Throughout the spring semester, we are honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Melissa Burtscher, a psychology major from Aurora, Colorado. Burtscher is a member of the women's basketball and women's golf teams.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: The campus felt like home as soon as I got here for my visit. I liked how small the campus was and how nice the people were. I also got to meet some future teammates who were very inviting.
Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: It means carrying myself with dignity and being a leader not only on the course and court, but also on campus.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: My favorite memories are getting ice cream at Frozen Moo in Hilton Head with the golf team, stopping into Dr. Matthew Broda's office whenever his door is open to rant about life and leaving filled with inspiration and motivation, and seeing professors in the stands at basketball games or talking to them about games or tournaments the next day in class.
Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: The ability to continue to play two sports I love while getting an amazing education is the best part. I have built great relationships with professors, teammates, and coaches that will last long after my time at The College of Wooster has come to an end.
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I am a part of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Libby Ladrach has made the greatest impact on me because she has been a huge support system for me. As I have navigated tough times, she always listened and then provided me with guidance. I know I can bounce all my crazy thoughts and ideas off her and she will tell me when I am crazy but also support me in whatever decisions I make.
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: The entire Education Department has had a huge positive impact on my experience. They go the extra mile to make sure that I am successful as a student and as a person. They are understanding and flexible which helps take some of the stress of everyday life off.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: My Independent Study seeks to evaluate the content validity of current measures of sport participation motivation by interviewing student-athletes at The College of Wooster. This means asking student-athletes what motivates them to play their sport(s) and determining whether these motivations are covered in current measures.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: The men's and women's golf teams traveled to Ireland in 2022. This was my first time out of the country and getting to do it with my teammates was a lot of fun. Ireland was beautiful and I had an amazing experience playing golf and exploring the country.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: Be open to opportunities and be intentional with your words and actions because time is going to fly by.
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