Student Spotlight July 2016

Each month the College of Professional Studies celebrates the unique and exemplary path of a selected student. This month's selection is Luke Carlin, who is pursuing a B.S. in Leadership.

What was your background before coming to the College? I was born in Maryland but my parents moved to Quebec, Canada when I was really young. I grew up playing a lot of sports including football, volleyball, basketball, and track. But my dream, from the time I was about five years old, was to play in the big leagues.

What brought you to Northeastern? I actually started out in the College of Arts and Sciences before switching to the College of Professional Studies. As a high school student, I played baseball for an academy in Montreal. Each fall, the team would travel throughout the U.S. to play in tournaments. Northeastern's baseball coach at the time Neil McPhee happened to see one of my games at Brandeis University and recruited me after the game. I enjoyed a terrific experience as part of the baseball team at NU. I was extremely humbled and honored to be recently inducted into Northeastern's athletic Hall of Fame.

Why did you decide to suspend your undergraduate studies for a time? During my junior year I became eligible for the major league draft. I had always planned to complete a college degree but when the drafted me, I couldn't turn down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream. I ended up pursuing a 14-year-long professional playing career with time in the major and minor leagues. It was always my intention to finish my degree some day. I negotiated in my contract that money would be set aside for me to complete my education eventually.

Which major league teams did you play for? I made my major league debut in 2008 with the Padres. I went on to play at the major league level with the Indians and Diamondbacks as well. I also played in the minors for teams including the As, Pirates, Angels, and Cubs. I retired after spring training this season and took a coaching position with a -A team that is part of the organization.

What were some of the most memorable aspects of your professional career? It was definitely a surreal experience to fulfill a childhood dream and get to know Hall of Fame teammates. But the joy of it is less about how many home runs you or how low your ERA is than it is about the people you meet along the way. One of my favorite memories is catching Greg Maddux when he achieved the milestone of his 350th win during my Major League debut. But it was also very meaningful to me to have the privilege of catching some of my friends when they made their major league debuts. In 2010 & 2011 I caught for the Indians AAA team and we won back-to-back national championships.That will always be a great memory. What were some of the challenging aspects of your career? It can be disillusioning to discover that baseball has a serious business side. It's not an easy road for sure. Players and their families make a lot of sacrifices. My wife and two daughters have followed me all over the country as my career evolved. Relocating to San Diego, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Anaheim, Oakland, Chicago, and Detroit took a lot of energy as did the grind of traveling all season long.

What inspired you to enroll in the B.S. Leadership program at the College? I knew that I wanted to finish my degree at Northeastern. The flexibility of online courses gave me that opportunity. I started getting inquiries five to six years ago about the possibility of pursuing a coaching career in baseball. At a certain point, I was getting more calls about coaching rather than playing opportunities. A Leadership degree is directly applicable to coaching. It teaches you how to build a culture and guide a team.

How do you plan to apply your degree in the future? Ultimately, my dream would be to become a manager in the big leagues. I would like to bridge the gap between coaches and the front office staff, who are business guys. I think my playing experience coupled with my Leadership education has equipped me for such a role. Baseball is increasingly trending towards a model that demands practical, business experience and professional communication skills as well as technical knowledge of the game.

Are there any teams in particular that you dream of managing? I would be grateful for any opportunities that come my way. Certainly, I love working for Indians at the moment. They are passionate about developing their staff and they have a lot of great people in the organization. Boston would also be cool; everyone knows that Red Sox have great fans and a great history. I would love the opportunity to manage in the National League.