Abdulla shines for W. Fencing

The Penn senior has fenced using all three weapons in her career. Imagine asking Ken Griffey Jr. to be a pitcher or requesting Shaquille O'Neal to run the point. Absurd, right? But Heba Abdulla, the senior captain of the Penn women's fencing team, has made similar changes in her sport without a single complaint. Abdulla has switched weapons three times in just four short years at Penn simply because that is what the team needed her to do. These actions make Abdulla the epitome of a true team player and her leadership has sparked the Quakers for the last four years. Abdulla got her start in fencing in her hometown of Fairlawn, N.J. Drawn by the chivalrous nature of the sport, she soon fell in love and chose to fence competitively in high school. She then took the next step and decided to fence at Penn, a decision she has never once regretted. "Fencing has taught me about dedication, teamwork and leadership," Abdulla said. "It's taught me how to deal with defeat and rise to victory." A foilist through most of high school, Abdulla switched to epee for her senior year only to switch back to foil in her freshman year at Penn. As a sophomore, Abdulla switched back to epee. She fenced with that weapon for two years before becoming a sabre fencer for her senior campaign. "By switching weapons back and forth, it handicapped her own success," Penn coach Dave Micahnik said. "But she has done a decent job for us and whatever I ask her to do, she's willing to do." Each time Abdulla switched weapons, she thought more about what the team needed rather than her own personal ambitions. "Fencing is fencing -- it's just a different battle," Abdulla said. "Getting used to a new weapon is difficult, but it would be more difficult for the team if I didn't switch." Her unselfish nature and unwavering commitment to the team has made her the ideal captain. But Abdulla knows that this role does not make her superior to any of the other Penn fencers. "My role is not to give orders, but to be a team leader," she said. "I try to motivate and get the team together and be there for all of my teammates. I enjoy being captain and it is a very rewarding position." But the most important aspect of Abdulla's life as a fencer is the team involvement in what many believe to be an individual sport. "I love being part of the team the most. You're on the strip alone, but everyone is with you," Abdulla said. "When one person falls short, someone else steps up. That's what a team is all about. "In life you're a team player. You have to learn how to interact with other people." Throughout her four years at Penn, she has been an active member of the campus and the ultimate "team player" in all aspects of her life. Abdulla, whose parents were born in Egypt, is the president of the Penn Arab Student Society and has been for the last two and a half years. During her tenure, the society was voted into the United Minorities Council in order to interact with other minority groups and has tried to bridge the gap between Arabs and Jews on campus. Abdulla, who returns to Egypt every summer, is a big believer in acceptance and diversity. "I really hope for diversity at Penn," she said. "I really think people should be together and race should not be a factor in choosing your friends." To see how strongly she believes in this notion, one needs not look farther than her own home. Abdulla lives with five of her best friends, and each is a different ethnicity -- Chinese, Italian, Indian, Filipino and Jewish. They all get along great. "I never thought living with five people would be as easy and fun as it is," Abdulla said. In addition to her roles as captain and president, Abdulla is also a member of the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society, an organization that stresses leadership, service and scholarship -- three qualities that Abdulla clearly possesses. Abdulla also finds time to balance her academics. She has a double major in Anthropology and Biological Basis of Behavior with a minor in Psychology. Very interested in medicine and public health, she hopes to find a position in medical lab research next year before applying to medical school in 2001. The future definitely looks bright for this well-rounded woman. But Abdulla will, without a doubt, miss her four years at Penn once they draw to a close. "These four years have been the best years of my life," she said. "I've had amazing classes and great professors, been involved in wonderful activities, met the most interesting people, have had a wonderful social life and an all-around great learning experience. "I will definitely miss Penn and am very sad to be graduating." One thing is for certain -- Penn will definitely miss Heba Abdulla as much as she will miss it.