My name is Emmy Norris and I am a practicing physician assistant specializing in Family Medicine. I am originally from Ruston, Louisiana and I received my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from Louisiana Tech University in March of 2020. Soon after graduating, I started the physician assistant program at LSU-Shreveport in May of 2020 and graduated from the program in August of 2022. Ever since, I have worked in family medicine, where I get to enjoy the many different and complex cases daily.
Ifirst discovered the physician assistant profession as a freshman at Louisiana Tech. I was majoring in Kinesiology and originally thought I would like to be a physical therapist. Sophomore year, I was lucky enough to meet Chip Furr, a local physician assistant in Ruston. I found out that he worked at Dr. Grigsby’s Family Medicine clinic (Northwood Medical Center), where I had historically been a lifelong patient. Chip of course let me shadow him, and I soon fell in love with both the PA profession and family medicine.
I started PA school in May of 2020, which was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Didactic year was filled with many unknowns, challenges, and adjustments that had to be made due to COVID. Luckily, things had almost returned to normal by the time clinical rotations rolled around. Throughout didactic, I was unsure what area of medicine that I wanted to work in. Then, my very first clinical rotation ended up being in family medicine and reminded me of my love for primary care. From then on, I truly enjoyed each rotation, but I always knew primary care was where I wanted to end up.
After graduating, I was fortunate enough to land my dream job at Dr. Grigsby’s office (now Willis Knighton Family Medicine Ruston), the same place that I first shadowed Chip in college. Becoming co-workers / colleagues was a full circle moment for Chip and I. He always served as a wonderful mentor to me while shadowing, and he also helped me throughout PA school anytime that I asked. Now working together, I am lucky that I get to continue to learn from his many years of experience, as well as have him as a great friend. I feel the same way about Megan Walpole PA-C and Dr. Ben Grigsby. It is an immeasurable blessing and opportunity to be able to soak up as much of their knowledge as possible each day.
A huge reason why I fell in love with family medicine is because of the relationships that this specialty allows you to form with patients. Also, because there is never a boring day. The wide array of cases that we see in a day keeps you constantly learning and growing as a provider. We of course see our fair share of sick visits and annual wellness exams, but we also tackle many different procedures in our office such as joint injections, pelvic exams, suturing lacerations, skin biopsies, lesion removals, cryotherapy, and wound care. We really do it all, and constantly expanding on your skill set and knowledge base is so rewarding.
Family medicine is such an important field of medicine because it is often the patient’s first and sometimes only stop. It is vital to be fully on the patient’s team, and to be tenacious for your patients. Some days are challenging, and most days are long, but being able to take care of patients is a blessing. My advice to anyone who wishes to become a PA is to always remember to do whatever is best for the patient. I have discovered that medicine today often makes taking shortcuts the easier option, but it is usually never the best option for patients. Being a PA is a fulfilling and a wonderful career no matter what specialty, and I truly would not do anything differently if given the option.
Ifanyone has any questions about applying to school or the profession, I am happy to help! Mrs. Boyd has my number and email address if you would like to reach out.
Megan James 2010 BS Clinical Kinesiology and Health Promotion, Louisiana Tech University 2015 MAT with Mathematics and Biology Concentrations, Louisiana Tech University
My name is Megan James and I am a 2010 graduate of Louisiana Tech with a BS in Clinical Kinesiology and Health Promotion and an MAT with a Mathematics and Biology Concentration in 2015. If you told me in 2006 as a freshman at Louisiana Tech that I would be working in a high school teaching math and coaching softball, I would have told you that you need to get your head evaluated. Never in a million years would I have envisioned myself where I am now. I started college in the Political Science department because I had always wanted to be a lobbyist and work in D.C. In the Spring of my freshman year, I took a KINE class as an elective and it completely changed the trajectory of my life. Once I changed my major in the fall of 2007, I had such a peace about what my future plans were and how I would get there. I finished college in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Kinesiology and Health Promotion with a plan to go to Physical Therapy School in Alabama. I started school and quickly realized that I was just not happy or ¨at home¨ so I decided to come back and apply to LSUHSC in Shreveport. Before I even had my interview at LSU, I was contacted by a local school who needed a high school math teacher. I unconfidently agreed and started teaching and have been at it ever since. Ie taught in two different parishes and a few different schools, but am currently at Doyline HIgh School in Doyline, LA.
