ASU swimmer dives into commencement with twin majors

Ginger McMahon’s mother instilled in her an curiosity in faith and politics from a younger age, she says. She recounts discussing overseas affairs as a household in elementary faculty, together with her mother emphasizing the significance of staying updated on present occasions.

When it got here time to enroll in faculty, McMahon knew the place she wished to review. She traded the waterfront views of Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, for the mountains and cactuses of Tempe, selecting Arizona State University for its status as an establishment, in addition to its exemplary swimming applications. 

McMahon was a member of the ASU Women’s Swimming and Diving workforce her total collegiate profession, specializing in breaststroke. She was a part of the Big 12 Women and Men’s Swim and Dive Team Champions for 2025 and 2026, in addition to a Big 12 Individual Champion in 2026 and second-team All-American on the NCAA Championships in 2026. 

This spring, McMahon is graduating with twin bachelor’s levels in religious studies (religion, politics and global affairs) and communication. Both levels have been important for her future, she says, with one making ready her to have significant conversations with folks from completely different cultures and backgrounds, and the opposite serving to her deal with points of world and political affairs. 

“Pursuing a double major has been incredibly rewarding, especially as both fields compliment each other so beautifully,” she mentioned. 

McMahon emphasised the significance of selecting levels whose curricula match collectively effectively, saying this was a “game changer” that really lessened her workload general. She believes her twin levels will present employers that she isn’t afraid of onerous work, in addition to her dedication to deepening her understanding of faith, politics and communication. 

After commencement, she plans to return to ASU, pursuing her master’s degree in global security and serving as a graduate assistant for the swim workforce. 

We spoke to McMahon to study extra about her time at ASU. 

Question: What’s one thing you realized whereas at ASU that shocked you or modified your perspective?

Answer: Something I realized that modified my perspective throughout my time as an undergraduate at ASU was the vital, but broadly underlooked and undervalued, idea of what makes spiritual violence notably “violent” within the eyes of journalists and the general public at massive. Why is secular violence deemed “OK” and “mainstream,” however when faith is concerned, it’s seen as inherently extra aggressive? Debunking this fantasy was one of the fascinating discoveries I had realized at school.

Q: Which professor taught you one of the vital classes you’ve got realized at ASU? What was the lesson?

A: Dr. Devin Burns has taught me the vital lesson of slowing down and taking the correct time to get your work achieved in a significant manner. She structured our REL 405 class so every week we had a bit to learn and a paragraph to jot down of our ultimate analysis paper. I liked the setup of the curriculum for the semester, as a result of it allowed me to soak up every bit of knowledge with a curious eye, slightly than speeding simply to finish the task. I respect being given the time to seek out one thing new in every bit I learn.

Q: Did some other ASU help play a job in your journey?

A: Besides the fixed help I obtained from my professors and advisors, my coaches and teammates right here at ASU had been main sources of help for me. They are my house away from house, and I’m eternally grateful for all of the methods they’ve lifted me and liked me.

Q: What’s the very best piece of recommendation you’d give to these nonetheless in class? 

A: The greatest piece of recommendation I can provide somebody nonetheless in class is to recollect tough patches by no means last more than you possibly can face up to them, and to at all times be in communication together with your professors. Not solely do they need to hear from you, however they need to assist you succeed, in no matter manner that appears for you. When the going will get robust, by no means be too proud to ask for assist — flip it into your best superpower.

Q: If somebody gave you $40 million to resolve one drawback on our planet, what would you deal with?

A: If somebody gave me $40 million to deal with an issue on our planet, it will be to create a method to get rid of infectious illness that kills hundreds of thousands per yr. I’d fund medicines and distribution techniques to make sure therapies attain those that don’t usually have entry to such medicines. I’d scale up vaccine supply and create fundamental surgical care in areas the place that doesn’t exist.