Hands-on experience at Connecticut College

At Conn, Colter’s work experience extended beyond the classroom. He even had one of the most unique campus jobs: driving the Zamboni at Dayton Arena during ice hockey practices.

As a history major with a minor in environmental studies and a midfielder on the Men’s Lacrosse team, Colter gained valuable skills in problem-solving, teamwork and communication.

“You have to be a problem solver, and you have to get things done on time in college and at work, and you have to be very good at communicating,” he says.

Family roots in skiing

Colter’s connection to winter sports is in his DNA. Both of his parents skied in college and met as ski academy coaches in Vermont. His father is a former coach for the Dartmouth Ski Team and the U.S. Ski Team, which counted Colter’s paternal uncle as a member. The family runs a bed-and-breakfast, Pierce’s Inn, in Etna, New Hampshire, which was passed down by Colter’s grandparents. “There’s a ski hill behind the house that my grandparents ran, and there are still ski trails out there that we ski on a fair amount.”

Career preparation through internships and coursework

Colter interned for HKD Snowmakers in the summer of 2024 and began working for the company full-time in June. He spent a week in July training at the company’s Quebec factory. “All the work that I do is basically at the ski mountains, whether its installing new snowmaking equipment or fixing existing infrastructure,” he says.

At Conn, Colter learned a lot in the classroom and on the lacrosse field that he uses in the office and on the slopes, he says.

"Sports taught me a lot about teamwork, obviously, and hard times, good times, and staying levelheaded. There’s so much that goes into what makes you good at your career."

His academic work at Conn also shaped his career path. In Professor Julia Flagg’s environmental studies course, “Disasters,” Colter researched the impact of climate change on the ski industry, connecting his studies to his professional interests. He also credits History Professor Eileen Kane and Men’s Lacrosse Coach Jim Nagle as important mentors.

Building a career in the ski industry

Although winter may seem like the busy season, Colter notes that summer is actually the most demanding time in the snowmaking business. He has already worked on projects across the Northeast and is preparing for a large-scale installation at Deer Valley Resort in Utah.

“I’m pretty new to the technical automation side of snowmaking, and everyone in the company has been in this business for a while. They’re excellent teachers,” Colter says. “It’s like being in the classroom.”