(This is the second in a series of Class of 2016 perspectives. The student-athletes featured will write about their time at Colby.)

Sam Glaisher

Steamboat Springs High School/Steamboat Springs, Colo.

men's alpine skiing

I recently interviewed for a medical research position in Boston where they asked me what I thought my greatest achievement was at Colby College. For a good 30 seconds, I frantically reviewed my academic, athletic, and social successes over my five years at Colby. I achieved outstanding grades in difficult classes, held my own against a stout NCAA Division I skiing field, and developed friendships and connections I knew would last a lifetime. But instead of listing those achievements, I said something I hadn't ever fully expressed before: my crowning achievement in college was my growth as an individual. Among other things, I stated my experience at Colby took me from being self-oriented to being much more selfless.

I do not deny that part of this growth stems from what I learned from my brilliant professors or from friends and acquaintances I have had along the way. But mostly, I evolved and grew as a person because of my time on the alpine ski team

At the start of my first year at Colby I met with alpine head coach Danny Noyes, who laid down his expectations and philosophies for the program. While he stressed accountability, he did not provide me rules to abide by. I was forced to learn from my older teammates, and more importantly myself, how to be successful. In doing so, I learned a lot about what I was capable of. I learned I was very good at taking care of myself on my own agenda, but not so good at adapting to other people's agendas. Understanding this helped propel me to where I stand today.

My experience with injury while on the ski team also shaped me. Four significant injuries meant the loss of one season and caused me to miss parts of others, and I spent 53 weeks recovering while enduring difficult physical therapy. Frustrating, but it gave me perspective and ultimately served me well as I took a leadership role on the team.

I was nominated team captain for my final two years as a Colby skier. For me this was a huge honor because it meant my peers, teammates, and coaches believed I could represent Colby skiing's values and foster these values in others. The extra responsibility forced me to do an even better job managing my own life. As captain, I had an avenue to share my experiences and what I learned from successes and failures. Most importantly, my time as captain forced me to put others first in certain circumstances and think about the success of the team and not just myself.

All these pieces, pulled together with the countless other experiences and opportunities I had at Colby has made me a leader. I can not only make an impact on the world, but help others make an impact, too.