Throughout the spring semester, we are honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Brandon Styers, a biology major from North Olmsted, Ohio. Styers is a member of the men's basketball team.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: I attended The College of Wooster because I thoroughly enjoy the balance between academics and athletics. At Wooster, I can pursue my career goals all while playing a sport I enjoy.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a Fighting Scot student-athlete?
A: Being a Fighting Scot student-athlete means to be attentive and hard working in both the classroom and on the court. Additionally, supporting other student-athletes at their sporting events is vitally important as well.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster? (few sentences these can be academic, athletic, or a combination of the two)
A: Two athletic memories stand out – winning the Mauro Panaggio Tournament in Daytona, Florida, as well as beating Wittenberg University for the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament title on their home court.
Q: What's the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: The best part about being a student-athlete is being supported at games by other student-athletes, and then turning around and supporting them at their games as well.
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I am a Wooster Community Hospital health coach and am a team representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Coach (Steve) Moore has made the greatest impact on me as he not only challenges me to be a better basketball player, but also challenges me and guides me on how to be a better person overall.
Q: Which other people or resources impacted your Wooster experience in a positive way and how did these people/resources set you up to be successful at Wooster?
A: Dr. (Rebecca) Williams has helped me greatly with my Independent Study project, as well as helping me academically and with potential methods to advance my professional career.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: My senior project looks at the effects of bluegill foraging behavior in the presence of sub-lethal toxins in the Wayne County creeks and streams. I am essentially collecting bluegill from a site that has minimal levels of heavy metals and other contaminants, and a location that has high levels of contamination, and comparing their differences in foraging behavior to see potential environmental effects it might have.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: A few cool experiences I have had as a College of Wooster men's basketball player are traveling to Arizona, Daytona, San Francisco, and Las Vegas to play in holiday tournaments.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what is one piece of advice you would give your first-year (freshman) self?
A: One piece of advice I would give myself is to try out a bunch of different things, whether it is clubs, work opportunities, etc., because I found most of my lifelong friends from these different aspects of college.
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