What is the NESCAC

The NESCAC is the New England Small College Athletic Conference and is comprised of a group of Liberal Arts University’s. All members of NESCAC share the same or comparable philosophies for college athletics. NESCAC was created because of a collective concern about the direction that intercollege athletic programs have been going and have made a commitment to each other to keep in perspective the shared philosophy of the role that sports place in collegiate education.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio

There are currently 11 members of NESCAC – Connecticut College was the last school to join in 1982. NESCAC was created in 1955 by Bowdoin College, Amherst College, Williams College, and Wesleyan University. An additional six schools joined as charter members of NESCAC. Those schools are Colby College, Bates College, Middlebury College, Hamilton College, Tufts University, and Trinity College. The inclusion of Connecticut College in 1982 brings the number of members to 11.

NESCAC officially became a sports playing conference in 1999 and now sponsors 26 conference championship sports, 13 for men and 13 for women. In sponsoring 26 sports championship conferences NESCAC members have promised each other to ensure that athletic programs will operate within the academic mission of each university and that boundaries will be honored in regards to keeping athletic performances strong but in relationship to academic performances.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio attended Hamilton College. He was a student-athlete during his time at Hamilton and played for the school's baseball team, competing in the NESCAC conference. He enjoyed the time he spent on the baseball team and values the education that he received from Hamilton.

Hamilton College History and Origins

Hamilton College was founded as a school for boys in 1793 and later was converted to Hamilton College in 1812. It is now a liberal private arts college located in Clinton, New York. In 1978 Hamilton College and it’s sister school Kirkland College merged under the name Hamilton College and became a coeducational school. The school is often referred to as College on the Hill and was named the 15th best “National Liberal Arts College” in 2015 by U.S. News & World Report.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio

The school opened in 1973 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy by Reverend Samuel Kirkland, a Presbyterian minister who had been doing missionary work with the Oneida tribe. The Academy was open to both white boys and Oneida boys and was named after then Treasurer Secretary Alexander Hamilton, who was a member of the first Board of Trustees of the Hamilton-Oneida Academy. In 1812, it became Hamilton College, making it the third-oldest college in New York. The school was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church for much of the 19th century until then President of the school, M. Woolsey Stryker, distanced Hamilton from the Presbyterian Church and sought tot make it more secular. In the 1960's the school founded the all-girls school, Kirkland College and merged with it in 1978. The merger took close to a decade to complete, and women attending Hamilton were still receiving Kirkland College degrees well into the early 1980s.

Alexander Potoczak of Ohio attended Hamilton College and played on the school’s baseball team.

Batting Tips for Young Baseball Players

Every hitter in baseball has his or her way of comfortably swinging the bat. There is nothing wrong with this as long as their mechanics are good. Hitting is obviously a very important part of the game, and it's probably the most fun as a kid. Here are a few tips and reminders for batting that young baseball players should remember when they are up to bat.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio

  • It is very important for your leading leg to be firm. If you are right handed your leading leg will be your left leg, and if you are left hand your leading leg will be right handed. You don’t necessarily want your leading leg to be stiff; it is okay for it to be slightly bent. But, your leading leg needs to be firm so that it keeps the rest of your body behind the baseball. You will lose bat speed if your leg isn’t firm.
  • If your leading leg is stiff than your back foot, needs to be on its toes. This allows for more rotation and will allow you to generate more power when you are swinging the bat.
  • A good bat grip is very important as a hitter. Your hands should be in a palm up/palm down position. If you are right handed, your left hand should be palm down and your right-hand palm up. This is the opposite if you are left-handed.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio is a former college baseball player. He played in the New England Small College Athletic Conference for Hamilton College.

The Future of Alternative Energy

The race to find the next revolutionary energy creation method is on, and although difficult, the future of new energy is not impossible. Alternative energy has evolved much in the past decade, with car production creating energy efficiency to better utilize the energy used today, and other experimental forms of energy becoming more available. With this is mind, what are the possibilities for the future, and what can you expect when looking into the next big steps for alternative forms of energy use?

Alexander Potoczak Ohio

The most economical innovation in alternative energy for citizens involves solar energy, which is becoming widely more available for consumer use. Companies are sprouting all over the US offering solar panel installation service that has the power to operate the electrical needs of an entire home! This breakthrough in energy use will continue to become cheaper down the line, as it become cheaper to produce and more efficient to use.

