Wesley College junior women's lacrosse midfielder Jade Martin is this week's featured student-athlete in the Capital Athletic Conference website feature "INTRODUCING ..."  Martin is a four-year starter for the Wolverines who recently became the second player in team history to score 100 career goals.  Martin is also a member of the Wolverines' field hockey team and a Dean's List student.

What is your background in the sport you play?  I began playing lacrosse in my sophomore year in high school. My best friend played and strongly urged me to play as well. She thought I would enjoy it since I played field hockey as well. I have attended Eastern and Merestead sports camps. In 2005 I played in an Ursinus indoor tournament. I was selected to the all conference team in the Cape Atlantic League in 2005, and the senior all star team. I have been a four year starter at Wesley and earned all-conference honors in 2007. This current season I became just the second player in Wesley College history to join the 100 goal club.

What is your favorite spot on campus?  The turf by far is my favorite place to be because no matter how bad of a day I am having, I seem to forget it all when I walk on the turf and play field hockey or lacrosse.

Other than your team, what organization(s) do you participate in?  Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society for Business Administration. I was selected to be a part of the first class inducted into to the honor society at Wesley College, and will be inducted on April 19, 2009.

What is the most important societal issue facing college students?  Academic performance is constantly an issue with college students. Freshman year is crucial to students and can be hard for everyone. A lot of students either fail out or are put on academic probation for their grades within their first year.  The transition is hard for some and can cause stress.  However, students need to learn how to manage their time appropriately and dedicate themselves to their studies. They don't take advantage of resources being offered as much as they can either. If someone knows they need extra help they can always look for a tutor or form study groups.

What is your major in college, and what is the most important thing you learned in that discipline?  I am a Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing. While studying at Wesley, I have learned that marketing is all about two things: the who and the what.  Both are crucial because every good product starts by determining what you are selling and who you are going to sell it to. After you have determined those basic things you can use other tools to enhance your performance. Another crucial thing I have learned is SWOT analysis. It determines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a company. This is imperative because all companies need to assess their standings in the marketplace and this is the best tool to do so.

Other than your family members, who was the most influential person in your life?  My teachers have always been an inspiration in my life. Every single teacher I have had has aided in my success in life and in school in some way. By reading progress reports and comments on papers throughout the years, they have helped me realize what it takes to be a good student, and how I can achieve whatever it is that I yearn for. They have instilled the desire to strive to be the best I can be in all aspects of my life, and have molded me into the person I am today.

If you could give one piece of advice to elementary school children, what would that advice be?  My one bit of advice would be to never stop trying. It can apply to anything whether its academics, music, or sports, just never stop trying. I want them to know how important it is to apply yourself and how beneficial it is to set yourself up for a successful future. Nobody else determines your future - only you can.

What is your favorite form of entertainment?  My favorite thing to do is watch movies. I love just sitting down and relaxing and not having to worry about anything else but what movie I want to watch. Whenever I am stressed, it helps me to calm down.

Outside of the Captial Athletic Conference, who or what is your favorite sports person or team?  Vince Lombardi would have to be my favorite sports person. I enjoy reading his quotes, and I think about them all the time. When I read some of them, it automatically gets me thinking how I can improve myself as a player and motivate fellow teammates. During my senior year of high school, I used one of his quotes in my yearbook page, "Winners never quit, and quitters never win." It inspires me to strive and be the best I can be on the field. It helps me to stay determined and disciplined as well.

Name three people, real or fictional, living or dead, that you'd like to have dinner with.  The first person I would like to have dinner with would be someone from the future. I would love to know how technologically advanced we become, and just what life is like in the future in general. The second person I would have dinner with would be Warren Buffet. I would love to talk to him about his career, how he became so successful and take any advice he had to offer me. The third person would be any of my ancestors that lived in another country. I would love to know what it was like for them to come to America, and the struggles they had to overcome in the process. I would love to know where my family came from and what life was like for them.