Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram
Catalina Casaru first set foot in the United States as a determined high school student eager to make her mark in competitive swimming. Today, she is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Romania and an associate professor of Exercise Science at the University of West Alabama. At UWA, Casaru bridges the gap between her two cultures, sharing her life experiences from Romania and the U.S. to enrich her students’ understanding of the world through Exercise Science.
Growing up along the Danube River, learning to swim was initially about safety, not sport. At just three and a half years old, Casaru began taking lessons alongside her older sister. Relying more on ambition than talent, her determination to keep pace with her sibling and older peers led to her first international competition at age 11 and ultimately to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where she excelled in the 200-meter backstroke and the 4×100-meter relay.
“It was an incredible opportunity to compete and travel the world without any cost to me or my family,” Casaru reflects, noting that the Romanian government covered her expenses. “That’s what kept me going. It wasn’t about financial reward but the opportunity to see other countries and learn about their cultures.”
Staying on the Georgia Tech University campus during the Olympics sparked her desire to study in the U.S. “There were libraries everywhere,” she recalls, “and I knew if I went to school in the States, I could study in them as much as I wanted.” This aspiration led her to move more than 5,000 miles from home to attend the University of Alabama on a swimming scholarship, seeking both a degree and the chance to continue her competitive swimming career. “In Romania, I had to choose between swimming and college. In America, I could do both.”
However, adjusting to life in the U.S. proved challenging for the college freshman. And transitioning from a background shaped by communism and socialism to navigating American democracy was difficult. Often feeling like an outsider, Casaru struggled with cultural differences until a simple picnic invitation connected her with a vibrant community of Romanians in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, who “cared for me, became my support system, and helped me adjust to life in the States.”
Initially planning to return to Romania after earning her business degree, a chance conversation with a teammate opened her eyes to the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science — a field virtually nonexistent in Eastern Europe. By the time she completed her master’s and doctorate, Casaru had spent more years in the United States than in Romania, prompting her reconsider the complexities of returning home.
“People like me aren’t very well accepted in my home country because I bring innovation, independence, and critical thinking. At times I’m seen as a Romanian with an American accent or as English with a Romanian accent.”
Regardless of how she’s perceived, Casaru explains that she remains caught between two cultures, continually navigating the challenge of belonging to either.
At UWA, Casaru is dedicated to advancing the Exercise Science program, offering community engagement opportunities for her students, and collaborating with colleagues in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. She is also developing a proposal for a new graduate degree and aims to revamp the undergraduate curriculum by introducing specific concentrations to help students focus their studies more effectively.
No matter what field of study her students choose, Casaru wants them to realize their potential, often reminding them, “If I can succeed in a country where English is my second language, then whatever barriers you think you face — it’s all about changing your mindset and pressing on.”
Casaru believes that universities, including UWA, should foster critical thinking skills. In her Intro to Exercise Science class, she regularly prompts students to question the commercials they see, asking, “Why don’t we see ads for apples, bread, and milk but only for fast food and other things we may not need? I want my students to ask themselves: Why am I being fed this information? Is it pertinent to me? That’s critical thinking. I want my students to understand that ‘exercise is medicine,’” she emphasizes.
Casaru admits that while some in the South may find her directness discomforting, she wants her students to understand that she considers them young adults, not children. “I know I don’t beat around the bush. But I want my students to feel free to talk to me if something is happening in their lives or if they’re struggling. I know what it’s like to struggle,” she says. “But I can’t help if I don’t know there’s a problem. I also encourage my students to take full advantage of the opportunities available through my classes or this university. As faculty, our purpose is to help our students succeed.”