Michiko Araki, an undergraduate student at the Beedie School of Business, is not only winning in the classroom. Now entering her third year at SFU, the aspiring business leader is also enjoying success on the wrestling mat, and is emerging as one of the top young female wrestlers in the country.

This past year, she took the bronze at the Canadian Junior National Championships, held in Edmonton. Her top-3 performance came in the 44kg weight class.

Araki started wrestling in grade 8 at Balmoral Jr. Secondary School in North Vancouver. In high school, she won three provincial titles and three national age group titles. She joined SFU and the Beedie School in 2009, and has been a part of the SFU varsity wrestling team ever since.

“I chose SFU because of its great wrestling program and coaches, as well as the awesome opportunities that the Bachelor of Business Administration program at the Beedie School of Business had to offer,” she said. “Although we usually practice five times a week and do other workouts in between practices, my academics always come first, so I make sure I get enough studying time whenever I am not practicing or volunteering my time… at SIFE Simon Fraser.”

Next year, if she decides to compete at the Canadian nationals, she will be competing as a senior and will have to compete in the 48kg weight class – a significant undertaking for someone in the 44kg weight class.

But Araki isn’t one to back away from a challenge. At SFU, she has been an organizer at the Elite Case Competition (Logistics) and is a co-Project Manager for the Money Management program at SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) Simon Fraser.