Along the way, I had two precious baby boys who are now 10 and 6 and between work and everything they are involved in, I stay super busy. Sometimes it can be really hard balancing my work life and home life, but we make it work! My 10 year old plays basketball and golf and the younger one plays baseball. Needless to say, there is not much down time, but I would not change a thing.
Three years ago, I was approached by administration about coaching softball. I had no reservations about taking on the challenge and have developed a strong, growing program. I can honestly say that taking on the softball team is one of the best decisions I could have made. Being able to be a leader and build relationships with these teenagers outside of the classroom gives me so much pride and joy. Kids today need outlets and I love that I am able to provide that for so many of them 7th hour every day. Going from teaching Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Advanced Math (yes, I have those preps) in the morning to coaching in the afternoon is quite the change and can be really tough sometimes, but is more rewarding than you could ever imagine. I see these kids at their best and worst and am able to help them through each day whether they are on the field or not.
I look back at my college years and am so thankful for every professor who invested time, love, and energy into making me become the best me that I could be. I would not be where I am without the 07-10 KINE department. Some are still there and some have moved on to other places, but they will each hold a special place in my heart.
I guess the moral of the story is that even most laid out plans can change and while we may be unsure about how our life will be after those changes, sometimes you just have to roll with it and let life take you where it takes you. For me, it led me to a small school of 435 kids where I get to teach them about math, teach them life lessons, and hit softballs at them at the end of the day. I could not think of a more perfect way to spend each day!
Taylor Dawson, Louisiana Tech Kinesiology and Health Sciences 2015 PAC Mississippi College 2020
My name is Taylor Dawson and I am originally from West Monroe, Louisiana. I started my college career in Baton Rouge at LSU. After two quick years and (too much fun), I transferred to Louisiana Tech University, where I graduated with my bachelors in Kinesiology in spring 2015. I have been a practicing Physician Assistant in the field of orthopedic surgery for five years now, and I am loving every second of it.
The medical field had always intrigued me growing up. As a high school athlete, I thought I would find a career as an athletic trainer for a D1 college or a professional team. While at LSU, I pursued a degree that would take me down that path of athletic training. However, transferring back to Louisiana Tech was a true blessing in disguise, as it introduced me to all of the wonderful careers that kinesiology could provide. As a kinesiology student, I set my degree path toward Physical Therapy, where I could learn about biomechanics and exercise physiology (shout out to Dr. Szymanski).
For one of my classes, I was given the opportunity to shadow a Physical Therapist at the Green Clinic. During this time, I was introduced to a Physician Assistant, a profession in medicine I had never heard of before. I immediately became interested in the profession and started doing research on the Physician Assistant career; I quickly found my new career path. Physician Assistants are a vital member to the healthcare team and operate as a midlevel provider, much like a Nurse Practitioner. Physician Assistants also have a great deal of “lateral mobility” where we can change specialties rather quickly if desired. Typically, you can apply straight to PA school after graduating with a Bachelors degree in kinesiology. However, I decided to take a less traditional approach to becoming a Physician Assistant.
Unfortunately, after graduating from Louisiana Tech, I did not get into any of the PA schools where I applied, so I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in the field of medical sciences at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS. The program lasts about a year and half and includes courses that physician assistant students, as well as medical students, take the first year of coursework such as cell biology, biochemistry, histology, medical physiology, pharmacology, and gross anatomy. These courses gave me a robust foundation for the field of medicine.
During my time at Mississippi College, I met some absolutely amazing individuals, many of which had a background much like mine and hopes of getting into PA school or medical school. Upon completion of the medical science program in winter 2016, I started applying to PA schools again. Unfortunately, once again, I was deniedand had to take a dreaded gap year to figure out my next step. During this gap, I went back home to Louisiana.
Gross anatomy group in grad school
Once back in Louisiana, I was able to find a job at the North East Louisiana Orthopedic Clinic as a PT technician. In this role, I was able to get many patient contact hours and apply the education gained with my kinesiology degree and masters degree. In the latter half of 2017, I was offered a position back at Mississippi College as a teaching assistant for both medial physiology and gross anatomy. So I went back to Mississippi.
