Senior Salute - Ryan Sullivan

Throughout the spring semester, we are honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Ryan Sullivan, an environmental geoscience major from Amesbury, Massachusetts. Sullivan is a member of the baseball team. 

Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster? 
A: I chose to attend The College of Wooster because it was immediately clear to me how much the baseball team cared about each other. I knew that I would be joining a group of individuals who would become my best friends. Coupling this with an intimate learning environment and professors who deeply care for their students made choosing Wooster an easy decision.  

Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you? 
A: As a baseball player, I view being a Fighting Scot student-athlete as an opportunity to add to a rich tradition of winning. Being able to contend for North Coast Athletic Conference and national titles every year is something that I am proud of. As a student-athlete, Wooster allows for the opportunity to continue to play the sport I love for as long as I can, while still receiving a quality education.  

Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?  
A: My favorite memory is coming back to win the Alton Regionallast year after losing the first game of the tournament. Having trained with my best friends all year for that moment and having it payoff is a feeling that can't be described. The winning was fun. Doing it with such a close group of teammates was incredible.  

Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster? 
A: I think there is a great balance between your athletic commitment and your education. Coaches understand the amount of work we do outside of our sport, and professors are incredibly flexible for accommodating travel and other athletics-related conflicts. It is a luxury to be surrounded by people who genuinely care about your success in all facets of your life on campus. 

Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport? 
A: I work for the athletic department in the equipment room as well as on the stats crew for football and basketball games. Outside of athletics, I am a member of the Wooster Geology Club as well as Athletes InterVarsity.  

Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why? 
A: Shelley Judge, the Geology Department head, has had an immense impact on me. Since spring of my sophomore year, there has not been a semester where I have not been taught or advised by Dr. Judge. She is incredibly kind and genuinely cares about our learning. She has played a major role in fostering my love of geology. Because of Dr. Judge, I am incredibly excited for my opportunities after Wooster. 

Q: What other people or resources impacted your Wooster experience in a positive way and how did these people and resources set you up to be successful at Wooster? 
A: My coaches, Barry Craddock and Matthew Johnson, have had a massive impact from the moment I was recruited to come here. They care deeply for me and all my teammates, which turns me into a better baseball player, competitor, and teammate. Outside of this, my bosses Paige Summersand Kevin Smith have provided fun work environments, and Rachel Novario, our athletic trainer, does an incredible job of making sure we stay both physically and mentally healthy throughout the year.  

Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project? 
A: I am diving into the geologic history and hydrologic profile of Shreve, Ohio, through groundwater well analysis. By utilizing well logs and water sampling, I am creating a water quality assessment and studying the groundwater flow of the area. I am identifying potential contamination hazards within the watershed and looking at how hypothetical contamination plumes would spread within the township.  

Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster? 
A: Our annual spring break trip to Florida is always a fun and fulfilling experience. The early games of our season our crucial for our success and being able to play these games in the warm Florida weather while bonding with teammates for a fun two weeks is a fun experience I will never forget.  

Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self? 
A: I would tell myself to always take time to reflect on your time at Wooster and enjoy every second of it. Being able to study with, live with, have fun with, and play baseball with your best friends every day is something that can only happen in your four years here. It goes by way too fast, but you're so incredibly lucky that you get to experience it.  

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