Third-year Gillian Bushee logs nearly 70 miles every single week but the thoughts running through her head rarely match those of a typical Division I athlete. Where her peers might be fixated on splits or the next exam, Gillian is toggling between the technical logic of information technology and the strategy of management, all while pushing through 25 grueling laps of a 10K on the track. That’s what sets her apart.
It is an uncommon mix and it didn’t start that way.
Photo credit: Jen Dietrich/Virginia Athletics
From Soccer Field to Startup
Gillian didn’t set out to be a college runner. Growing up in Northern Virginia, she was a soccer and basketball player who only picked up competitive running as a high school freshman. When the pandemic hit and team sports temporarily vanished, she found herself alone with the pavement.
“I got stuck with the individual aspect of running, and I ended up loving it,” Gillian says. “In running, you really get what you put into it. If you do the miles and the hard workouts every day, you are going to see that progress. The dedication and the routine of it all really drew me in.”
That same self-directing instinct, the willingness to show up and trust the process on her own, carried over into entrepreneurship. While stuck at home during COVID, Gillian noticed a gap in the market for colorful, fun athletic spandex. Rather than waiting for a brand to fill the void, she launched her own company called Fundex. She conducted market research on TikTok, found manufacturers, and eventually saw a video go viral with over 700,000 views.
“I was doing all the product shipping, building the website, and coloring in a map for every state I sold to,” she remembers. “I think I hit about 20 states. It was a passion project that gave me a real perspective on what it takes to build something from the ground up.”
The McIntire Experience
That competitive, team-first mindset followed her from the track straight into the classroom. As a Commerce student, Gillian has found that the Integrated Core curriculum demands the same discipline and collective accountability she knows from her track squad: show up prepared, or let the team down.
During her third-year fall project, her McIntire team had to be ready to move their final presentation to Zoom with only 24 hours of notice due to a snow day. “We went through all the late nights and hard work together,” she says. “Presenting to high-level stakeholders like a CEO and CFO was nerve-wracking, but it was the representation of all the hours we put in.” It felt, she says, like race day. Luckily, the weather cooperated and they presented to the executives in person.
Her interest in the intersection of sports and business led her to a new course on the Business of College and Professional Sports taught by UVA Athletics Director Carla Williams. Hearing about stadium financing from the Washington Commanders president and discussing private equity in sports were more than just academic study: They’re part of her roadmap for the future.
The Triple Threat
At last year’s ACC Indoor Championships, Gillian finished third in the 5K, posting a time that ranks as UVA’s third best in program history. What truly makes her stand out is her refusal to be categorized, a Management and IT student competing at the sport’s highest collegiate level, building technical and strategic foundations while racing against the best in the conference.
As she heads into her final year, Gillian is keeping her eyes on the finish line, both on the track and in her career. She has a consulting internship lined up this summer with Attain Partners, but her ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between her competitive experience and the corporate world of sports business.
“Every opportunity is a gift,” she says. “I only have a year and a half left, and I want to take advantage of every race and every lesson. It is about learning how to channel that pressure into doing my best.”
For a distance runner who has spent years learning to be alone with her thoughts, that pressure is nothing new. She’s been preparing for this finish line for miles.
Photo credit: Jen Dietrich/Virginia Athletics
