Alumni Spotlight: Pim Thirati
April 2, 2020 | Women's Golf
Pim Thirati was a four-year member of the Fighting Illini women's golf team from 2011-2015, playing in 17 tournaments during that span. She is currently an Assistant Director, Marketing and Digital Strategy in the athletic department at Virginia Tech.
As part of the marketing team, her main responsibilities include planning and executing email marketing strategy and digital advertisement for all sports. She also works closely with the Strategic Communication department on a number of social media campaigns as well as the IMG office on their social media activations.
Prior to joining Virginia Tech, Pim served as the Digital Marketing Graduate Assistant for Ohio University's Center for Sports Administration while completing her Master of Sports Administration degree. Before Ohio, Pim spent a year as the Big Ten Diversity Marketing Intern for Illini Athletics.
Originally from Bangkok, Thailand, Pim currently resides in Blacksburg, VA, with her husband, Alec.
I chose Illinois because:
It has always been my goal to attend a notable university whether or not I was going to continue my dream of playing golf at the collegiate level. When my father and I visited campus and met Coach Slone and the team, we knew we wanted to be a part of this family.
Favorite team memory:
We were very good at having team social gatherings, since everyone had the same schedule and lived so close, but I remember my time with the team during my senior year the most. I think it was because I knew it was my last year with this special group of people so I paid more attention to every little detail and enjoyed those even more.
Favorite campus spot:
I LOVED Maize. I hope it's still there and/or has expanded!
How did the University of Illinois prepare you for your career?
As a former student-athlete, I highly value my work and understand the impact I am providing to my current organization. My time at Illinois helped me understand the camaraderie within a collegiate athletic team, and I got to experience it as a student-athlete, a fan, a donor, as well as an employee.
What has been the most valuable lesson you learned from your time at Illinois?
The ability to manage my time wisely was something I had to learn quickly during my time at Illinois. I became more efficient throughout my four years of balancing school work and golf. I eventually became a huge planner! And that trait is definitely paying off now that I have to balance various projects for a variety of sport teams in my current position.
How did the U of I help you grow during your college journey (golf, academics, personal)?
When I was 18 years old stepping foot on campus for the first time, I didn't expect much other than a degree and some experience playing golf at a collegiate level. However, my journey has had a much bigger impact on me than that. It's hard to summarize this into one short paragraph but I would say the biggest thing it taught me is how to believe and have faith in my own ability. This translated into many aspects of my life. I have learned to believe that I am able to carry out a certain task first before I start doing. Sometimes I'm wrong but most of the time I figure out a way!
How did being a member of the Illinois Women's Golf Team impact you?
One of our routines I often bring up and look back on is when Coach Slone had us write thank you notes after every tournament we played at. It definitely did not take a long time to do but I'm sure it meant so much to the people who put on those tournaments. At the time, all we were focused on was the tournament itself and our own performance. But because Coach had us spend time writing those thank you notes, I've learned to practice gratitude and also express my gratitude to those around me.
How would you describe your relationship with your teammates and coaches?
With us being a relatively small team, we became very close! Some of my best friends today were my teammates during my time at Illinois.
What do you miss most from your time on campus?
I definitely miss playing golf for free! And I miss our amazing facilities that were definitely one of the best in the country.
What advice would you like to share with our current team members?
Don't forget to branch out and spend time with other fellow student-athletes as well. They are in the same boat as you and understand your schedule. It also gives you a chance to take a break from golf! Some of my best friends today are student-athletes from other teams!
Last time you were on campus?
I have not been back since 2017 and it was actually for the wedding of a former teammate!
Twitter/Instagram handle:
Twitter: @Pim_Thirati
Instagram: @pimalicious
