Missouri star midfielder Leah Selm dreams of engineering career

Missouri soccer team captain Leah Selm’s prowess on the soccer field is second only to her prowess in the classroom. Selm is majoring in mechanical engineering on top of playing Division I soccer for the Tigers. 

The senior captain from St. Louis started playing soccer while in kindergarten. Selm started small, playing for her church league, but quickly fell in love with the sport. Her older brother also played soccer and Selm said he’s her biggest inspiration, on and off the field. 

“He’s definitely someone I’ve always looked up to,” Selm said. “He was a chemical engineer at Purdue, so he’s kind of someone that inspired me to not only follow in his footsteps in doing a college sport, but to also pursue engineering.”  

Staying close to home factored into her decision on where to attend college. Being from St. Louis, the University of Missouri always seemed like home for Selm. She wanted to attend college close to her family, knowing they wanted to come support her every chance they had. 

As a little girl, her dream was to play soccer for the Tigers — she achieved that. Along with being located a short distance from her hometown, Missouri has a strong engineering program that allows her to pursue that career path.  

“I think the opportunity to stay home and compete for the state school that I grew up with is something that was really important to me,” Selm said. 

Missouri senior midfielder Leah Selm poses for a photo with her family and friends for senior night on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024 at Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Selm has played all four years with the Tigers recording a cumulative four goals and six assists.

Growing up, math and science were always her favorite subjects. Along with her curious nature, Selm aspired to have a career where she could be innovative and make a change in the world.   

This past summer, Selm had the opportunity to work at the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., for an engineering internship with NASA. Students took part in their Student Volunteer Experience, which is a week-long internship designed specifically for students who are unable to attend typical internships because of other devotions – like athletes. 

Katie Martinez, founder of Mizzou Momentum, an institute that works with student athletes to help them grow their brand and further develop their careers outside of their respective sports. 

“Student athletes are a vulnerable population because they’re constantly on the go and doing rehab,” Martinez said. “Leah was one of those. She would go around the career fairs and ask about opportunities that were just a few weeks because she had to return for practice.”

Martinez has been working with Missouri student athletes to further their education opportunities since January 2023. Every student athlete who is planning on graduating has to meet with the institute. The SEC is one of the few major conferences that provides resources for student athletes to succeed not just on the field but also in their academics. 

“What we do is really serving as a resource, but also serving as an opportunity maker,” Martinez said. 

When NASA offered this opportunity, Martinez knew the perfect candidate. Martinez pulled the file on Selm and contacted her about applying for the position. The decision to apply was a no-brainer. 

“For me being a mechanical engineer, NASA has always been something that inspires me, so I think it was something I was really interested in,” Selm said. 

After submitting the application form and accompanying essay, Selm interviewed for the position with NASA. She fit the bill for NASA’s ideal candidate. 

“They liked that Leah was humble, was willing to learn and be coached and really wanting to put in the work,” said Martinez. 

They chose three people from MU to participate in the internship. One business major, one journalism major and Selm.

During her week at the Kennedy Space Center, Selm went to the Vehicle Assembly Building, participated in a launch simulation, shadowed engineers and had meetings with the program manager. 

“I think my biggest learning experience was getting to meet with the program managers,” Selm said. “They were able to give us a lot of advice for our careers, and I think a big piece of advice they gave me was when an opportunity knocks, open the door.”  

On the field, Selm is one of the captains of the team and leads by example. She became captain her sophomore year after coaches saw her shining in a leadership position. 

“I think I’d kind of just found myself a role on the field of being a leader,” Selm said.  

Selm’s favorite memory as a Missouri soccer player occurred during her sophomore year when Missouri beat Kansas. In that game, Missouri trailed 1-0 early before scoring twice in the second half to complete the comeback. 

“It’s a rivalry game, so there’s a lot of emotions on the line,” Selm said. “You want to win and get bragging rights. It was a special moment.” 

While not an easy task, Selm has successfully balanced playing Division I soccer while setting herself up for success for a future in engineering. 

“I think there [were] some points where I didn’t know if playing college soccer was attainable, but I think just sticking with it and knowing that if you put your mind to something, you will be able to achieve it,” Selm said. 

Selm is relishing her final year on the team and doesn’t plan on continuing to play soccer after she graduates. She is hoping to pursue a career in mechanical engineering, but she is also making sure to enjoy her final moments at Missouri.  

“[I’m] just making sure I leave everything out on the field and doing everything in my power to have a successful season – making sure I’m continuing to lead through being a captain,” Selm said. 

Senior Midfielder Leah Selm smiles at the stands after starting lineups onFriday Oct. 18, 2024 at Walton Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Final score was 3-1 with twoscores that came from Selm.

Edited by Dylan Heinrich | dheinrich@themaneater.com 

Copy edited by Emma Short | eshort@themaneater.com

Copyedited by Hannah taylor | htaylor@themaneter.com

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com