Running a marathon has been on Katie Starr’s bucket list ever since she became passionate about long distance races during her first year at NC State. As a member of Team Liberty, Starr recently completed her first marathon in Philadelphia where she ran to benefit the nonprofit organization Liberty Resources.

Katie Starr ‘11 completes her first marathon as a runner on Team Liberty.

Starr and her sister Kristen, a social worker in Philadelphia, have had many discussions about the complexities of pursuing social change in urban areas in the United States. As a result, Starr decided to combine her interest in running with making a difference on a broader scale.

After researching several community agencies affiliated with the Philadelphia Marathon, Starr chose Liberty Resources. The organization’s mission involves advocating and promoting independent living for persons with disabilities. As a result of sponsorship from family and friends, Starr made a donation of over $700 to help fund the programs that Liberty Resources offers for its clients.

Starr began training for her race this past summer while participating in an internship in France. “A co-worker of mine at the town hall in Change was an avid runner and actually trained marathoners. He was a big inspiration for me to start looking into registering for a marathon,” says Starr.

She continued her preparation this fall in Raleigh by running up to three hours per day in the months leading up to the marathon. Despite a few minor injuries along the way, Starr’s greatest challenge was carving time out of her busy schedule to keep up her intense training regiment.

The Columbus, Ohio native is majoring in international studies and French with a minor in Middle East studies. She is currently interning at the nonprofit organization WomenNC, which works to educate and inform North Carolinians on international issues involving women. After graduating in May, Starr is pursuing a number of options, one of which involves spending a year in the Middle East to further her Arabic language and Middle Eastern studies. Ultimately, she would like to become involved in international diplomacy, perhaps through a career in the U.S. Foreign Service.