Where Are They Now?
Lani Fortier
Women's Soccer,
Lacrosse,
2001-2004
 Commitment
and discipline on and off the field while at the University of Connecticut makes
former lacrosse and soccer player, Lani Fortier, the person she is today.
After graduating from UConn and dedicating herself to
volunteer and humanitarian organizations, this former two-sport Husky is
furthering her education to help the world.
From Portsmouth High School, N.H., Fortier played soccer
and acquired four letters as a scholastic start. Winning numerous awards,
Fortier was a team MVP, captain and All-State selection.
Unsure about whether or not she wanted to play soccer in
college, Fortier came to UConn partly because of its athletics, even though she
decided to take a break from soccer.
In her freshman year of 2001, she began to miss sports and
fell upon UConn lacrosse team tryouts. She joined this team for two years.
“I just picked up a stick, and learned it one day before
the try-outs,” said Fortier. “It was all an accident.”
In her junior year of 2003, the former Husky decided she
missed soccer and tried-out for the team.
“Soccer was my first love,” she said.
She played with them her junior and senior years. While
playing for UConn athletics, she won many academic awards and was part of the
2004 BIG EAST women’s soccer tournament win against Notre Dame.
After college, Fortier dedicated eight months aboard the
Mercy Ships, which is a nonprofit organization that provides free surgery and
medical care to the people in the developing countries.
While with the ships, she dedicated herself to an orphanage
in Liberia.
“The first day I was in Liberia, I was floored because I
had no sense of its devastation,” Fortier said. “It was an emotional struggle
to leave. You feel guilty.”
After returning to the United States, Fortier went to New
York and worked with a co-worker from the Mercy Ships for an online charity
organization: charityis.com. Currently, the organization has raised
approximately $1.2 million.
In the spring of 2007, Fortier was named the UConn Alumni
Association Humanitarian Award winner.
Today, Fortier is attending Brandeis College in Waltham,
Mass., pursuing a master’s in substantial international development. It is a
two-year program with one year of academics and one year of interning.
“I want to go to Africa again or work with another
program,” Fortier said in regards to her internship.
Although not actively involved with a team, the former
Husky has played soccer in Africa and still plays every once in a while today.
--Naomi Smith |
