BG Athletics Celebrates Women's History Month: Stephanie Heldt-Sheller

Throughout the month of March, BGSUFalcons.com will be highlighting some of the women who have impacted the University, the community and the athletics department. From pioneers to more recent members of the department, Matt Markey will be providing the stories of our history. Our third story of this series highlights Falcon high jumper Stephanie Heldt-Sheller.

Part One - Hayley (Wiemer) Bradford
Part Two - Valerie Newell

A year ago, BGSUFalcons.com produced a similar series for Black History Month. Fans can review and re-read those stories by CLICKING HERE.

All-American track and field athlete Stephanie Heldt-Sheller challenged the high jump bar throughout her BGSU career, and came out on top, leading her team in the event and advancing to the NCAA indoor track and field championship in 1999 and the outdoor championships in 1999 and 2001.

Today she faces different obstacles and loftier heights in her role as the Corporate Environmental Manager at Northwest Pipe Company (NWP) in Portland, Ore. Her duties include assisting the company's seven U.S. facilities on environmental compliance with regulations, permitting, and in their environmental programs within their manufacturing operations.

The 2001 BGSU graduate also serves as NWP's primary environmental liaison with its involvement in Portland Harbor Superfund site; one of the most complex environmental clean-up sites overseen by the EPA. If that seems like a very full workload, Heldt-Sheller comes prepared to manage it. Her days as a student-athlete at BGSU put the proper foundation in place.

"You learn incredible life skills as an athlete in college, which transfer easily and prepare you for the challenges faced in your career path," said Heldt-Sheller, who remains the school's record-holder in the high jump, both indoors and outdoors. "You learn how to be good at time management, multi-tasking, and prioritizing in order to succeed. Being on a team sport teaches you how to get along well with a diverse group. And sometimes you just have to put your nose to the grindstone and get things done."

By the time she was a BGSU sophomore, she had learned how to balance her academic and athletic obligations and became more of an independent thinker.

Just before her second All-American season, Heldt-Sheller stepped away from competition and spent a semester in Australia, focused on environmental studies and expanding personal horizons. She credited BGSU professor Gary Silverman, Sid Sink, a Falcon track legend and the associate athletic director for compliance and eligibility at the time, and women's head track coach Steve Price, who encouraged adventure and travel, for facilitating the study abroad opportunity and allowing her to have such a unique educational experience.

Heldt-Sheller said she enjoyed her environmental studies at BG, and the comradery those in the program built, whether gathering water samples out in the field, working on lab studies together, or slogging through organic chemistry.

"It was a transformational time in my life," she said about her days on campus. "I was given a talent that literally took me all over the country, actually the world, and I am most grateful of how things played out. Today I am well rooted in Portland, Ore., and am married with a two-year-old son and 10-year-old step-daughter. I aspire to instill the skills and values I acquired during my years at BGSU into them as they grow."

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