Throughout the spring semester, we are honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Marian Overfield, a psychology major from Dayton, Ohio. Overfield is a member of the cross country and track & field teams.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: The small class sizes and ability to connect with professors really drew me here. I also appreciate being able to compete at the Div. III level where academics and overall wellbeing are also valued.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a Fighting Scot student-athlete?
A: Being a Fighting Scot means encouraging your teammates to be the best they can while also placing an emphasis on positive mental health and creating a positive environment for individuals to grown in.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: I had the ability to take a course called Deviance and Criminology with Dr. Anne Nurse as a sophomore. This course was different because half the class were inmates at a juvenal correctional facility. The course gave us an inside look and perspective that would not have been available had the class been purely Wooster students.
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 the team community. Teammates are always looking out for your wellbeing and want you to be able to compete at your best level.
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I have been a tour guide since I was a first year. I have loved being able to connect with incoming classes and help perspective students find if Wooster is the best fit for them or not. I am also a member of Pi Kappa and have really appreciated having a supportive group of women in my life.
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Dr. Amber Garcia has been such an amazing professor and advisor to me. I first had her in a 40-student class where she learned everyone's name and interests, creating real connections with us. She then became my academic advisor where she has always looked out for me, be it in academics, athletics, or my post-college endeavors. I know she will always support me if I need her too.
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. (Aubrey) Whitehead, who no longer works at the College, made such an impact on me my junior year. He helped me realize my interest in the phycology of motivation. While he was not able to be my Independent Study advisor, he always made time to talk to me about my interest as well as help me prepare for internship interviews.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: I am looking at the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators of why women choose to enter into STEM despite it being a relatively male dominated field. STEM is a highly respected field to pursue, and men, specifically white men, tend to have a leg up when it comes to entering STEM. Men are encouraged from a younger age to engage with problem solving activities that translate well into STEM, while young girls are often steered towards more socially applicable activities that end up being seen as maternalistic.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: Every spring break the track & field team spends 13 hours together in a bus. We drive to Myrtle Beach for a training trip and our first meet of the outdoor season. It is a great way to strengthen the team's bonds as well as a way to get rid of the jitters that comes along with the first meet of the season.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what is one piece of advice you would give your first-year (freshman) self?
A: Even if you think you are grown up, there is so much growing that will take place in college. You should be willing to listen to those around you and take from their experiences so you can have the best experience possible, while also emerging from college with skills that will make you an enjoyable person to be around.
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