Throughout the spring semester we are celebrating our senior student-athletes with a Senior Salute series. Today's featured senior is swimming and diving's Keara Wiley. Wiley is a biology major.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: I was recruited by Coach Rob Harrington. Wooster became my top choice after I took a tour of campus and learned more about the biology program.
Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: I get to be part of something that is bigger than just me. I will continue to be connected to those who came before and will come after me by the Fighting Scot name.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: In athletics, my favorite memory was coming back to swimming my junior year, earning personal bests, and being all-conference. Another favorite memory of mine is the Culture Show this year. Maybe it is because it was my last Culture Show, but this one just felt so incredible. I had so many friends and family in the audience and my teams were so excited to perform.
Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: I love that I get to continue to improve myself in my sport at Wooster. It is also fun to see your friends and classmates in the stands cheering during meets.
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I have been on Chasing International Dance Team all four years, and am currently the co-captain. I am the founder and president of Echo Choom (K-Pop) Dance Crew. I participated in the annual Culture Show all four years.
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Taking behavioral endocrinology with Dr. Sharon Lynn and evolution with Dr. Richard Lehtinen really reminder me why I am interested in biology in the first place. Both professors really stimulated my curiosity during their courses, and I feel like I always left class wanting to tell someone about the cool new thing I learned.
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: Coach Harrington has done a great job at making sure we feel like we can succeed in the pool and in the classroom. Setting up meetings with APEX for the underclass team members helped me learn more about the resources on campus that can help me be successful.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: I am looking at how physical changes to computer-generated looming stimuli affect Carolina grasshoppers' predator freeze response.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: For my internship last summer, I got to work at a chemical company in the quality assurance and quality control department. It was a great experience to see aspects of what I have been learning in class put into work for real scenarios.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: Do not be afraid to be yourself and know your limits. Everything will work out so do not forget to just be you.
Interested in becoming a Fighting Scot?
High school prospective student-athletes can click here to learn about our recruiting process, click here to view the virtual campus tour, and click here to learn more about admissions events, tours, and visit programs.
Transfer prospective student-athletes can click here to learn about our transfer recruiting process and use the links above for the virtual tour and admissions visit programs.
