Most Auburn students would typically visit Boston for tourist attractions, sporting events or to visit family. Former diver Dan Mazzaferro, however, is making the trip for a different reason: Boston is the location for the next round of interviews in his quest to become a Rhodes Scholar.
"It's honestly a blessing and a surprise to become a Rhodes Scholar finalist," Mazzaferro said.
Mazzaferro's accomplishment marks the third consecutive year a member of Auburn's swimming and diving team has been a finalist for the scholarship.
"We could not be more proud of Dan for this phenomenal accomplishment," said Jay Jacobs, director of athletics. "Dan has succeeded at the very highest levels academically, athletically and in the community, so this recognition is well-deserved. Dan is certainly a worthy candidate for the Rhodes."
The next step for Mazzaferro is a two-day interview process with the District II selection committee Nov. 19-20.
He will join 12 other finalists from the district, and two of the finalists will be selected as 2012 Rhodes Scholars.
"I'm going into the interview delighted to be where I am right now, where my experience at Auburn University has brought me to," Mazzaferro said. "I'm going to go there, be myself and try to be as relaxed as possible."
Mazzaferro said he believes his recent research on the health care system will aid him in the interviews.
"My proposed field is a (Master of Science) in biomedical engineering," Mazzaferro said.
"I see the health care system really consisting of three facets, which are medical professionals, the business side, such as administration, and biomedical engineers. This three-tier system is important for them to all work together in order to develop an efficient health care."
Mazzaferro's story is unlike many other athletes', many of whom start playing their sport at a young age and excel to the point of collegiate success.
Rather, Mazzaferro said he didn't start diving competitively until he was 12, and that only included competing during the summer months.
However, he did start gymnastics at age 5.
"As I got more serious with gymnastics, those hours increased further and further, which made it harder," Mazzaferro said.
"When you go to middle school and high school, you have to manage your time with school, of course, which is most important, gymnastics, which was four-plus hours a day, and diving, which throughout all of my high school career until sophomore year, I was only diving two or three times a week."
Mazzaferro said he decided before his sophomore year of high school to which sport he would fully commit his time.
"It was a tough decision because I really like a challenge, and gymnastics was more of a challenging sport," Mazzaferro said. "But then again, diving is its own challenge in its own way."
As the Cheshire, Conn., native began looking for the right college fit, he didn't know anything about Auburn.
"I was traveling all over the country for different recruiting trips," Mazzaferro said. "And I'll be honest, before I visited Auburn, I didn't even know where Auburn was. I didn't know what Auburn was. I didn't know why I was going on a recruiting trip there."
Mazzaferro said his ideal school included a team that was a family and would come with a lot of friends from the beginning.
"The main reason that was so important in my college decision is because on my state high school swimming and diving program, the swimmers understood the importance of divers, and the divers understood the importance of swimmers," Mazzaferro said.
"You can't win a state title without a whole team, and that's the same mindset that it is here at Auburn."
While Mazzaferro continued competing with a successful program, his academic plan took an unexpected turn the summer before his senior year.
"I tore my ACL, and it caused me to redshirt my senior year," Mazzaferro said. "Since I had a redshirt, it gave me an extra year of eligibility. I had to decide what I wanted to do. I could either get a second undergraduate degree, or I could study toward a master's degree."
Mazzaferro, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry with a 3.92 GPA, said he ultimately decided to enter graduate school to begin working on his Master of Business Administration--rather than his original plan of medical school--so he could compete in his final year of eligibility.
"It was very strong that he was able to come back and win two SEC titles and I think Co-SEC Diver of the Year," said diving coach Jeff Shaffer. "And he was a two-event All-American at the NCAA Championships, too."
Mazzaferro, who currently holds a 4.0 GPA, said he still plans to attend medical school after he finishes his MBA. He has his sights set on becoming a doctor.
"The way it is now, most medical professionals have to know at least some information regarding business," Mazzaferro said.
"If you asked me freshman year, I'd say there'd be no way I'd be studying toward business. But, as everything unfolded, it fell into place, and I think it all worked out for the best-case scenario."
Mazzaferro also had his first experience as a doctor last summer when he interned in the Czech Republic and at the East Alabama Medical Center.
Mazzaferro said he initially wanted to work with orthopedics after finishing school, but working with a neurosurgeon for a week pushed him in a different direction.
As Mazzaferro prepares for his trip to Boston, he said his full attention is on academics since his eligibility has expired.
"Personally, I feel like I've accomplished everything I can in diving," Mazzaferro said. "And I'm ready to move on."
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