Taking wind energy into consideration, entire communities and cities are begin given the opportunity to run a portion of their energy needs using the many fields of wind turbines scattered throughout the plains of the Midwest. Alexander Potoczak Ohio, a college student from Hamilton College, has held an interest in alternative energy sources for some time while in college, and mentions the impact that wind turbines have had on his home life in Ohio. With so many people on the line, the need for these methods of energy creation will increase until a solution is ultimately found.

The New World of Economics

The most unstable science in the world lies in the study of economics. Many different theories brought on by legendary economists have been trumped entirely by new and improved methods of tracking the supply and demand that make up countries, and with globalization, the world and its trade. Understanding how economics have changed can give new insight into how it will change in the future, and how the world can group together to make improvements to the current system available.

Economics is such a difficult subject to understand, that the US relies on the international community to make breakthroughs with its research. Different from other academic studies, where one country can monopolize research and claim their title as the best in the world, no one country can truly hold the title as being the best in the world for economics. While the University of Stockholm in Sweden can be considered a top-tier economics university, it is nothing without the support of the rest of the world.

This opportunity for change and constant improvement has brought in many students seeking glory from their interests in the philosophy of economics. Many students also take this as a way to expand their horizons in other academic fields. Alexander Potoczak, a future Ohio medical student, is currently taking courses to receive his Economics Degree from Hamilton College. Although different from his intended career, the interest of crucial life information has inspired him and thousands of other students to unlock the secrets of economics.

Alternative Energy Sources - What They Are And Why We Need Them

Alternative energy sources are sources of energy other than fossil fuels. There are three different fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. Alternative energy sources are being developed to combat concerns regarding the effect on the environment, efficiency, and other issues related to the use of fossil fuels. The definition of what is considered an alternative source of energy has changed over time but generally speaking, an alternative source of energy is produced so that it can be recovered, reproduced, and without emitting high levels of carbon dioxide.

 There are a number of different types of sources of alternative energy. There is solar power, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, ethanol biofuels, hydrogen, and geothermal. Solar energy can be used in cooling, electrical, and heating power plants. Currently, solar energy is seen as a viable method of creating energy. However, innovations and improvements must be made to improve the efficiency and decrease the cost of harnessing solar power.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio

Wind energy was in theory developed by NASA in the 1970's and is seen as a viable option for creating an alternative source of energy, especially in Europe where initiatives have been made and turbine fields have been created. Ethanol biofuels are a very popular source of creating renewable energy, and recent research has been done to find better types of ethanol than the traditional corn produced ethanol.

Geothermal is considered a viable source of alternative power because it harnesses thermal energy created and stored in the earth. This energy is sustainable and is constantly being replenished. Hydrogen is a source of alternative energy that is being highly considered as a viable option in the future. Over $1 billion has been spent on hydrogen research by the federal government.

 Alexander Potoczak of Ohio is very interested in and knowledgeable about alternative sources of creating energy.

Internships - A College Student’s Midas Touch


Students constantly search for new ways to touch up their resume, create a powerful statement to future employers, and overall find ways to stick out of the crowd of thousands of other graduates looking for the same career. In college, it’s a competitive game to be noticed, and the easier it becomes, the better chance there is for a career to be found, and a secure profession to be locked in for that college student. To make the game easier for those looking to be the best in their class, look no further than an internship to tack on to the list.


Apart from the many accomplishments that can be received inside of the campus grounds, internships offer different insight into the student’s ability to perform in their academic field. Instead of the academic standpoint of their industry, internships focus on the application of the skills that they have learned, giving students a chance to stick out, specialize, and get a taste for the profession that they will be pursuing in the future. Internships make the difference between applicants looking for the same job, and will also help individualize the graduate’s degree towards a specific niche in their career.


A college degree only goes so far, and it is the job of the student to take it and mold it into the resume gold that they wish to have. Alexander Potoczak Ohio, a college student from Hamilton College in New York, has been through a various number of internships and jobs that have helped him secure his acceptance into the Northeastern Ohio University’s College of Medicine. An internship at MAI Wealth Advisors, graduate stem cell research, and a four year job with the North Coast Obstetrics and Gynecology, this student is a testimony to the power of an internship.


Alexander Potoczak Ohio

Alexander Potoczak Ohio - What is Stem Cell Research?

Hearing this phrase creates intimidation anywhere that you go. Highly-complex medical sciences are extremely difficult to comprehend, especially ones that are still undergoing the proper research to make possible. Stem cell research is a scientific topic that has been under observation for some time, and as more advances uncover answers for the future of the scientific community, having the ability to understand what it’s about will better prepare you for what is to come.
    
