BUIES CREEK, N.C. - From the moment she stepped on the Campbell University campus for a recruiting visit, Maggie Salisbury felt like she belonged.
 
Over the last four years, she has taken steps to make certain that Campbell students in general, and athletes in particular, feel the same way.
 
The generosity of Fighting Camel fans, alumni, family, and friends truly makes a difference in the lives of student-athletes at Campbell University.  Through the newly created Women's Empowerment Fund, the Fighting Camel Club's goal is to make that experience even better, specifically for our female student-athletes.  To join the Fighting Camel Club, click here.
 
"My scholarship is so directly beneficial to me day to day," said Salisbury, a senior on the volleyball team from Raleigh.  "I would not be at Campbell without it.  I'm able to feed myself and to pay my rent, all my classes, having the privilege of playing on the team, traveling with the team and all the benefits that come with that is basically everything right now for me."
 
Salisbury has been a member of the Campbell volleyball team that won the Big South title in 2021 and reached the NCAA tournament, then followed that showing with a regular season crown in 2022.  She is a three-time conference honor roll student, who earned CAA Commissioner's High Honors with Distinction last fall.
 
She also serves as chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee.  Early in her time on campus, she noticed that several of her teammates were involved in SAAC and was intrigued.
 
"In my freshman year, I was immediately interested in SAAC.  Some of my teammates were involved and they would spearhead certain things for us," said Salisbury.
 
She joined SAAC as a sophomore and served on the DEI subcommittee during the time that track & field athlete Jaden Jenkins served as chair.  She knew that she wanted to become even more involved after he graduated.
 
Salisbury's interest in social justice formed during her elementary school days.
 
"One of my good friends in elementary school was autistic, and there were these kids in other classes who knew that they could react and make him angry, and it would be funny (to them) to mess with him," she recalled.  "It would make me so mad.  That was the only time I got in (real) trouble in elementary school because I was such a goody two shoes most of the time, but I shoved these kids because they were picking on my friend."
 
While attending Leesville Road High School, Salisbury became further involved in social issues during the summer of 2020 when she attended a Black Lives Matter rally in Chapel Hill.
 
"I felt the energy where I was at, and the pain of the people around me.  There was so much outrage and sadness, but there was so much love for everyone that was there," she said.  "The whole event was really powerful to me because so many people came out, especially in harsh (hot and humid weather) conditions.  When I came to Campbell, I still felt strongly about that stuff.  Then I saw SAAC and the DEI committee, and I knew that was for me."
 
A late start
Salisbury did not begin playing volleyball until her eighth-grade season when she literally stood out (she stands 6-foot-3) and gained the attention of the coach.  She played school and club volleyball, eventually joining the NC Academy Diamond travel team.
Along the way, she earned a black belt in Tae Kwan Do but gave up that pursuit in order to focus her attention on the volleyball court.
 
"It was really beneficial because it made me really confident and in really good shape, so it was good for volleyball," said Salisbury of her martial arts training.
 
Why Campbell?
A visit to Buies Creek made Campbell stand out among the other schools Salisbury visited – including at least two in-state rivals – during the recruiting process.
 
"I went on a tour, watched the girls practice, then went back with them to the locker room after practice, sat down and they immediately started engaging with me, asked me all these questions," she said.  "I talked about my school team, and they were really engaged in that.  I felt really comfortable.  I was struck by how comfortable I was and that was a huge thing for me.  A lot of the players I met on my visit became my teammates and some of my closest friends like Melody (Paige)."
 
In addition to the warm welcome of the volleyball team, Salisbury also was attracted by Campbell's size in relation to larger state schools.
 
Supporting others
"Some people who have a negative view of DEI think of shoe-horning diversity into people's workplaces, or forcing things on them," said Salisbury.  "I don't understand how someone could be against just cultivating a feeling of belonging for anyone – any sort of identity they may have.  It's really important to make sure that no one feels alone."
 
She often sets up tables on campus and distributes information on how students may access resources on campus.
 
Salisbury was also involved in a Big South Conference initiative on mental health and shared some of her challenges with mental well-being in a league-sponsored social media campaign.
 
"(Mental health) is something I'm passionate about because I've had my own issues with that," said Salisbury.  "The hardest thing is that every time someone starts to have issues with mental is that person feels as if I'm the only one who's feeling (that way), no one knows how awful I'm feeling, and there's no way for me to convey this without opening up too much."
 
Again, Salisbury wants to let her classmates and teammates know that they are not the only ones facing these feelings.
 
"The biggest thing I want to convey is that no one is ever alone," she said.  "Pretty much in every situation, someone else in the world has experienced (similar feelings).  Chances are, someone you know has experienced it."
 
Head coach Greg Goral appreciates Salisbury's contribution to her team in more ways than just on-court performance.
 
"She's intelligent, thoughtful and such an inclusive person," said Goral.  "She's a great teammate who understands who needs what at any given time."
 
Salisbury believes that having a positive attitude is something that can overcome external circumstances.
 
"That's the one thing I know I can control," said Salisbury of her outlook.  "Everyone plays well or plays bad – I do both all the time.  No matter what happens, I can lift up my teammates.  My playing time has been up and down, but when I'm on the bench or scrimmaging against the starting side in practice, I may not be making a direct impact on the floor, but I can still do stuff.  So, if I'm not playing, or playing poorly, or having a bad day, if I can still make my teammates feel better, it means leaving that day knowing I've done something good."
 
With her college career coming to a close this month, Salisbury is intent on pursuing graduate studies in sports administration with the goal of working in athletics administration.
 
"My goal is to find a job that grants me the flexibility to build the life I want and to have a positive impact on student-athletes, or whoever I work with," she said.