Tomorrow's Leaders Compete Here: Ronnie Lott, Houghton College

Baseball | 3/12/2020 12:58:50 PM

Houghton senior baseball player Ronnie Lott relishes his role as captain, as he has provided undoubted leadership to the Highlanders. He takes that position seriously, seeing it a way to give back, to encourage, and to do the “little things”. Those traits carry over to the classroom, to the community and across other areas of campus, where the aspiring doctor seeks to serve and be involved in as much as possible.

Lott, a native of Portville, N.Y., is a five-time Empire 8 President's List recipientm who holds a remarklable 3.98 grade-point average.
 
Major: Biology
 
Minor: Chemistry
 
GPA: 3.98
 
Class Year: Senior
 
Anticipated Graduation Date: May, 2020
 
Favorite Professional Athlete/Pro Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
 
Various Academic Honors/Academic or Athletic Clubs:

• E8 President’s List (2018-2020)
• Houghton College President’s List (4x)
• Houghton College Houghton College Outstanding Organic Chemistry Student (2019)
• Houghton College Outstanding Biochemistry Student (2019)
• E8 Baseball Sportsman of the Year Team (2019)
• All-American NCCAA Scholar Athlete (2018 & 2019)
• Treasurer of the Pre-Health Professions Club
• Houghton College SAAC Male E8 Representative

What Type of Community Service Have You Done: I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the Houghton community by volunteering at the local Little League Field each fall. This service has provided me the opportunity to interact with the youth of the community and teach them the game that I love while also acting as a role model to many young athletes. I have also participated yearly in a local cleanup day where the baseball team rakes leaves and cleans gutters of those who are unable to do so. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to help organize Breast Cancer Awareness events on our campus through our SAAC at Houghton. These events aided in raising money for those affected by the disease in the local community. I have also had the pleasure of volunteering at our college’s Special Olympics events for students from local high schools.

Plans After Graduation: After graduation, I plan to attend Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Erie, PA to become a Physician.
 
What Do You See Yourself Doing in 5 Years: In five years, I will be one year out of medical school. At this time, I see myself beginning a residency in Pediatric Medicine or a similar specialty.
 
What Do You See Yourself Doing in 10-15 Years/What is Your Ultimate Professional Goal: Ideally, in 10-15 years I will be settled in as an Attending physician in a community close to home. It has always been my dream to return to the Portville-Olean (NY) area and serve the community that raised me by giving back with knowledgeable, personable healthcare.
 
Any Interesting or Exciting Internships You Have Done or Are Currently Working On (Where and what did you do or are you doing): I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a few companies as an intern:

• Currently, I am shadowing at a local Family Medicine Clinic in Houghton, NY as part of my senior coursework. This internship has allowed me to see first-hand the importance of quality primary care in a rural area. I have learned so much about medicine already due to the staff at the local office.
• I have also spent time shadowing at the Olean Medical Group in Pediatrics. This opportunity was invaluable in solidifying my passion for working with children in healthcare. The entire staff at the Olean office was beyond helpful in teaching me the ‘ins and outs’ of pediatric medicine. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that was provided to me by the providers and staff at this office.
• During the summer before my second year, I also had the opportunity to shadow Houghton graduates who have become General Surgeons in Oneonta NY. These doctors opened up their home to me, and allowed me to live with them, eat with them, and go to work with them every day for almost two weeks. I had the incredible opportunity to scrub in on surgeries and even hold retractors!
• Lastly, I have had the incredible opportunity to complete research while at Houghton College. In brief, I have studied pollution levels in the Genesee River, and the anti-predator behavior of fathead minnows in response to varying stimuli. I am currently planning to work with Dr. Sullivan (one of our Biology Professors), to finalize my work with fathead minnows and possibly publish!

How Has Playing Collegiately and in the Empire 8 Prepared You For Life After College: Participating in collegiate athletics has prepared me for life after college by shaping me into a man built for others. Our program places an emphasis on hard work, serving our community, and loving our neighbor. College athletics has also prepared me for life after college by developing my leadership skills, giving me the opportunity to manage many facets of life with a busy schedule, and most importantly, allowing me to continue to develop an emphasis on the vital role teamwork and team chemistry plays in success. These traits will all prove helpful in life after college.
 
Favorite Athletic Memory from Your Time in College: Most people think bus rides to away games and Florida would be a horrible experience. For me, I have enjoyed each and every trip with the baseball team. All of the guys on the team make the ride a time of bonding and laughter. Whether it is playing games, watching The Office or Star Wars, or trying to stop a leak in the ceiling of the bus with nothing but plastic grocery bags and athletic tape, every road trip is memorable thanks to my teammates.
 
Biggest On-Campus Mentor: Coach Brian Reitnour and the Biology Department professors who push me to be the best I can be.
 
What Have You Learned About Yourself from Freshman to Senior Year: I have learned that I am capable of balancing many more activities than I once thought was possible. Between baseball, academics, and a social life, college has shown me that with the right attitude and planning, I can balance many aspects of life and succeed.
 
What Type of Leader Are You: I would consider myself a Democratic leader. I like to get the input of each individual and the opinion of the team as a whole before I make any decisions that would affect the group. I want each player to feel like they have a voice and a say in how the team operates. I worked really hard as a captain to make people feel comfortable speaking up and voicing their concerns/opinions. I wanted everyone to grow more confident as leaders, as players, and as people. If there was an aspect of the team that you didn’t like or that wasn’t working, I would tell you to address it with a question or a solution in mind. I’m very action-oriented. I always thought that if we (as a team) were going to talk about an issue, then the conversation would end with a step towards solution. I measure success based on growth, development, and productive change and, based on that criteria, I’m really proud of what the team was able to accomplish over the four years I’ve been apart of the program.
 
One Thing Most People Do Not Know About You: Honestly, I am an open book. I tell most people just about everything about myself. However, one thing that some people may not know is that I have been to 21/30 MLB Stadiums!
 
Advice for Freshmen Teammates or Student-Athletes: First, you can only control what you can control. Do not waste any time getting worked up over things that are not a product of your own actions. Second, if you are going to do three things; do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly throughout your life. Enjoy your time as a college athlete, it will surely go by quicker than you can imagine.

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. The complete list of featured student-athletes is available.

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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