While the stem cell itself is not unknown to the scientific community, the potential for more leaves questions as to where the world could and should take it. A stem cell is simply an immature cell that has the ability to possibly become a different type of cell that can be used within the body. Harnessing this power within the medical community will lead to the eventual production of regenerating cells and organs. For now, the true understanding of these stem cells within the scientific community is limited, with only simple bone and cancer treatment methods being available.
    
Despite this, the momentum of this specific research field is increasing, with many professionals banding together to make efforts to increase the world’s knowledge of stem cells. Alexander Potoczak, a future Northeastern Ohio University medical student, engaged in graduate level research in stem cells, hoping that his pursuit can make that much more of a difference to the world’s understanding. With innovators both young and old testing the limits in stem cell research, the future of its use will continue to expand for the medical community.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio - Biological Research

There has been tremendous progress in biomedical science in the last couple of generations, thanks to the tireless work of thousands of mostly anonymous, basic scientists whose only real goal was to increase their understanding of living things and how they work.

The half century between the discovery of the structure of DNA and the determination of the sequence of the human genome saw great advances in knowledge and techniques that have radically altered our understanding of biology and the science of disease of all types. DNA sequencing and DNA synthesis are now routine, to the point where they are outsourced to commercial services; most lab studies today involve genetic manipulation, which has become standard for everything from cloned or tagged genes to determination of phenotype.

All of this progress has raised expectations about how these advances can be applied to medical science, and some of them have even been realized. One example is the development of effective treatments for AIDS. The nature of that disease could not possibly have been understood in the 1950s.

All of this has been made possible by the work of these unsung, basic scientists. Unfortunately, recent and rapid increases in data volume have had a harmful effect on science policy in the United States. Some scientists argue that there is a bottom-line approach that is detrimental to curiosity-driven research.

Alexander Potoczak of Ohio is a graduate student at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. He has had long experience with graduate level biology research, and is particularly interested in the promise of stem cell research.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio

Alexander Potoczak Ohio - An Interest In Politics

The study of politics is many centuries old, and involves the practice of influencing people and public policy. More specifically it refers to governing an area or country, and how its power and resources are distributed.

Political scientists often study institutions that deal in power and money, such as trade unions, corporations, churches, and other organizations that may not literally be political, in that they do not directly create laws or make executive decisions, but do influence them and have structures and processes that are similar to governments in their complexity. The study of politics thus focuses on power in decision-making.

An important pat of political science is the study of international law and international relations, which includes not just law but also the economy and sociology. The entire matter is complicated by the fact that political scientists are part of the process. Their research and writings influence journalists and pressure groups, sitting politicians, as well as the electorate. Historians may try to explain the present by looking at the past, but political scientists try to directly influence the present and thus the future.

Studying politics can foster independent thought, tolerance, and an informed opinion on current events. It encourages the ability to define problems and contribute to their solutions. Expertise in the formation and analysis of public policy is greatly prized.

Alexander Potoczak of Ohio is interested in politics, and is a member of the Hamilton College Republicans. He is interested in many other subjects as well, including sports and the legal system.

Alexander Potoczak Ohio - Studying Oceans

Oceanography is the science of the world's oceans, from the deepest waters to the shallow coastal waters surrounding the world's land masses. It is a rich and diverse field that draws on many disciplines, including biology, chemistry, geology and physics.

Oceanographers focus on practical problems facing the earth, and also engage in basic scientific discovery. Oceans are the source of major storm systems like hurricanes which endanger coastal populations. But they are also an abundant source of food and the basic reservoir of the world's water supply, as well as most of the heat and carbon of the earth's climate system. Oceans are the source of about half of the oxygen of the atmosphere, and hold most of the remaining undiscovered natural medicines. Modern oceanographers draw on technology, as well as techniques of classical physics, chemistry, geology and biology in order to do their work.Alexander Potoczak Ohio

Oceanography provides us with a deep understanding of the global system that constitutes our environment. This is perhaps the most important observation about this discipline. While a lot of oceanography is done from ships at sea, underwater observatories filled with instruments provide oceanographers with much of their data. Unmanned, autonomous undersea vehicles, or AUVs, are at sea for years at a time, sometimes just drifting with the current, gathering and transmitting information.

The Arctic Ocean is an important part of the climate system, and oceanographers based in ice camps drill holes in the Arctic ice, and with the aid of helicopters and airplanes work sections across the region.

Alexander Potoczak of Ohio is an Economics major at Hamilton College but has a long standing interest in oceanography and sea life.