Graduate Spotlight: Dan Cohen Solal

Swimming, academics draw Solal from Israel to Georgia Tech
Dan Cohen Solal came to Tech hoping to be able to be a competitive swimmer and get a good education. Now the decorated athlete is graduating with a degree in Biology.

Dan Cohen Solal came to Tech hoping to be able to be a competitive swimmer and get a good education. Now the decorated athlete is graduating with a degree in Biology.

The journeys students take to get to Georgia Tech are as unique and varied as the students themselves. Dan Cohen Solal’s journey began in Israel, and when he arrived on campus, he was able to pursue his dual dreams of intercollegiate swimming and a degree in biology.                       

The son of doctors, Solal wanted the unique combination Georgia Tech could offer him: swim competitively and earn an undergraduate degree that would serve him well in pursuit of a career in medicine. He chose Georgia Tech not only for its swimming team but also for its academic reputation.

“Since I was a kid, my dream was to come to America to study and swim,” Solal said.

But first, he had to complete three years of mandatory service in the Israeli military. The life lessons and maturity he learned in Israel’s navy have served him well in competing against the best in the NCAA and tackling a rigorous curriculum.

“School is very tough here. You’ve got to keep fighting to finish your projects, take your tests,” he said. “Believe in yourself and you can achieve whatever you want.”

A free-style swimmer, Solal leaves Tech with the fourth best time in school history in the 400- and 800-meter relay.

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