Allison Chu ‘26- Student Spotlight

By: Isabella Buoncristiani ‘28

Women’s Club Volleyball President Allison Chu ‘26 is no stranger to hard work, ambition, and drive. From juggling club volleyball to working with neurodiverse children, Chu has a huge commitment to helping others succeed.

Allison Chu ‘26 grew up in Hayward, California. She is both a daughter and an older sister. Her loving parents have instilled an ambitious mindset in her from a very young age. The Chu family is a sports heavy family, with Chu’s dad having coached basketball and played tennis in college. Chu’s mom was impressively a gymnastics coach in college as well. Chu has been playing club volleyball since she was in fourth grade, and when she got to Moreau Catholic High School, she was accepted onto their varsity team freshman year. 

Chu shared that playing volleyball is when she feels most like herself. She honestly expressed that she doesn’t know who she is without volleyball. It's her safe place, a time where she can fully immerse herself in the “organized chaos” that volleyball brings. She uses these adjectives to describe this sport because it's like a big game of hot potato. Chu has been a setter her whole life, so being able to prevent the ball from hitting the ground takes specific techniques. She loves being able to touch the ball every play, as there is room for error, therefore there is always room to grow. Chu truly embraces her team on the court, and is happy to help in whatever way she can. 

Stepping off the court, Chu is laser focused on both grad school applications and her job. Her friends comedically gave her the nickname of “Workaholic”. After graduation this year, Chu will be devoting herself to graduate school and simultaneously her career. Being a Psychology major with a concentration in Clinical/Counseling psychology, Chu has goals of becoming a therapist or a school psychologist. If possible, she would love to continue her academic career at Saint Mary’s, and get her dual masters degree in Marriage Family Therapy and School Counseling. Chu has already been obtaining outside practice in these areas of expertise through her job at Quest Therapeutics in Alamo, California. This job consists of working with neurodiverse children from ages 8-18 at this year-round program. Chu aides in helping these kids develop their social skills, peer interactions, and cognitive abilities. This is achieved through hours of outdoor activities, goals they create for themselves, and group therapy. Chu is grateful for this experience as she gains knowledge and insight from trained professional therapists. 

The most important lesson Chu has learned so far is to stay loyal to her family and friends, as they are the ones who will have her back for life. Being a good teammate on and off the court is also noteworthy, as it builds more chemistry between players when in a match. One of Chu’s favorite life quotes is, “No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.” (Taylor Swift). She lives by this quote because she wants to be remembered as a hardworking, nice person. Despite being under immense pressure on a day to day basis, Chu still prioritizes her duties as both President and a player. A lot of behind the scenes work transpires to keep her team running smoothly, and sometimes it can be difficult to balance the demands of being both a coach and a teammate. Chu revealed that she wants to leave an everlasting mark on her team, whether that be as a leader, a friend, or perhaps both.

Allison Chu ‘26 has no doubt already begun to leave an everlasting impact not only on her team, but on Saint Mary’s as a whole. Chu has been a robust presence on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. She is always leading with kindness and is committed to helping others win. This will be her last year on Women’s Club Volleyball, and she is sad to say goodbye. Club Sports has enjoyed having Chu as a prominent figure for the club. Chu has big dreams for herself, and we have no doubt that she will achieve them all. We wish her the best of luck in her next life endeavors! 

3 Additional Fun Facts About Chu:

1. Chu is half white and half asian. Her mother is of German & Irish descent, whereas her father is of Chinese & Taiwanese descent.

2. If Chu could try something new that she knew couldn’t fail at, it would be beach volleyball. Chu stated that she has only ever played for fun, so it would be interesting to discipline herself more seriously.

3. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield has to be the soundtrack to Chu’s life. This is because this song reminds Chu of her wonderful college experience with her longtime suitemates.