PA school graduation and white coat ceremony.
This opportunity was a blessing from God. While working for the school, I decided to apply to the Mississippi College PA program. I was accepted into the program and started classes in the summer of 2018. My time as a PA student at Mississippi College was truly the best. I made lifelong friends, who are now colleagues of mine. My last year of PA school was unique, as it was the infamous year of 2020. When COVID started, I was in my general surgery clinical rotation. The school made the decision to halt all clinical rotations, so I decided to go back home for the duration of the pandemic. Fortunately, things began reopening in the latter half of 2020, and I was able to finish my clinical rotations with a three month clerkship at an orthopedic clinic in Frisco, TX, where I was offered my first job as a Physician Assistant, PA-C.
Currently, I work at a practice in McKinney, TX with a focus on joint replacement and repair. Our practice serves the greater north Dallas population and parts of southern Oklahoma. The past five years have been amazing working as a PA in orthopedic surgery. I see my own patients, interpret imaging, and do my own procedures, such as joint injections/aspirations, reduction of fractures, and application of casts/splints. I also help manage patients non-operatively by working closely with Physical Therapists and creating rehab protocols for patients who choose the non-surgical route. In the surgical setting, I function as a first assist to my supervising physician, help coordinate pre-operative and intra-operative workflows, and managing post- operative complications. I genuinely love interacting with all of my patients and helping themget back to their full daily activity, pain free. In my opinion, a Physician Assistant is the best career within the healthcare field.
Closing a total knee replacement
Special gown used in joint surgery
My advice to anyone who aspires to join the medical field as a Physician Assistant is to never give up on your dreams. Don’t let a small detour in your path discourage you. Enjoy the journey. I found out the hard way that placing too much stress on having the perfect path for myself didn’t get me anywhere. Once I decided to slow down and enjoy the path life was taking me, everything fell into place. School became fun, and I realized I was working toward my ultimate goal of becoming a PA.
If anyone has any questions on my path to becoming a PA or has any questions about the PA field in general, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Boyd for my email. I would love to hear from you guys and help however I can!
Landry Burback, Louisiana Tech University B.S. Kinesiology- Exercise and Health Promotion
My name is Landry Burback and I am from Stonewall, Louisiana! I am currently the Marketing & Health/Wellness Coordinator at Ruston Sports Complex and Ruston Parks and Recreation. I am a 2024 graduate of Louisiana Tech with a B.S. in Kinesiology, Exercise and Health Promotion. I am currently also a graduate student pursuing my MBA from Louisiana Tech!
When I entered my college career, during the unprecedented time of 2020, I had just experienced having my senior year of high school cut short, and had an interesting transition into college life. Most of our classes were online or hybrid, meaning that I spent a lot of my days finding different spots on campus with my friends to get our schoolwork done and to “zoom” into our classes. It feels like just yesterday I was in a zoom waiting room waiting for Ms. Boyd’s FYE class to start! Looking back, it was a pivotal season and one that was difficult to navigate, but everyone really did their best to help it be as “normal” as possible. Transitioning to college is already hard enough, leaving your hometown, most of your friends, family, and the way of life that you have known for so long, and try adding in a pandemic!
Entering college, I really wasn’t completely sure on what kind of career I wanted to pursue. I ran track and cross country all throughout high school along with a half marathon, so I knew I loved exercise and what it did for the body, so I decided to give kinesiology a shot! I thought that physical therapy sounded interesting to me so I kind of took that and ran with it. I observed some physical and occupational therapists and continued my kinesiology studies throughout my whole freshman year, but still felt that I was unsure if this is what I really wanted to do.
After many talks and advice from my friends and family along with a lot of prayer and faith, I decided to see what other majors and careers had in store. This took me through my sophomore year of switching majors 3 times! Yes 3! Just to really realize how much I missed the content of Kinesiology and going right back to where I started. This time however, I changed my concentration to exercise and health promotion because I knew I still didn’t want to do PT or OT.
