Promise kept: Rogers graduates from college

Shelby Rogers has earned more than $673,000 in prize money this year as one of the top 50 players on the WTA Tour. That’s not too shabby for a young woman who turns 29 in October, and neither is the $3,603,553 in prize winnings for her career.

 

But money wasn’t the issue when Rogers decided to turn professional in 2009 after attending First Baptist School. Life as a professional tennis player can be glamorous with travel around the world and big paydays. It’s a high-risk, high-reward lifestyle that can come crashing down for numerous reasons, especially because of injury.    

Rogers knew she had to have a Plan B for life after tennis. And Plan B included a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

 

“When I turned pro after high school, I promised myself and my mom that I would get that diploma,” Rogers said. “Playing tennis, being a professional athlete, can be a risky business. You can have an injury and your career can be over just like that. My mom was worried about my life after tennis. She was concerned about my future and education, things that great moms worry about.”

 

Mom doesn’t have to worry any more. Rogers received her degree from Indiana University East on May 21, but was unable to attend the ceremony because she was playing in the French Open. She finally received her diploma during a private celebration on Aug. 15 during the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Friends and family joined Rogers for the event.

 

“The ceremony and degree were special for me because I chose to forgo college to play on the pro tour,” Rogers said. “To be able to accomplish this for myself and for my family — everyone I promised — is an incredible feeling. To get a degree is something special. I did it.”

 

In 2013, Indiana University East, located in Richmond, and the WTA teamed up with IU East becoming the primary provider for baccalaureate online degree completion for WTA players. Since then, some of the biggest names in women’s tennis have taken advantage of the program, including Venus Williams who received her degree in 2015 at age 35.

 

“It’s a great program,” Rogers said. “The ceremony was special. We even followed the tradition of flipping our tassel to the left to signal we are now graduates. They also offer some great scholarships.”

 

The recent weeks have had a Midwest Flavor for Rogers, a Lowcountry favorite who has fans at all the venues on the tour.

 

But she’s had a rough two weeks. Playing in the U.S. Open Series, Rogers reached the second round of the Western & Southern Open. Playing in the Tennis in the Land tournament in Cleveland, Rogers was the No. 8 seed but dropped an opening-round match to Katerina Siniakova on Aug. 23.

 

Rogers is scheduled to head to New York for the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 24 and concludes Sept. 12.