Tong was a four-year student athlete on the Women’s Basketball Team, President of Flagler’s Athletes in Action Cru Ministry, and Vice President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). She said it was through these commitments that she exercised her passion to serve others and spread love.
Check out Amuk Tong’s #FCGradStory
“These experiences have allowed me to actively contribute to the community, whether it's through volunteering at local events or organizing youth basketball clinics,” Tong said in her featured graduate Q&A.
As a first-generation college student and recipient of the Adrienne Donelson Scholarship for Women’s Basketball, Tong said she was grateful for the opportunity to “pursue [her] dream at Flagler College,” without financial burden.
“[The scholarship] allowed me to not stress and to just focus on my education,” she said.
She said she’s hopeful opportunities like this scholarship and the scholarship she received as a Women of Vision Scholar will continue to “open pathways” for students to pursue their dreams at Flagler.
Tong was familiar with the energy of Flagler College Athletics before she even became a Saint. At Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Tong was a stand-out on the Crusaders’ Women’s Basketball Team where she played for a former Flagler women’s basketball star, coach Charlsea (Owen) Clark.
Mo Smith, head Flagler women’s basketball coach, commented on her athletic strengths following Tong’s 2019 signing with the College.
"Amuk is a physically skilled post [player] who has a great understanding of the game," Smith said. "...it's going to be fun to watch her develop and reach her potential here in our program."
After a strong start to her freshman season, Tong tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This is a notoriously difficult injury for athletes because of its lengthy recovery period.
“...Obstacles are going to be there, but you’ve got to push through them,” she said when asked for any words of wisdom to her younger self. “As long as you put your foot down and continue to go down the path that you want to go down, you'll [persevere], and you'll be on top of this world.”
Tong resiliently refused to let this serious injury derail her athletic aspirations. After a healing period, Tong continued to play her remaining three years with great impact on the team.
“Through perseverance and determination, I overcame that obstacle and continued to pursue my passion for basketball at Flagler,” she said.
A pause in game-play freshman year allowed Tong, who started on a Criminology path, to explore a program she soon “fell in love” with: Sport Management.
As a common major among her teammates, Tong was encouraged to try out a Sport Mangement elective. It didn’t take long after getting a taste for the curriculum for her to officially switch majors.
She recalled the certainty she felt about the decision: “This is what I want to do; this is what I want to be about.”
With hindsight as a recent graduate of the program, Tong said she loved learning about the planning, leadership, and logistics involved in the world of sports. She said studying the various aspects of sport management opened her eyes to the “business-side” of an industry she was already immersed in through her love of the game.
After graduation, Tong was excited for the opportunity to visit her home country of South Sudan, Africa.
“I haven't been there for over 15 years,” she said. “Because of school, because of basketball, I haven't had the chance to go over the summer. Now that I finally graduated and being the first in my family to graduate from college, I get to go back and celebrate with all my family out there. I'm super excited and blessed to be doing that.”
Now, she’s escaped the “hot sun” of Florida for a new atmosphere in upstate New York where she also has family.
With a bachelor’s degree in sport management as her baseline, Tong said she plans to eventually pursue a master’s degree in business administration. But up first on her post-grad radar, Tong is eager to get plugged in with the N.Y. chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
As the VP of Flagler’s AFP club, Tong explored innovative approaches to philanthropy and community development. Just this past spring, Tong was one of 12 student AFP members awarded the Levy Scholarship to attend the national AFP Conference.
“This experience solidified my commitment to pursuing a career in nonprofit organizations,” she said.
She further explored her interest in philanthropy through her role as a student worker for Flagler’s Annual Giving Office where she aided in events like the Roar & Raise Giving Challenge.
“I love fundraising, and I love helping the community,” she said.
As President of Flagler’s Cru Ministry, Tong volunteered for several local philanthropies like the St. Francis House and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Melding her love for service and the game of basketball, Tong also coached for a local children’s rec organization Instant Impact.
“Each [of these opportunities] has not only deepened my love for community work but has also broadened my perspective on how to make a positive impact,” Tong said.
