Talia Spenziero

Talia Spenziero knows what it means to work hard. She certainly worked hard during her career at Siena College during which she was a five-time All-MAAC diver. But behind the scenes, Spenziero’s unique work ethic and leadership helped her find success all over North America.

Spenziero chose Siena because she wanted to stay close to home. After six years of diving for Shenendehowa High School, she decided to compete at Siena to stay near her family in Clifton Park. But at the time, the Saints had just one diver on the team, who had only joined the team the year prior, and no diving coach.

“We would coach each other by taking videos,” Spenziero said. “It brought out the strengths in both of us.”

“Despite the challenges of not having a diving coach on staff, the two girls were positive, hard-working, and extremely successful,” said former Siena Swimming and Diving Head Coach Brogan Barr.

Spenziero’s success included capturing the MAAC Championship in the one-meter diving event, becoming the program’s first individual champion since 2011, and she was named Co-Diver of the meet on her way to being just the fourth diver to represent Siena at the NCAA Diving Zone Regionals.

“She also dedicated herself to getting stronger in the weight room and to executing her dives to the best of her abilities,” Barr said.

The hard work began in middle school for Spenziero. Just like her mom, she was a gymnast early on before moving to the diving board in middle school. She started competing on her high school’s varsity diving team in seventh grade.

“I practiced day in and day out,” she said. “I’d end school at 2:30, have varsity practice until 5:30, and then go to practice with my club team from 6-8 a couple days a week.”

That schedule only filled up more when she reached college. While Spenziero admits she struggled at first, she found a way to work harder and find success in the classroom.

“I didn’t have many study habits in high school,” she said, “That doesn’t work in college. But I started working really hard and I got at least a 3.8 every semester.”

Spenziero had to bring her best effort to balance a courseload that included difficult health sciences classes. Even with a hard major, Spenziero still graduated Magna Cum Laude this past spring.

“Throughout her time at Siena, Talia continuously challenged herself with some of Siena’s toughest science courses, as she wanted to prepare herself for the rigors of a physician assistant master’s program,” Barr said. “She handled the nuances of her academic, athletic, and work schedules seemingly flawlessly.”

The summer before her senior year, Spenziero traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico as a Global Medical Volunteer. She visited the local clinics there for five hours, five days a week. She was able to help lower income residents in the city get much needed health care.

“It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever done,” she said. “I got to work hand-in-hand with doctors down there to address the disparities in their healthcare system.”

Whether she’s high atop the pool looking down at a diving board or bending down to help a patient in need, Talia Spenziero’s hard work is always on display to those around her.

“Receiving this award validates the countless hours of training and hard work I’ve put into not only my sport but my academics and extracurricular activities,” she said. “It makes me grateful for all the challenges I’ve overcome over the years. It also inspires me to continue pushing myself to be the best that I can be in my future endeavors.”