Throughout the spring semester, we are honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Jack Donahue, a biochemistry and molecular biology major from Grove City, Pennsylvania. Donahue is a member of the men's golf team.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: Coach Rich Danch was the first person to reach out to me about Wooster, so I decided to come for a visit with my family, and we were very impressed with the school. I knew I wanted to major in biochemistry and there were no other smaller colleges that could compare to the resources offered to Wooster students.
Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: Being a Fighting Scot student-athlete means being part of a community. All of the student-athletes here want to see each other succeed and we do so in several ways.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: Some of my favorite memories come from the relationships I have developed with the guys on the team. Our trip to Ireland is something that I will always remember. Another memory from my time at Wooster is when I was able to travel with the Dr. Mark Snider lab group to the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology conference in Seattle last year.
Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: I love being able to prioritize my academics while still being able to play golf with a great team. I have been able to succeed in the classroom while still doing something else that helps me to release some stress.
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I am a Health Coach through the College's partnership with the Wooster Community Hospital Community Care Network program. I am a co-president of our Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Club as well as the vice president of our Pre-Health Club. Additionally, I am a golf team Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative.
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Dr. Snider has been incredibly helpful in my experience as a student. I had him as a professor during my first semester at Wooster for an introduction to chemistry course, and I really enjoyed the class. This course led to me being hired as a sophomore research assistant in Dr. Snider's lab where I was able to get fantastic mentorship from older students. Dr. Snider was a huge help in my process of applying to medical school, and I am very glad to currently have him as my Independent Study advisor.
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: Countless members of the Wooster community have positively affected my experience. I go to Knowlton Café almost every morning and the staff there cares deeply about the students they serve, for which I am very grateful. Further, the staff at APEX (Wooster's center for Advising, Planning, and Experiential Learning) helped me tremendously in finding summer internship experiences and professional help.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: My I.S. focuses on understanding the NADH binding site of a class A flavin monooxygenase named NicC. This enzyme is involved in the degradation of nicotinic acid which belongs to a group of known environmental contaminants such as nicotine and quinoline. By understanding the degradation pathway of the compounds, we can better remove these pollutants in the environment using bacteria already present.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: Leading up to my junior year, I had an APEX Fellowship working with the Viola Startzman Clinic in Wooster as a social justice intern. In this role, I helped organize community events, handled administrative tasks, and gave back to the local community. I helped organize and start the clinic's chronic care management program and researched deliverables for grants we had or were eligible for.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: I would tell my first-year self to be comfortable branching out and taking advantage of the resources that Wooster has to offer. There are so many great opportunities for students at Wooster that comes with the community of the College.
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