MIT football co-captain balances engineering studies with athletics

Dominic Hess, a senior studying mechanical engineering and finance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), serves as the co-captain of the men's football team.

He balances a demanding academic schedule with approximately 20 hours of football practice and games each week during the regular season. Hess explains that the athletic community provides a support system that helps him navigate the difficult workload of the Institute.

He notes that the team environment allowed him to discuss career paths and majors with teammates before classes began. For Hess, the football field serves as a grounding space where he can focus entirely on the sport for a few hours each day, providing a break from his other academic and social commitments. As a leader on the team, Hess focuses on motivating his teammates by identifying their specific goals and the concrete steps needed to achieve them.

He aims to lead the team to a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) championship. After graduating from MIT, Hess plans to move to New York City to begin a job he secured after interning in the city for the past three summers.