Throughout the spring semester, we are honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Lake Barrett, a biology and education major from Columbia, South Carolina. Barrett is a member of the football team.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: Wooster offered me all the things I was looking for in a school from academics to sports to affordability.
Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: Being a Fighting Scot student-athlete means having the opportunity to do what I love while representing my college.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: My favorite memories are each and every win with my teammates over the years. Achieving success with a group I work hard with is special every time.
Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: Wooster gave me opportunities athletically and academically that I wouldn't likely get anywhere else.
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I worked as a STEM Zone intern, a teaching assistant, and a biology research assistant. I also studied abroad in Panama and interned with Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon in Peru.
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: I can't choose one between my two advisors Dr. Ryan Ozar and Dr. Rick Lehtinen. They both encouraged me to study abroad and gave me the push to take part in experiential learning whenever possible.
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: Wooster is full of great people who have helped me, but I would like to highlight Kara Melrose in the STEM Zone, Carly Eppler-Porter in APEX - Wooster's center for Advising, Planning, and Experiential Learning, all of my Education Department professors, and, of course, Coach Frank Colaprete and the rest of the football coaches for believing in me from day one.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: I sequenced two genes to determine the genetic cause of melanism in Abert's squirrel, which is native to the Southwest region of the United States and Mexico. I also compared current frequency of the black morph to historic data from 1970 at a site in Colorado to look for a change over time.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: I studied abroad in Panama and worked as an intern at Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon in Peru. Both opportunities gave me the chance to do biological field work and research in some of the most biodiverse and incredible ecosystems on the planet.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: Take advantage of the opportunities that Wooster gives you. The resources the College provides to help you find opportunities and make the most of your education are too good of a resource not to use.
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