan opened my eyes to learn and care about the world, not just what was happening in the U.S. Some of my charitable giving is inspired by organizations and causes that got my attention while I was a student at Michigan.

Over the years, I have come to see the tremendous value of being part of the Michigan family. When I interviewed for a post-graduate internship at The Brookings Institution, the interviewer, who was head of the program, was also a Michigan Political Science graduate. She knew first hand the quality of my academic experience, which I am confident was a key factor in my selection into the program. The value of my Michigan degree and the alumni network connections I have made over the years have been important drivers of my success."

What do you feel was your greatest success as a student-athlete?

"In my senior year, I was named as a captain of the field hockey team. It was such an honor to be recognized and entrusted as a leader of the team. I really feel like I grew into the position through my first three years in large part because of the examples set by the leaders such as Dee Jones, Kay McCarthy, and Denise Comby who came before me."

During your time as a scholar-athlete, how did you view the inequality between the funding and support of men's and women's teams at Michigan?

"I was on the team from 1981-84. At that time, women's athletics were not well-funded at Michigan. As I recall, we had six scholarships to split across the entire field hockey team. I had a partial athletic scholarship, without which I never would have been able to attend Michigan. There was definitely some resentment felt by me and many of my teammates about the inadequate funding for our program, especially in comparison to the men's sports teams. Our poorly maintained grass field sat between Yost Ice Arena, what is now Schembechler Hall, and the baseball complex, which made it all the more apparent that we were underfunded and deprioritized.

That being said, the progress that has been made over the years and the commitment that Michigan Athletics has made to the women's teams, has been wonderful to see. The Michigan Athletics department as a whole is doing great things for the women's teams, and I'm proud that I was able to be a small part of the acorn that has now become the strong and beautiful oak tree."

What is a favorite memory you have from your time on the field hockey team?

"There are so many, I'm not sure I could pick just one. We made great memories and friendships during our road trips when we drove vans to places like Philadelphia, Iowa City, Evanston, and Columbus. The amount of time we spent together studying, talking, training and supporting each other is why our friendships endure to this day. Those lighthearted moments and connections are what we leaned on to deal with the stress of being a scholar-athlete. I think many of my teammates look back on our experience through the same lens I do; we were very fortunate to represent Michigan on the field and have each other as teammates and friends. Over the last several years, my teammates and I have tried to get back to Ann Arbor every Fall to cheer on the field hockey team. We are all so proud of the accomplishments of the program under Coach Pankrantz's leadership."

What about your experience at Michigan made you want to give back?

"Through the years, my affection and appreciation for Michigan has only deepened. I gained so much during my time there. I am grateful for the fond memories and enduring friendships I made while at Michigan. I am also grateful for the value of having a degree from Michigan and the doors that opened for me because of it. It never ceases to amaze me how many connections I make through my association with Michigan. I frequently run into Michigan grads whether in a professional meeting, at a social event, or on the golf course. We have a shared experience through our time at the greatest university in the world.

I was fortunate to have a scholarship that enabled me to attend Michigan, and that's really why I give back. My family did not have enough money to pay tuition, so the only way I could have gone to Michigan was through a scholarship. Although there was no specific moment during my time as a student-athlete when I was inspired to give back some day, mainly because back then I could not imagine I'd ever be in a position to give back to the university, I am happy and proud to do so now. It is an honor and a privilege to do what I can to help not only the field hockey team grow and thrive but also for all the women's programs.

My motto is, "If you've got it, share it." That's how I view giving back, and I continue to encourage my former teammates to do so as well."

Is there anything specific you hope to see come from your continued support of Michigan Athletics?

"I hope to see the culture of philanthropic giving spread. I'm still in touch with many of my teammates so I try to encourage them to stay connected with Michigan and to support the program through giving. It's almost like a cycle - some people don't stay connected because they're not giving, and some people don't give because they haven't stayed connected. My message to them is get involved, go back for the reunions. Seeing the continuing value of having a college experience at Michigan makes me eager to give back, and just as eager to encourage friends to do the same."