International Sun Devils: The story of Lemerian Lemashon and Dennis Rono
By Jonah Broos, Cronkite PR Lab
Roommates Lemerian Lemashon and Dennis Rono have quite a bit in common. They’re strong runners, earning spots on the Sun Devil Cross Country team. They share a living space, practice schedule, and a common goal. A distinctive similarity between the two is their shared path to Tempe. Last fall, both runners came to the desert from their home country of Kenya on
the same flight.
Roommates Lemerian Lemashon and Dennis Rono have quite a bit in common. They’re strong runners, earning spots on the Sun Devil Cross Country team. They share a living space, practice schedule, and a common goal. A distinctive similarity between the two is their shared path to Tempe. Last fall, both runners came to the desert from their home country of Kenya on
the same flight.
For both runners, the experience has been tumultuous, with highs and lows in equal measure.
“It was rigorous,” Rono admitted. “But I enjoyed the adventure, experiencing new cultures and food, even though it was tough being far from home.”
Lemashon acknowledged the challenges of the experiences but made it clear that any difficulties weren’t without purpose.
“Here, I don't have any family members, any home friends. In life, you have to experience life in a different way or from a different perspective,” he said. “Having to meet up with new friends, having to have a new education system and being away from home, you have to engage yourself and have an etiquette that you can make it to a different place, and you can be a great person in the world.”
In the past year, Rono and Lemashon have become acquainted with every aspect of American culture. They’ve used the resources at their disposal to help them cope with the changes.
“The culture is different, like food, the way things are here, and the language barrier. That's a great challenge to adjust to. Sometimes you face discrimination because of the color of your skin and where you're coming from,” Rono shared. “That affects your mental health so much. But you work with a psychologist to help with that loneliness of being away from home.”
Through these ups and downs, the two have leaned on each other and their other teammates for support.
“Yeah, we came at the same time, on the same flight. We lived in the same house; he has been my roommate since I came here,” said Lemashon. “We still have the same bond together... we speak the same language, share the same culture.”
Rono echoed the same sentiment. “Being with Lemerian, that's been a good thing. He's a good person. He's a good friend of mine. We work through the process together. And having a brother who comes from the same place makes it easier for you to live and be comfortable.”
While running remains central to their lifestyles, Rono and Lemashon have found time for the full Sun Devil experience. “My best moment is traveling with the team, and also having dinner together,” said Rono. “Another thing is football. I love football so much and have loved getting to understand it.
Lemashon has also enjoyed supporting his fellow Sun Devils. “My best moment here was to watch the football game for the first time in my life and also going to other sports to watch them and cheer with my teammates.”
Competition in the NCAA has brought out the best in both runners, though the transition from Kenya’s open and often informal racing culture has been stark.
“The similarity between sport in Kenya and here in the U.S. is competitiveness. Also, a similarity is that you have to work hard in athletics. It's not easy, especially in Kenya, to manage to get to the national team,” Rono explained. “Here in the NCAA, you have to really go through the process of finishing education. That’s the difference here.”
“Here in the NCAA, the school provides you with everything, which is really advantageous to the athletes and can help them also run well. That's why here in the NCAA they're running great times,” Lemashon added.
Both are now key members of a team aiming to build something special.
“We have something in common that we want to make the cross country team great again and run the best time,” said Lemashon.
Sun Devil Cross Country coach Adam Meyer is focused on building the team’s culture in his first year with the program. This fall sets the tone for his time with the cross country and track squads.
The tone? One of positivity and a willingness to push yourself.
“I think at the end of the day, if you don't have a good culture, you're not going to have a great team,” Meyer explained. “It’s about making sure that every day when we show up to practice, we have people who want to be here. You don't want hostages at practice, you want volunteers.”
Lemashon and Rono are valuable in building Meyer’s envisioned culture. The sophomores have impressed their new coach on and off the track.
“Dennis is a very strong runner,” said Meyer. “He’s very dedicated... his drive and his dedication are unmatched.”
Lemashon has wowed Meyer as a runner as well.
“He’s just in general a very talented kid... but he's definitely stronger suited in the middle distance areas... we’re going to see some really good things out of him on the track as well.”
Both have been model teammates.
“Dennis is a great leader,” said Meyer. “If you see him do something, you're going to do it as well.”
Meyer also praised Lemashon’s personality.
“Great energy guy,” he noted. “Always laughing, always smiling, never causing any problems, just getting to work.”
“I think it's a great thing when you have a lot of different kids and athletes from different backgrounds and cultures,” Meyer explained.
From Meyer's perspective, student-athletes with unique cultural backgrounds enrich the culture of their team, as well as mirror the rich diversity of Arizona State.
“I think that encapsulates what ASU is as a school. I think having a team that embodies that is a great thing. Everyone comes together, you learn
about each other, how they cook, how they clean, how they do everything,” Meyer elaborated.
about each other, how they cook, how they clean, how they do everything,” Meyer elaborated.
“You get a better understanding of the world and how to be friends and get along and be teammates with someone that maybe you would have never had the opportunity to know outside of your own bubble if you weren't a student-athlete.”
Lemashon and Rono are part of something bigger than themselves. When they wear their Sun Devil uniform, they represent their new family as well as Kenya’s proud running tradition. They don’t face this pressure alone, however. They have each other, a coach who encourages them as individuals, and a program built on positivity and support to back them up.