Alumni | Arts and Sciences | NewsSeptember 20, 2024

Staring Back at You: The Impact of Ana Demmer

Written By: Ian Silvester

Four years after Ana Demmer, ’20, graduated from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, her impact continues.

While an obvious reason may be her name on championship banners hanging from the ceiling of the Stubblefield Center, the less apparent reason are the mirror decals with words of affirmation that stare back at students in bathroom mirrors across campus.

As a student-athlete, Demmer quickly learned the value of time management. She recalled days when it felt like she went back-to-back-to-back without breaks, the highs and lows of competition, and the ebb and flow of classwork. Demmer admitted that despite thriving in the fast-paced nature of being a student-athlete, she said the demand on her emotional well-being was trying at times.

“There are days I would have given you a two, and then there are days I would have given you an 11. There were some really hard times, and there was a time that I really wanted to give up,” she said.

Demmer didn’t give up. Instead, she embodied what it means to be a Lion. She persevered by being courageous.

“During that time when it was pretty hard for me at UAFS, I was able to get resources and become more involved in the university,” Demmer explained.

She sought guidance from peers and mentors who encouraged her to do more things at UAFS. One such person was fellow student Josh Simonds, now the assistant director of alumni engagement and annual giving, who encouraged Demmer to join the Student Government Association at UAFS. Through SGA, Demmer realized that she could turn her challenges into an inspiration for others…and as a friendly reminder to herself.

“I thought, ‘Where are athletes or students every single day,’” she said.

The answer, literally, was looking back at her in bathroom mirrors.

“We made these encouraging mirror decals because I just knew at one point I needed a resource put straight in front of my face,” Demmer said. The decals shared messages like, ‘You are enough’ and ‘You can do this’ and included the phone number for the student counseling center and its location on campus.

“I’d like to think that people had walked into that office knowing help is available and feeling good, like ‘I’m really happy I’m here today and getting the help that I need,’ because I know that I needed that at one point too.”

Almost five years later, her project lives on.

Demmer said she was brought to tears after learning the mirror decals with little reminders had been reordered in the fall of 2024.

Understanding Demmer's impact on UAFS lends itself to what UAFS means to her.

After graduating in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in media communication, Demmer built upon it at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, where she earned her master’s degree in public administration. Both degrees landed her the first in a series of dream jobs.

She got an opportunity to work back home near Kansas City, Missouri, as a social media representative for the Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball team before accepting a position as a social media strategist with Garmin in November 2021.

“I truly love what I do,” she said with a big smile. “I didn’t have a creative outlet while being an athlete; there was no time for it. But in adulthood, I got to carry over that love for sports and relive my childhood creativity with photoshoots, directing, and social media.”

Demmer’s connection to UAFS grew after the university became a Mid-American Athletic Association (MIAA) member this year.

In fact, Demmer got a chance to reconnect with members of UAFS athletics over the summer at the MIAA Day at The K.

“It was so cool to have this huge connection of two places I love in one stadium,” she said.

As a self-proclaimed “KC girl, through and through,” Demmer has used her knowledge and understanding of social media from her time at UAFS and professionally to help small, local Kansas City businesses market themselves online through user generated content. She is the owner and operator of Come_See_KC.

When she’s not busy with work at Garmin, helping others with her small business, or cheering on UAFS when they compete with nearby schools, Demmer can be found rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs and her boyfriend, Creed Humphrey, the team's starting center.

• Tags:
• Counseling Center
• Alumni
• Volleyball
• Athletics