Scholar Stories: U-M Took a Chance on Her; Now Simmons Looks to do Same for Others
11/13/2025 12:52:00 PM | Volleyball
Continuing the series that began in 2016-17, each week MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories.
By Louisa Lynn
For University of Michigan senior volleyball player Amalia Simmons, athletic excellence and empathy have always gone hand in hand.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pa., "Molly" and her sister Sanaea did what most sisters do: copy each other. When Sanaea played basketball and ran track, Molly did, too. As a younger sister, her mentality was, "I'm going to do everything she does, just better." So, she followed her sister into volleyball, falling in love with the sport's team atmosphere.
By eighth grade, Molly's talent caught the attention of Michigan, the first program to recruit her.
"They took a chance on me when I was actually terrible," she said. "That stuck with me. They saw something in me before I did."
A few years later, when it came time to choose a school, Michigan's combination of elite academics and athletics sealed the deal.
"Everything here is excellent: the academics, the people, the culture," Simmons said. "I knew that being surrounded by disciplined, hardworking people would push me to grow."
Michigan did prove to push her. Simmons is majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, a field that allows her to explore how people think, feel, and act.
"I've always been fascinated by people's 'why,'" she said. "Why we make certain decisions, how we grow up, how our brains shape our choices."
Her coursework has included hands-on experiences that connect neuroscience to real life. Through a Project Outreach class, Simmons volunteered at Huron Valley PACE, where she spent time with elderly participants, building relationships through tri-weekly visits. Whether she was painting nails or working on puzzles, she had a natural way of brightening the room.
"There was one man, George," she said. "He'd always be waiting for me at the puzzle table. It was the highlight of my week."
Later, a class in Educational Neuroscience brought her into an Ann Arbor elementary school, where she worked with second graders during lunch and recess. The energy and excitement of the students reminded Simmons why she loves working with people: a reminder that learning and connection can happen anywhere.
These experiences, paired with an upbringing that emphasized service and empathy, have shaped Simmons' vision for the future. She is interested in healthcare management, education, and community development, and dreams of one day opening a school that bridges academics and athletics.
"I want to create opportunities for kids who might not know how to reach their dreams," she said. "People took a chance on me. I want to be that person for someone else."
Simmons envisions a space where young athletes can balance both their sport and their studies and help them have a chance at college, even if they do not know how to get there.
"Imagine a school with a curriculum that fits the brain's natural rhythm," she said. "It won't start too early, and will create an environment where students love learning and know how to balance their academics with their athletics."
Beyond athletics, Simmons also hopes to expand access to education for underserved and minority communities. Drawing on her background in neuroscience and her passion for equity, she wants to apply what she has learned to help improve educational opportunities in lower-income areas, giving back in the same spirit of support that shaped her own journey.
As a senior on the Michigan volleyball team, Simmons has embraced a leadership role.
"I might not be a starter anymore," she said. "I'm not in that position, but I think I found other ways to lead on my team."
Her job is to push her teammates to be their best and believe that every role matters. That mindset shows up most in practice, where Simmons leads by example. If her side of the net is struggling, she's the one reminding her teammates to reset and raise their standard. "Start serving tough," or "Find somebody you can challenge today," she'll say. Even the smallest competitive moments are opportunities to grow and stay motivated.
She emphasized that volleyball is a game of mistakes. Her mentality is, "finding ways to limit those errors is going to be the best outcome for you. So we talk about it a lot.
"Everyone responds differently. You have to learn what each teammate prefers and meet them where they are. Sometimes that means asking, 'How are you feeling? What can I do for you?'" Some need tough love, others need reassurance and meeting them where they are."
Simmons says that growth did not happen overnight.
"Now that I'm older and have my head on more steadily, I'm able to help others in those situations," she said. "[It's about] staying disciplined, steady and calm in those intense settings and finding positivity and trying to stay neutral-minded creates trust within yourself."
Beyond volleyball, Simmons is a part of Michigan's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, where she is a lead for the Community Engagement Subcommittee. Along with a few other student-athletes, she organizes monthly service initiatives, from food drives to holiday toy collections and fun games and events with student-athletes. Simmons and her committee encourage other student-athletes to get involved.
"We want to remind people that giving back is part of who we are," she said. "[Our committee's goal is to] create opportunities for student-athletes to connect with the community and find ways for them to engage their time meaningfully."
Volunteering has always been more than a requirement for her; it's a source of positive energy and purpose.
"It's such a good way to fill my cup throughout the day," she said.
Whether mentoring kids at Bryant Elementary, hosting a Halloween event at the Big House or serving alongside teammates, she approaches each experience as a chance to apply what she is learning about people and the brain-to-real-world connection.
That same sense of connection defines her Michigan experience. Over her four years, Simmons has learned the importance of community, gratitude, and asking for help.
In her experience here, coaches, teammates, professors, and staff want to see the student-athletes succeed.
"Michigan has taught me that like saying 'hi' and 'thank you', or reaching out and talking to people that you typically wouldn't reach out to, goes a lot farther than you think," Simmons said.
For Simmons, success isn't measured just by wins or grades, but by the relationships built along the way.
"If you put your heart into anything, you can go pretty far," she said. "The people around you really matter. And so letting them know that they've helped you, being appreciative of that and grateful [is] something that I like to carry into every part of my life now."
As she prepares for what comes next, Simmons leaves behind a legacy of empathy, resilience and purpose, the kind that inspires others to find their own "why." She carries with her the lessons Michigan taught her: lead with humility, lift others up, foster relationships, and academics do not need to stay in the classroom: use your knowledge to create positive change.
