Senior Reflections: The Holy Cross Impact
Rory Ogden relished the challenge of a tough chemistry class, and worked to create chemistry on the athletic field
Rory Ogden
Chemistry and predental concentration
Hometown: Latham, N.Y.
- Rory’s favorite class was physical chemistry. Yep, that’s right. Rory’s favorite class is the most dreaded course on campus. Despite the daunting equations and endless theories, Rory was inspired by the teaching style of Sarah Petty, assistant professor of chemistry. This encouraged her to work through the two semester-long course and toil through each problem set for hours on end to earn high test scores. “Professor Petty’s best quality is her approachability,” says Rory. “She gets to know her students and this relationship creates a positive learning environment that makes students strive to do their best work.”
- As the catcher for the women’s softball team, the athletics field does not intimidate Rory. In fact, it’s probably the place she’s most comfortable on campus. It should come as no surprise that her teammates have become her closest friends since they spend countless hours together each week, frequently making four- to six-hour bus trips to away games. Rory’s creativity is unleashed on the field. She and her teammates create unique cheers for each player as they get up to bat, invent interpretive dance songs on their bus trips, and have themes for nearly all of their off-field gatherings.
- Despite her coursework and position on the varsity softball team, Rory has found time to be actively involved in a number of campus organizations. She is the co-chair of Students for Responsible Choices, co-head of the Student-Athletic Advisory Committee, Holy Cross representative of the Patriot League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Chemistry Student Advisory Committee, the College Advisory Board on Alcohol, and the 2008 Class Council. As co-chair of Students for Responsible Choices, her favorite event stands to be the Natural Highs Fair. This event mimics a carnival, and gives the campus community an opportunity to de-stress and celebrate in a substance-free environment.
- If you’ve attended a basketball game at Holy Cross, you’ve probably seen the “We Have God on Our Side” shirts and heard the Sader Nation nickname. This group, which jumpstarted attendance and enthusiasm at various sporting events throughout the year, is Rory’s proudest accomplishment as the co-head of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. As the leader of this on-campus group, she’s led student-athletes in promoting sporting events, and aided them in becoming liaisons between their respective athletic teams and the athletic department. She also worked closely with Ann Zelesky, associate athletic director, to create relationships between the athletic teams and both the Holy Cross and Worcester communities. Together, they initiated programs with Worcester children in which they could come to campus and hang out with the athletes, watch sporting events, or play games with each other. “It was rewarding to see the look of admiration on the children’s faces when they were with the athletes,” says Rory.
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This Senior Spotlight was written by Jennifer Robert ’08 of Worcester. A chemistry and Spanish double major and member of the premedical program, Jen has served as the chair of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) at Holy Cross, and was the pioneering first-year blogger on the College’s Web site. Her organic chemistry research project was recently published in the Journal of Chemical Education. She has worked in the Office of Public Affairs for four years, and plans to do research in Boston following graduation.
Photography by John Buckingham.