Still not sure of what path God wanted me to take, this was right around the time where talk was getting around of a brand new state-of-the-art indoor sports facility opening up in Ruston. I thought to myself that this would be a neat place to work and who knows, maybe sports management and recreation could be exciting! So I landed an interview and got hired to mainly develop both the sports complex and parks and recreation’s social media, along with helping tournaments and events run smoothly and all the planning and marketing that took place within that as well.
Outdoor and indoor photos of the 185 acre site of Ruston Sports Complex
Long story short, I have continued my job here all throughout the rest of my college years learning all of the ins and outs of the sports business and recreational industries, with my roles and responsibilities at the facility growing more and more as time went on. I have had the opportunity to do some pretty neat things throughout the years!
Started a youth running program in the summers
I have created and led in this role for the past 2 summers and have loved it! Our parks and recreation organization provides so many different sports and activities for kids and adults, so I decided to add in a new program as well, RPAR on the Run! This month-long program takes place in the summer and allows youth to learn how to run long distances. I really enjoy getting to create the workout program for the kids, plan fun games, and just see them improve all throughout the program. Running, especially long distance, is a great way for all ages to set goals and show yourself what you’re made of! The kids improve all month long and have a great time making new friends, all while learning how to run!
Started the first annual Ruston Rudolph Run 5k
My dad has always been my biggest supporter and coach throughout my whole life! I would not be where I was today without him!
I have always had a love for running (and Christmas of course) and was given the chance to combine those two while planning the Ruston Rudolph Run 5k! I had the privilege of getting to plan and execute all areas of the race. Our second annual RRR 5K is coming up on December 19th, so make sure you come take part in the fun!
Started a Senior Adult Fitness Program
This has been my most recent endeavor that has been so much fun! Starting this past summer, I noticed that there was a gap between what activities we offered for our youth and adults, and then what was available for older adults. So, the Senior Adult Fitness Program idea was born! I was able to start, plan, and lead weekly group exercise classes and other activities for those that are 60+ in the community of Ruston. It is so important for senior adults to continue to move their bodies as they grow older and face things such as sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and other areas of mental/physical decline. Our program works to improve all areas of the body through strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, balance, flexibility, coordination, and so much more. We also explore other activities such as pickleball, walks in the park, zumba, exercise bingo, and more!
I got an inside look at what it was like to work with senior adults in my practicum senior year with Mrs. Szymanksi in water aerobics! She is awesome and so are all the participants!
When I graduated college in May, I was offered a full time position as the Marketing & Health/Wellness Coordinator at the complex. Throughout the rest of my Kinesiology studies and working through college at the complex, I really fell in love with sports marketing and the business side of sports. This role has been the perfect combination of my love for exercise and recreation along with my interest in marketing and business. My job roles now consist of all the areas listed above along with working with our sponsors here at the complex. I work to get new sponsorships and our current ones to maximize their visibility and grow their commitment to the community at our facility. I also get to run all of our social media platforms along with the senior adult fitness program I started here in June! This job really is a perfect blend for my kinesiology background and what I am learning now in my MBA studies. I am able to continue learning so much while also applying my knowledge to something greater!
Everyone’s journey and story is different, but I am here to say that it is okay to not know what you want to do when you start out! I am so thankful with how Louisiana Tech poured into me for 4 years through the Kinesiology department, my professors truly enabled me with the education and foundation to go out and be great! I am also so thankful to my director and co-workers here at the complex who have given me so much freedom to really make each endeavor what I have wanted it to be, along with teaching and still continuing to teach me along the way. I can also attest to the community, opportunities, and friendships that were made possible through my sorority in my time at tech as well, Sigma Kappa, along with all of the other organizations I was involved in on campus as well. I am a strong believer in my faith and trusting that God always has a plan that is much bigger than our own. He truly loves to work in mysterious ways!
My family, friends, and boyfriend have always been my biggest support system!
My boyfriend, Aaron, and I actually met our freshman year on zoom in our FYE class! We graduated together, both in Kinesiology, and will have been dating for 4 years at the end of November.
If you’re considering Kinesiology but aren’t sure about traditional paths like PT or OT, know that this field offers so many diverse career options. Stay curious, set goals for yourself, and be open to unique opportunities—you’ll find your path.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to hear more about my journey or the latest at Ruston Sports Complex!
