Winston Churchill said it best: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” No one embodies this statement better than Santana Spearman — a track and field star with a fervor for making the world a better place, one act of giving at a time.
A family business
Spearman grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her twin sister, Falon. From a young age, the Spearmans were destined for success.
“My parents instilled in me and my sister to be high-achieving. The goal was to go to a very academically rigorous institution since I was four or five [years old],” Spearman told the Hustler.
In high school, Spearman steadily turned her dreams into reality. While attending Providence Day School, a prestigious preparatory academy in Charlotte, she was a four-year letterwinner, an All-American runner and an exemplary student. Her parents, Juanetta and Christopher Spearman, played a pivotal role in instilling the indomitable work ethic that fueled her success both on the track and in the classroom.
“[My parents] never allowed me to give up. They’ve always said, ‘What are your options? Let’s look at [the problem] from a different perspective. You can keep going. You’ve made it this far,’” Spearman said.
Fast forward to today, and the Spearman twins are competing together on Vanderbilt’s Track and Field Team, fulfilling their goal of attending an elite university while pursuing greatness on the track.
“[My sister and I] are competitive against each other, but it’s really healthy. I inspire her while she inspires me, and we want the best for each other,” Spearman said.
Upstanding citizen
Spearman, a political science major, discovered her passion for politics at Providence Day with the help of her AP Government teacher.
“I had one of the most amazing teachers: Dr. Bratyanski. I think [AP Government] made me fall in love with political science and understanding politics, because a lot of people don’t,” Spearman said.
Bratyanski’s guidance underscored the importance of being well-informed and politically engaged. Ultimately, the professor inspired Spearman to pursue a career in political science.
“No student in [Bratyanski’s] class was a member of the inattentive public. Being in her class motivated me to take political science long term,” Spearman said.
Immediate impact
Spearman’s eye-popping success at Providence Day secured her a spot on Vanderbilt’s Women’s Track and Field Team. In her first season, the hurdler was in the record books, as she was a member of the shuttle hurdle relay team that finished third at the Pepsi Florida Relays and set a school record of 55.77 seconds in the process.
“[The record] was highly impactful to my freshman career at Vanderbilt. It instilled a lot of confidence in me that I can be competitive in the SEC,” Spearman said.
The junior — who’s as humble as can be — made sure to credit those who contributed to the record as well.
“My teammates and coach Justin Byron had a lot to do with that major success,” Spearman said.
Humanitarian
In her sophomore year, the hurdler was selected to Vanderbilt’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, where she serves as one of only two representatives for the entire Women’s Track and Field Team. SAAC members serve for the duration of their athletic careers, with responsibilities that include engaging with fellow student-athletes, brainstorming ways to enhance their experience at Vanderbilt and participating in community service projects to raise awareness for athletic events.
“I love being on SAAC. I love being in an environment in which people care about student-athletes and the student-athlete experience,” Spearman said. “When I was selected, it was the highlight of my month.”
This year, the Charlotte native earned a spot on the organization’s executive board. She now serves as co-chair of SAAC’s social impact committee.
“My leadership position this year continues to look at how athletes can be involved in the Nashville community,” Spearman said.
Spearman’s involvements do not end with SAAC. She is also the president of Black Student-Athlete Group.
“We [Black Student-Athlete Group] have a dedication to service. We find that athletes have a lot of characteristics that are consistent with people who would be good service leaders in their communities,” Spearman said. “My positions [on SAAC and Black Student-Athlete Group] are all about trying to involve athletes in the community more and get them excited about serving others.”
In December of 2024, Spearman’s dedication to service was on full display as the junior helped organize a holiday party for second graders at a local elementary school.
“Each [sports] team [represented by two SAAC members] went gift shopping for second graders at Jones Paideia Elementary School. Then, at the holiday party, [the second graders] opened their gifts, and we socialized with them. There was pizza and coloring, and we just got to know [the second graders] a little more,” Spearman said.
That last part — the genuine interaction with community members — made Spearman’s heart sing.
“One of my core values is human-to-human connection, and service aligns exactly with that,” Spearman said.
Just one month after the holiday party, Spearman collaborated with Andrew Maraniss, Vanderbilt Special Projects Coordinator and award-winning author, to spearhead a trip to the King Center in Atlanta for Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. There, members of Black Student-Athlete Group packed bags with toiletries and non-perishable food items for volunteers to distribute throughout Atlanta in the coming days.
“[The trip] was very successful. A lot of members [of Black Student-Athlete Group] showed up. It was really exciting,” Spearman said.
The event gave Spearman the opportunity to honor Martin Luther King Jr., a personal inspiration of hers, by doing what the reverend did best: serving others.
“I really want to leave a legacy and a lasting impact anywhere I’m found,” Spearman said.
At just 20 years old, the hurdler has already achieved this goal to a remarkable extent.
Honors upon honors
If you thought Spearman’s community service resume was impressive before, just wait — it gets better.
The Charlotte native was named to the SEC Community Service Team in the spring of 2024, celebrating her 50-plus hours of community service in Nashville up to that point. These hours were spread across an impressive variety of service events. From June 2023 to May 2024, Nashville locals could have found the hurdler cleaning toys for the playroom at Vanderbilt’s Children’s Hospital, removing invasive species from Shelby Park, volunteering with Special Olympics Tennessee and so much more.
“Service is a core part of my identity,” Spearman said. “It’s a fundamental value of Santana.”
Last winter, the community service enthusiast collected even more hardware, being named to the inaugural AllState National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Good Works Winter Team. Nominated by athletics administrators, conference office staff and coaches, team members exemplify “leadership, service, and character.” The junior was beyond grateful for her selection.
“I love the fact that my accomplishments off the track are being recognized just as much as my accomplishments on the track,” Spearman said. “I am not who I am without elements outside of track.”
Home away from home
Spearman has found a home in Nashville, as displayed by her continued success at the Music City Challenge, an annual indoor meet held at the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility. Her freshman and sophomore seasons saw Spearman finish second and fourth in the event’s 100-meter hurdles final, respectively. The junior followed those performances with a third-place finish in the event’s 60-meter hurdles this year, securing a personal-best time of 8.32 in the process.
“I think [my success at the Music City Challenge] has a lot to do with my love for Nashville and Vanderbilt,” Spearman said. “This is my place. This is my environment.”
Domination
This season has been one of complete domination for Spearman, as she’s set personal-bests beyond just the 60-meter hurdles but also the 60 meters (7.94) and 200 meters (25.55). Despite this success, the hurdler is hungry for more.
“When one goal is met, I don’t just stop there. I keep going. I trust my training and my abilities, and I’m confident,” Spearman said. “This kind of framework has allowed me to propel and learn and improve as an athlete.”
With the NCAA Indoor Championships and an entire outdoor season on the horizon, Spearman is locked, loaded and ready to compete. As the hurdler races to new heights, it’s important to remember that she is more than just an athlete. She is an inspiring sibling, an upstanding citizen, an exemplary student, a gifted hurdler and most importantly, a humanitarian. Santana Spearman is the complete package.
