Michael Maag ’09’s dedication to track and field earned him a spot among the 51 Princeton students who traveled to China during the summer of 2007. The group visited Beijing, Xian and Shanghai and competed in two invitational meets during the 13-day trip.

“It was awesome because I got to hang out with my best friends in a foreign country, doing a sport I love,” says the former long-distance competitor from Lake Oswego, Oregon. “It was neat to get the firsthand experience.”  

Princeton’s combination of academic and athletic excellence drew Maag to the University, and he took full advantage of both during his time at Princeton. He competed in cross country and track, and he concentrated in economics with a certificate in finance.

While Maag was always interested in business, he chose his concentration after reading a book on microcredit, the practice of giving small loans to low-income people in developing nations for self-employment projects that generate income.

“I feel that this is an interesting hybrid between pure capitalism and a way to fight poverty,” Maag says. 

When not in class or in training, Maag participated in the Athletes in Action Christian fellowship group and went to church every Sunday night on campus —“the highlight of my week,” he says.

He also ate meals at the Cap and Gown eating club, where he was a member.

“I like conversation over food. That was my biggest social outlet of the week,” Maag says. “It provided a great way to stay in touch with everybody.”

Juggling all his interests was hard work, Maag says, but he also saw the benefits — a broad range of experiences and a great network of friends.

“I couldn’t picture going anywhere else and what life would have been like without meeting the people I met at Princeton,” he says.