Throughout the spring and summer, we'll be honoring our senior student-athletes with a "Senior Salute" series. Today's featured senior is Alexa Mellis, a political science major and business economics minor from Wexford, Pennsylvania. Mellis is a member of the women's lacrosse team.

Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: The campus and the people. I loved the look of campus, and whenever I visited, everyone was always so welcoming and helpful! I also really liked the tight-knit community among students and professors and staff.

Q: What does it mean to you to be a Fighting Scot student-athlete?
A: I am forever grateful for my experiences as a student-athlete at Wooster. My teammates and coaches have made a lasting impact on me, and have become people who I can always count on. To me, being a Fighting Scot means that through the wins and losses, there's always people who stand by you and have your back.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: Some of my favorite memories are from our spring break trips to Los Angeles, Hilton Head Island, and Allentown, because they have been great bonding experiences with my teammates. Also, I've really enjoyed the smaller moments, like long low sits with teammates and friends, and getting ready in the locker room before games, just to name a few.

Q: What's the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: The support system for sure. Like I mentioned, my teammates and coaches over my years at Wooster have been a great support system. I also love the support within the athletic community at Wooster. My teammates and I always go to support other teams when we can, and other teams do the same for us!

Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: Outside of lacrosse, I held various positions in Zeta Phi Gamma over the years. I also was the treasurer of Inter-Greek Council this past year and was involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee all four years.

Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: It's so hard to name just one! All of my professors at Wooster have been such an important part of my Wooster experience. Dr. Angie Bos in the political science department, who was my advisor for a few years, was such a great resource. Taking her class my sophomore year made me sure that I wanted to major in political science. Also, Dr. Brooke Krause in the economics department taught such interesting courses and was so passionate about the material, which was so inspiring. Last, but not least, my Independent Study advisor, Dr. Avi Muñoz, because he believed in me and was extremely supportive throughout the whole process.

Q: What 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: Coach (Elizabeth) Ford has made a huge impact on me as an individual, and I am incredibly thankful for that. Since day one, she has been someone I can count on, and has helped shaped me into the athlete I am today. Coach Ford also served as my mentor for my Practicum in Coaching course, and I learned so many valuable lessons from her regarding leadership, team culture, and communication. She has definitely been a great resource over the past four years. Current teammates – take advantage of this!

Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: As a political science major, I am looking at how the media changes public opinion before, during, and after impeachment by the House of Representatives. Specifically, I am studying the impeachments of Presidents Clinton and Trump by coding articles from the New York Times and Washington Post, and correlating my findings to public opinion polls.

Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: This past summer, I interned with the Borgen Project, a non-profit organization working to make poverty more of a focus of U.S. foreign policy, as a political affairs intern. Through my internship, I actually got to meet with my senators' offices and discuss poverty reducing legislation, which was really cool! After the program finished, I was offered another internship position as regional director, which I did during the fall semester.

Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what is one piece of advice you would give your first-year (freshman) self?
A: The past year has taught me a lot, with seasons getting cut short, Microsoft Teams becoming our classroom, and campus life in general looking drastically different. So as cheesy as it sounds, I would tell myself to make the most of every opportunity, whether in the classroom or on the field, because our time at Wooster and as student-athletes is short.

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