Alana Moesch’s dazzling story of courage reaches an academic turning point this Saturday as she graduates with her master’s degree in sports and recreation management.
From Lajeado, Brazil, Moesch moved to the United States at just 19 years old to chase her volleyball dreams.
“I went to a small junior college called Missouri State - West Plains, where I played volleyball and earned my associates degree,” she said. “My roommate and teammate from freshman year transferred to MSSU a year before, and she connected me with the coaches. I was able to come visit, and I immediately loved the campus. I even got to watch a basketball game while I was here, and the atmosphere and energy stood out to me.”
This made continuing her athletic and academic pursuits at Missouri Southern a self-evident decision.
“My experience as a student-athlete at MSSU has been great,” Moesch said. “I always felt like I was held to a high standard on and off the court, which helped shape who I am. I also always felt supported and encouraged, especially by my professors, who understood our busy schedules and were willing to work with us.”
As an international student, Moesch found that the diversity of MSSU’s campus created a welcoming environment.
“Coming from a college with very few international students to a university with such a strong international community made a big difference for me,” she said. “I always felt included and supported. Being surrounded by people from so many different countries helped me grow as a person and made me realize how big and diverse the world really is.”
Moesch’s academic journey at the university began with a pursuit of physical therapy, inspired in part by a serious injury during her sophomore year—but things changed.
“Once I started the Exercise Science program, I realized how many different paths were available within the field,” she said. “My experience with volleyball and my early coaching opportunities also helped me understand that I wanted to stay involved in the sport. A big moment for me was after my senior season, when I realized I wasn’t ready to walk away from the sport that has given me so much. That’s when I knew I wanted to become a college volleyball coach.”
With her path solidified, the broad skillset and extensive knowledge she acquired in her studies as she completed a bachelor’s degree in exercise science—compounded by her numerous accolades—made her further success inevitable. She chose to pursue the university’s Master of Science in Sport and Recreation Management program.
“I’ve been working at the MSSU Recreation Center since May 2023, and I’ve been a supervisor there since January 2024,” said Moesch. “I also served as the Director of Intramurals for the past year. That has been an awesome opportunity to apply everything I’ve learned in my degree. Through this experience, I developed leadership, organization, and communication skills, and I gained confidence in managing people and operations. It has been one of the most impactful parts of my college experience.”
At MSSU, she has had the opportunity to participate in other immersive learning experiences that provided real-world preparation for the workforce.
“Organizing the SRM Symposium was one of the most valuable experiences I had during my time in college,” she said. “It was one of those situations where you truly learn by doing. Being involved in the planning and execution allowed me to apply what I learned in the classroom to a real-world setting.”
Like many students, she acknowledges the significant contributions of her supervisors and role models and how they have helped her reach her goals.
“As an international student, I was still learning about different career paths in the U.S., and my mentors, Steven Benfield and Cindy Webb, played a huge role in guiding me,” Moesch said. “They introduced me to the fitness and wellness side of the field, which motivated me even more. Now, I feel like my degrees complement each other really well. I understand both the science behind performance and the administrative side of sports, which is exactly what I was looking for.”
Alana Moesch has been an extremely involved, accomplished, and dedicated student on campus. In addition to her work in the Recreation Center and in her role as the Director of Intramurals, she has a variety of accolades that bolster her already-impressive CV.
“I’m very proud of my accomplishments in volleyball, including being named to the All-MIAA Tournament Team, All-MIAA Second Team, and earning MIAA Academic Excellence and Scholar-Athlete honors,” she said. “But honestly, I’m most proud of my overall growth. When I look back at where I was five years ago, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do, and MSSU helped me find my path.”
Indeed, her education at Missouri Southern is only the beginning for Moesch.
“After graduation, I will be moving to Springfield to work with the Missouri State volleyball team,” she said. “My goal is to become the best coach I can be and to have a positive impact on my athletes, just like my coaches had on me. I’m also really excited to finally live with my husband after four years of long distance. Overall, I’m excited to see where this next chapter takes me.”
There’s one thing people don’t often see that has been integral to Moesch’s success—her family’s abundant support.
“I moved out of my parents’ house when I was 15 to pursue volleyball, which is not something every family would be comfortable with, but my parents always believed in me and supported my dreams,” she said. “Everything I’ve accomplished is because of their sacrifices, and I will always be grateful for that. I see my success as their success, and I hope one day I can give back to them for everything they’ve done for me.”
In a moment of reflection on her journey to reach this point, she leaves us with words of resonance.
“Volleyball has truly shaped who I am,” said Moesch. “It has given me opportunities I never imagined, including moving to another country, earning all three of my degrees, learning another language, meeting the love of my life, and building relationships that will last a lifetime. I’m grateful for everything MSSU has given me. It has been a place where I grew not only as a student and athlete, but also as a person.”
As Alana Moesch crosses the stage this Saturday, the world gains a graduate with talent for and dedication to changing the lives of student-athletes.
