Baseball captain and pre-med student Colton Hartig is one of three Transy sophomores who secured a place in medical school this year through the Early Assurance Program.
The biology major and chemistry minor, who grew up in Alexandria, Kentucky, will attend the University of Kentucky College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus after he completes his undergraduate degree at Transylvania.
Admission into the EAP takes a lot of stress and pressure off of my shoulders because I know that I have a secure spot in medical school as long as I meet the requirements.
Colton Hartig
Hartig took some time between classes, medical school boot camp, volunteering and shadowing in his community to answer a few questions about what it means to be at Transy — able to pursue the sport he loves and the academic rigor he needs to succeed.
Why did you choose Transy?
I chose Transylvania for a few major reasons. For one, Transylvania allowed me to continue my baseball career, allowing me the opportunity to play the sport I love while also continuing my academic career. Transylvania also offered an unparalleled education in an incredible urban area that is Lexington. Small class sizes at Transylvania also meant that I did not have to worry about adjusting too much in the classroom, as my high school classes were often the same size.
You are a high achiever pursuing a challenging pre-med course. Why is playing baseball an important part of your college career?
Baseball is an important part of my college career because it allows me to have fun and connect deeply with many other people that I would not otherwise interact with on the same level. Baseball also continues to teach me important lessons that I would probably not be able to learn as quickly if I did not play baseball.
You’re also a captain. What do you enjoy about that responsibility?
I enjoy many parts of being a leader on the baseball team. Guiding those who may not know the right way to go about things and seeing them achieve their goals as a result is one of the most rewarding things about baseball. Leading by example and seeing people look up to you and try to follow in your path is reassuring in that it makes me feel like I am living at least part of my life the right way.
What do you love about playing baseball?
There are so many things to love about baseball. In many ways, baseball mimics life, and to have a game where one can experience tragedies and triumphs similar to life is priceless. Furthermore, to share these successes and failures with your best friends is even more exhilarating. To set goals and to work towards achieving them is also incredibly rewarding — to see your dreams and goals come to fruition is more exciting than anything else.
What does it mean to you to be part of the Early Assurance Program?
It means a lot to be a part of the EAP, and it is especially exciting to be one of the first few groups to be entering this program. Admission into the EAP takes a lot of stress and pressure off of my shoulders because I know that I have a secure spot in medical school as long as I meet the requirements. Additionally, since the EAP allows me to meet and work with my future classmates long before I graduate from Transylvania, I do not have to worry about getting familiar and making friends with the people who I will be spending a lot of time with in the future. I feel extremely special to be able to represent Transylvania and northern Kentucky in the EAP, and the opportunity to make Transylvania and my incredible teachers proud excites me very much.