Desire for Structure Leads to Success for Slaughter
9/8/2020 2:08:00 PM | Field Hockey, Student Athlete, Features, Flight 45, Intellectual Development
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
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Some people call the student-athlete lifestyle busy. Some call it structured.
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Sophomore Cece Slaughter of the Lehigh field hockey team recently turned a desire for structure into a worthwhile internship in an area of interest. She found a way to do all this despite the challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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"I'm someone who really needs structure to maintain my mental health," said Slaughter.
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That structure came in the form of an internship with Delegate Brooke Lierman in Slaughter's hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.
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Flash back to last March when students across the country found themselves in an unexpected position and classes turned virtual due to the pandemic. Especially for student-athletes who are so used to structured days, it would be easy and understandable to feel lost and not know what to do with their time.
Â
A political science major, Slaughter did something about it.
Â
"I set up the internship around the end of April, so it was really last minute and I started not long after," she said. "I had heard about Delegate Lierman throughout Baltimore and I reached out to her, asking if she needed any help. It turned into securing an open spot for an internship.
Â
"I had no idea what I was getting into, but I decided to jump on board."
Â
Slaughter is glad she did. Working remotely and directly under Delegate Lierman, she worked with Microsoft XL spreadsheets, checked voicemails and did whatever her team needed.
Â
"I started getting different projects to research," said Slaughter. "I got to research a lot of bills that Delegate Lierman is trying to pass, and get more in touch with issues in Baltimore."
Â
Slaughter had her hands on a number of projects, one of which surrounded the census.
Â
"We want everyone to be aware of, and sign up for, the census because it determines how much funding the state gets for the population," said Slaughter. "With things like education and the school systems, people don't realize how much the census ties into funding.
Â
"It's helpful to know and think about what's happening federally, but focusing on the state level allows you to impact what's going to happen in your area," she continued.
Â
Most of Slaughter's work came at the micro (city) level.
Â
"Delegate Lierman is in District 46 near the Inner Harbor," she said. "Some big issues in Baltimore City are education, funding and criminal justice reform."
Â
Another project for Slaughter was researching the Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act.
Â
"Jordan McNair was on the University of Maryland football team and in 2018, he passed away from heat stroke," she said. "It started a lot of conversations about student-athlete rights. This act is a bill that would allow college student-athletes to use their name, image and likeness to gain profit."
Â
There have recently been a number of conversations around the nation related to student-athletes' likeness, so Slaughter researched other similar bills from other states.
Â
"Delegate Lierman will try and pass that bill in the upcoming 2020 session," said Slaughter.
Â
No matter the project Slaughter was working on, she brought a team-first mindset (which is one of Lehigh Athletics' five pillars).
Â
"On our (field hockey) team, we talk about a team mindset and being goal-oriented," said Slaughter. "There are so many different roles on any team. If I didn't do some of this basic-level organization in my summer internship, it would have been really hard for my superiors to do the things they had to do. Every step of the way, and everybody on the team, plays a role. No matter what you're doing, it's important to take steps to help the bigger picture."
Â
During her first year with Lehigh field hockey, Slaughter displayed that mindset on the playing field, embracing her role and looking to do her very best in whatever was asked.
Â
"Cece has so many great qualities that attracted us to her in the recruiting process," said Lehigh head coach Caitlin Dallmeyer. "We recognized early on that her values fit that of our LUFH program. She brings a resilient attitude to all she does. She strives for success and when she falls short of meeting a goal, she has a tremendous ability to consistently see her own growth through the process."
Â
A number of lessons were taught, and reinforced, through Slaughter's summer experience.
Â
"I also learned that preparedness makes you more confident," she said. "If I was submitting something to my superiors, I felt so much better if I had spent a lot of time on it. That correlates with field hockey, too, because if you really put in the work in practice and you're confident in your skills and fitness, you feel so much better when games come. You're confident in your ability to compete."
Â
Slaughter did just that, compete, during her first year at Lehigh.
Â
"Cece found ways to own her current role while putting in the work for a new one," said Dallmeyer. "Her understanding of preparation and how it applies to success is something that will serve her well both in the LUFH program and in all her future endeavors."
Â
Slaughter's future is bright. Her ability in the political science field is impressive, especially for someone just starting her second year of college.
Â
"The internship gave me perspective on different levels of jobs and how you can incorporate different people into different areas, no matter their experience," she said.
Â
With three years of college still remaining, Slaughter is focused on learning and growing, much like she's been doing over her first year-plus at Lehigh.
Â
"Long term, I don't think I want to run for any sort of office or be an elected official, but I'm very interested in law and the principles of the law," said Slaughter. "My goal right now is law school, but we'll see how it goes."
Â
No matter what her future holds, Slaughter's desire for structure will continue putting her in positions to succeed.
