Throughout the spring semester, we are honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Emma Connors, an elementary education and psychology major from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. Connors is a member of the swimming and diving team.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: I chose The College of Wooster because I wanted to be able to continue swimming while focusing on getting an amazing education from a distinguished academic program.
Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: Being a Fighting Scot student-athlete means I am a part of a community of people who look out for each other and value more than just athletics.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: My favorite memories from Wooster were being able to swim the grueling distance events next to my teammates and roommates, Kay and Emma, as swimming next to your best friends makes the mile a little less difficult! Participating in Circle Woo before each meet to bring the energy before we race has been a fun tradition. The support of the swim team during difficult practices has also been memorable, as we strive to support each other and always cheer each other on when practice gets hard. I have also loved being able to make an impact in classrooms in the local community through my field experiences as an elementary education major.
Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: The friendships and feeling of community that have come from swimming is amazing! It is awesome to be able to see someone from the team everywhere you go on campus. We have a lot of support with academics, as everyone is going through tough times juggling academics and athletics together!
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I am involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a representative of the swim team and a member of the leadership council for the team. I have also been a member of the Psychology Club.
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Professor Allison Neptune was the first education professor I had that made me realize I wanted to pursue my dream of being a teacher. She encouraged me that I could make the switch to education and be a great teacher.
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: Coach Rob Harrington has been a great support system throughout my four years at Wooster and has always made sure that we are students first and athletes second. He has also been a great mentor in the field of education, as he went through the program himself.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: My Independent Study project is in psychology. I am examining how adult attachment style affects relationships of college students and the stress students experience in their daily life. I am conducting a survey of College of Wooster students to compare how people in no relationship, a local (on-campus) relationship, or a long-distance relationship score on a measure of attachment and how that relates to their perceived stress.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: I have been fortunate to be a part of the Education Department, which offers incredible placements for field opportunities that connect us with amazing mentor teachers. Being able to observe and be a part of teaching instruction in almost every education course has made me feel extremely prepared to be a teacher in the future, and it has allowed me to gain a lot of knowledge about the best ways to run a classroom.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: These four years go by so fast, so make sure you take time to enjoy being in college while it lasts.
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