Senior Sarah Woodworth has always pictured herself at Colgate. As a student at Adirondack Central School in Boonville, NY, about an hour from Colgate, she knew she would end up studying in Hamilton.

“I came here to watch football games as a little kid. This is where I felt I needed to be,” Woodworth said.

Just as she had anticipated, Woodworth felt just as comfortable at Colgate as she did at home, and quickly found her place among the student body. Her passion for music, evident in her childhood when she began to play clarinet in the fourth grade, continued to develop on campus. She joined both the Colgate University Orchestra and Student Wind Ensemble. Woodworth also joined the Colgate Run Club.

“Colgate has so many opportunities to find your niche,” Woodworth said. “You just have to find what you want to do. You need to do what you love.”

Last spring semester, Woodworth traveled to Australia as part of Colgate’s study abroad program.

“It really made me realize that there’s a big world out there. There are so many avenues to pursue and so many ways you can view life,” Woodworth said. “I also learned that it is alright to relax and have fun on the beach once in a while!”

Her trip abroad is her favorite Colgate experience to date, and she encourages all students to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity here, as it has the potential to change their lives.

Woodworth is a neuroscience major and an active member of the Colgate Pre-Med Student Association, an organization for future doctors, dentists and veterinarians. She has a particular interest in cellular neuroscience.

“I like the intricacy of it all,” Woodworth said. “The brain is fascinating!”

After graduating this May, Woodworth will be looking for a research position before going on to graduate school, medical school or both. She aspires to be a doctor of some sort, either actively medically practicing or doing research work.

As she prepares to leave the college that she pictured herself at since she was young, she says that she hopes current Colgate students will be able to take advantage of the abundance of opportunities available to them here.

“Come with an open mind,” Woodworth said. “Don’t be afraid to try new things-you never know what you might find that you love.”