Hall of Fame
Competing in college athletics was the furthest thing from Tanya Zeferjahn’s mind when she enrolled at CSUSB in the fall of 2002. The Hesperia native had a full load of academics and worked nearly 40 hours a week at her hometown Stater Bros.
Her love for running and desire for competition were too much to let go and she decided give collegiate cross country a try. That decision turned out to be one of the best of her life and is a reason why she is being honored as a member of the Coyote Hall of Fame, Class of 2015.
While at CSUSB, she earned three All-CCAA honors and became the school’s first and only All-American in 2005 while earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration (environmental management). After a break from school, she enrolled in the MBA program at Division II Queens College in Charlotte, N.C., where she won the 2009 and 2010 10,000 meters and finished second in the 5,000 in 2010.
Zeferjahn explains her laser-sharp focus in a matter-of-fact way.
“It’s just a matter of how driven you are,’’ she says. “For me, I knew what I wanted: run, finish school, and work all at the same time. It wasn’t hard, but you do give up a lot.’’
And she enjoyed herself while juggling all three at the same time.
“It was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work,’’ she said. “Running is a stress reliever. When you run, you forget about stuff. You feel better. It clears your mind and made school and work that much better.’’
Ever the academic, she is nearing completion of her second master’s degree, this time at Long Beach State in hydrogeology. She serves the department as a research assistant and finds the time serving an internship at Cypress-based California Department of Toxic Substances Control, a division of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Much of what she accomplished began here at CSUSB and helped put her best foot forward.
“It was a great first step,’’ she said. “For me, CSUSB was perfect. It wasn’t a huge change from home and it was convenient. It was the best place for me at the time. Honestly, I can’t imagine going to school and not being a part of a team. My teammates were and are my good friends.
“I’m glad where I am and where I want to be and it started as a student-athlete at CSUSB.’’
She and her fiancé Sean make their home in San Clemente.