Â
Much like it did this summer.
Â
Â
Some people call the student-athlete lifestyle busy. Some call it structured.
Â
Sophomore Cece Slaughter of the Lehigh field hockey team recently turned a desire for structure into a worthwhile internship in an area of interest. She found a way to do all this despite the challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Â
"I'm someone who really needs structure to maintain my mental health," said Slaughter.
Â
That structure came in the form of an internship with Delegate Brooke Lierman in Slaughter's hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.
Â
Flash back to last March when students across the country found themselves in an unexpected position and classes turned virtual due to the pandemic. Especially for student-athletes who are so used to structured days, it would be easy and understandable to feel lost and not know what to do with their time.
Â
A political science major, Slaughter did something about it.
Â
"I set up the internship around the end of April, so it was really last minute and I started not long after," she said. "I had heard about Delegate Lierman throughout Baltimore and I reached out to her, asking if she needed any help. It turned into securing an open spot for an internship.
Â
"I had no idea what I was getting into, but I decided to jump on board."
Â
Slaughter is glad she did. Working remotely and directly under Delegate Lierman, she worked with Microsoft XL spreadsheets, checked voicemails and did whatever her team needed.
Â
"I started getting different projects to research," said Slaughter. "I got to research a lot of bills that Delegate Lierman is trying to pass, and get more in touch with issues in Baltimore."
Â
Slaughter had her hands on a number of projects, one of which surrounded the census.
Â
"We want everyone to be aware of, and sign up for, the census because it determines how much funding the state gets for the population," said Slaughter. "With things like education and the school systems, people don't realize how much the census ties into funding.
Â
"It's helpful to know and think about what's happening federally, but focusing on the state level allows you to impact what's going to happen in your area," she continued.
Â
Most of Slaughter's work came at the micro (city) level.
 "Delegate Lierman is in District 46 near the Inner Harbor," she said. "Some big issues in Baltimore City are education, funding and criminal justice reform."
Â
Another project for Slaughter was researching the Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act.
Â
"Jordan McNair was on the University of Maryland football team and in 2018, he passed away from heat stroke," she said. "It started a lot of conversations about student-athlete rights. This act is a bill that would allow college student-athletes to use their name, image and likeness to gain profit."
Â
There have recently been a number of conversations around the nation related to student-athletes' likeness, so Slaughter researched other similar bills from other states.
Â
"Delegate Lierman will try and pass that bill in the upcoming 2020 session," said Slaughter.
Â
No matter the project Slaughter was working on, she brought a team-first mindset (which is one of Lehigh Athletics' five pillars).
Â
"On our (field hockey) team, we talk about a team mindset and being goal-oriented," said Slaughter. "There are so many different roles on any team. If I didn't do some of this basic-level organization in my summer internship, it would have been really hard for my superiors to do the things they had to do. Every step of the way, and everybody on the team, plays a role. No matter what you're doing, it's important to take steps to help the bigger picture."
Â
During her first year with Lehigh field hockey, Slaughter displayed that mindset on the playing field, embracing her role and looking to do her very best in whatever was asked.
Â
"Cece has so many great qualities that attracted us to her in the recruiting process," said Lehigh head coach Caitlin Dallmeyer. "We recognized early on that her values fit that of our LUFH program. She brings a resilient attitude to all she does. She strives for success and when she falls short of meeting a goal, she has a tremendous ability to consistently see her own growth through the process."
Â
A number of lessons were taught, and reinforced, through Slaughter's summer experience.
Â
"I also learned that preparedness makes you more confident," she said. "If I was submitting something to my superiors, I felt so much better if I had spent a lot of time on it. That correlates with field hockey, too, because if you really put in the work in practice and you're confident in your skills and fitness, you feel so much better when games come. You're confident in your ability to compete."
Â
Slaughter did just that, compete, during her first year at Lehigh.
 "Cece found ways to own her current role while putting in the work for a new one," said Dallmeyer. "Her understanding of preparation and how it applies to success is something that will serve her well both in the LUFH program and in all her future endeavors."
Â
Slaughter's future is bright. Her ability in the political science field is impressive, especially for someone just starting her second year of college.
Â
"The internship gave me perspective on different levels of jobs and how you can incorporate different people into different areas, no matter their experience," she said.
Â
With three years of college still remaining, Slaughter is focused on learning and growing, much like she's been doing over her first year-plus at Lehigh.
Â
"Long term, I don't think I want to run for any sort of office or be an elected official, but I'm very interested in law and the principles of the law," said Slaughter. "My goal right now is law school, but we'll see how it goes."
Â
No matter what her future holds, Slaughter's desire for structure will continue putting her in positions to succeed.
Â
Much like it did this summer.
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