Senior Salute - Sarah Lodge

Our "Senior Salute" series continues with Sarah Lodge, an economics and elementary education major from Granville, Ohio. Lodge is a member of the softball team.

Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: I chose to attend Wooster because of the rigorous academic program and the competitive athletic conference. I grew up in Granville, Ohio, a small town with a liberal arts college, and I knew that was what I wanted out of my college experience. And of course, the opportunity to play Div. III softball.

Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: Putting the student in student-athlete while also excelling on the field.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: My favorite softball memories are beating DePauw University in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament in 2022, hitting my first collegiate home run the same night my sister broke our high school record, and my breakout game against Ohio Wesleyan University with my family there. I cannot forget every bus ride, every 6 a.m. lift, and all of the other gritty moments with my teammates. Filling Kauke Arch with snow and hearing the bagpipes have to make the list too. Being done with Independent Study will be added to the list soon.

Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: The best part is that I can have it all. I can focus on my studies, play softball, and pursue my interests without sacrificing one for the other.

Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: During my time at Wooster, I have been an active member of the Wooster Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for all four years. I served as treasurer, social media coordinator, and president. I am a member of the NCAC SAAC and served as vice president and as our conference national representative. Currently, I am serving as an associate member of the NCAA Div. III national SAAC, proudly representing the NCAC.  I also work as an athletic communication social medial intern at Wooster, and I am part of the inaugural NCAC Social Media Corps. I work in game operations and am going to miss writing down all of the penalty calls during football games.

Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Coach Victoria Rumph has made the greatest impact on me during my time at Wooster. Without her, I would not have my closest friends or have been able to explore the many opportunities Wooster has to offer. Not only that, but she has also given me a lot to think about and on and off the field.

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: I want to thank Matt Anderson for taking a chance and hiring an intern with zero Photoshop experience. This internship opportunity has been one of the best things about my college experience. Thank you to Kevin Smith for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the College Sports Communicators mentorship program and sending the nightly score updates. Libby Ladrach has been so supportive in my SAAC experience at Wooster, with the NCAC, and at the national level. An extra special thanks to Professor Gretchen Tefs, Professor Allison Neptune, Dr. Megan Wereley, Dr. Melanie Long, and Dr. Philip Mellizo for making Morgan Hall my second home.

Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: My Independent Study focuses on how have the returns to completing an internship relative to completing a college degree changed over time. My hypothesis is the returns to completing an internship have increased relative to the returns to completing a college degree over time. This paper's intention is to explain why the wage premium happens. Employers value productivity. In a market of uncertainty, they want to pursue the most cost-efficient ends to their means. With an increase of people obtaining college degrees, the college wage premium is decreasing, and I believe that internship opportunities set job candidates apart. I am working with my advisor, Dr. Long, to explore theory, literature, and run my econometric experiment to write my Independent Study.

Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: During the summer before my senior year, I had the opportunity to attend College Sports Communicators Unite, a convention for college athletic communication professionals held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas as part of the NCAA Div. III CSC Student Program. Only eight students from across the country were selected to be a part of this program. This mentorship program allowed me the opportunity to interact with current athletic communication professionals, build a career plan, and network with the hope of diversifying the profession. To read more about this experience, read my writeup for the Wooster athletics website.

Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: Go everywhere and do everything. Before you know it, you will be scheduling your last semester of classes and having your last firsts with graduation on the horizon. Also, make sure you let your senior teammate take you to the first SAAC meeting after practice your first year. You will not regret it.

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