General | 1/9/2020 12:59:00 PM
Optimism has been a driving force for Houghton senior cross country/track and field standout John Vernick. It has helped him battle through setbacks and disappointments on and off the course and track and propelled him to First Team All-Empire 8 honors at last fall’s conference cross country championship meet. Most recently, Vernick opened the 2019-20 indoor track and field season by running a personal best in the 5,000-meters. Vernick, a captain of both the Houghton cross country and track and field teams, will pursue a career in business after graduating this spring.
John Vernick - Tomorrow's Leader
Major: Accounting and Business
GPA: 3.67
Class Year: Senior
Anticipated Graduation Date: May, 2020
Favorite Professional Athlete/Team: Troy Polamalu/Pittsburgh Steelers
Various Academic Honors/Academic or Athletic Clubs:
- Dean’s List
- NCCAA Academic All-American
- Empire 8 President's List
What Type of Community Service Have You Done: I have participated in the Flower City work camp, volunteered as a coach at a local Christian school and taught many classes for the Good New Club.
Plans After Graduation: I plan to attend St. Bonaventure University to earn my MBA.
What Do You See Yourself Doing in 5 Years: In five years, I plan on working in the public accounting field
What is Your Ultimate Professional Goal: My ultimate goal is to become the CEO or the CFO of Home Depot.
How Has Playing in the Empire 8 Prepared You For Life After College: Playing in the Empire 8 has allowed me to compete at the collegiate level while also being able to focus on my studies and classes. It has also allowed me to step into a leadership role by being the captain of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams.
Favorite Athletic Memory from Your Time in College: My favorite memory is from the Empire 8 Cross Country Championship meet in 2019. I earned All-Empire 8 first team honors, our men's team finished third overall and the women won the school’s first Empire 8 championship.
Biggest On-Campus Mentor: My biggest on-campus mentor is Professor Rice, head of the Business Department at Houghton College.
What Have You Learned About Yourself from Freshman to Senior Year: One thing that I learned was making progress and achieving your goals tends to take time and having setbacks isn’t necessarily a bad thing. For instance, an injury or a semester of ineligibility may not have been in your original plan but trusting yourself and your training plan plays a big role in how you respond and comeback. In other words, just because something doesn’t go your way doesn’t mean you can’t achieve your goals.
What Type of Leader Are You: I tend to be a very optimistic leader. I’ve always tried to view life from the perspective of the glass being half full instead of half empty.
One Thing Most People Do Not Know About You: I once ate two garbage plates in one sitting.
Advice for Freshmen Teammates or Student-Athletes: My advice for freshmen is to be yourself! Don’t try being someone you aren’t. Everyone brings different personalities and traits to a team. Don’t be afraid to show these off throughout your athletic season and career.
The Empire 8 Conference's “Tomorrow’s Leaders Compete Here” Series features a student-athlete from one of its member institutions who has emerged as a leader not only on the field of play, but in the classroom and in the community.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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