MichaelCatalanello Louisiana Tech Kinesiology and Health Promotion -2019
My name is Michael Catalanello, and my career journey took a few unexpected turns before I found my true calling: working with student-athletes. It has been a rewarding path, filled with lessons, growth, and moments of clarity. I want to share my story in hopes that it might inspire others who are seeking purpose in their work.
I’ve always had a passion for health, the human body, and helping others become better athletes. That’s why I pursued a degree in Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech. At the time, I wasn’t sure exactly where it would lead me, but I knew that helping others would be at the core of whatever I did.
After graduating, my first job was at Origin Bank as a Personal Banker. While the work was steady, and I gained valuable professional experience, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t fulfilling my true purpose. I wanted to make a more direct impact on people’s lives, and banking wasn’t giving me that opportunity. The desire to teach and coach had always been there, but I wasn’t sure how to make the leap.
One day, I received a call from a close friend. There was an opening for a science teaching job at Loyola College Prep (LCP), and they thought I’d be perfect for it. It felt like the universe was aligning, giving me the push I needed to make the change I had been waiting for. I jumped at the opportunity, and from that moment, I knew I was on the right path.
After I accepted the science teaching position, I quickly realized that my passion extended beyond the classroom. Teaching gave me the chance to inspire young minds, but I knew I had more to offer. With my background in Kinesiology and being an athlete all of my life, I began exploring how I could contribute in other ways.
Before long, I found my niche in sports. I became the strength and conditioning coach for all sports at LCP, which allowed me to combine my love for teaching with my knowledge of physical fitness. This role allowed me to have a direct impact not just on students’ academic growth, but on their physical well-being and athletic performance. Helping students push their limits and achieve their goals both on and off the field felt incredibly fulfilling.
Coaching has given me a sense of purpose I hadn’t experienced before. Working with young athletes to help them grow stronger, both mentally and physically, has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. I’m able to see the direct impact of my work, not only in their sports performance but also in their confidence and resilience.
Looking back, I realize how much I’ve grown, not just as a teacher and coach, but as a person. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the guidance and mentorship of the incredible teachers and professors at Louisiana Tech. They not only gave me the foundational knowledge I needed, but they also believed in my potential to make a difference. Their support inspired me to continually strive for more and pushed me to become a better educator and coach.
My time at Louisiana Tech University was more than just about earning a degree. It was where I truly began to develop the skills and experiences that would shape my career. I was fortunate to be involved in a variety of activities that expanded my knowledge and practical skills. I worked at the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center, participated in cheerleading, and even contributed to Rock Steady Boxing; a program designed to help people with Parkinson’s disease improve their quality of life through physical exercise. These experiences showed me the profound impact physical health can have on people’s lives, which only deepened my commitment to helping others. Additionally, my internship at Johnson Physical Therapy allowed me to apply what I’d learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios, helping athletes recover and improve their sports performance.
Even after leaving Louisiana Tech, I’ve remained in close contact with many of my teachers and professors. Their guidance didn’t stop at graduation, in fact, I still lean on them for advice and perspective whenever I need it. These relationships have been invaluable, providing a network of support and insight as I continue to grow in my career. It’s a reminder that mentorship doesn’t have an expiration date, and having people to turn to for advice can make all the difference.
As I look to the future, I’m excited about the continued journey of teaching and coaching. I hope to inspire more students and help them discover their own paths. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that following your passion and staying connected with those who uplift you can lead to a truly fulfilling career.
Education:BS in Kinesiology and Health Promotion from Louisiana Tech (2010)
AS of Occupational Therapy Assistant from Univ. of Louisiana-Monroe (2014)
MS of Occupational Therapy from Univ. of Louisiana- Monroe (2017)
From the beginning, it was pretty clear that I was destined to be a Louisiana Tech Bulldog. I was born and raised on the outskirts of Dallas, Texas to parents who were both Tech alumni. I also had an uncle, grandmother, and great-grandmother who were Tech alums. Bulldog red and blue was in my blood, no matter how much I tried to convince my parents that I should go to one of the Texas schools or LSU, and finally after orientation in the Summer of 2007 I began to understand why they pushed so hard for me to attend Tech as well. Prior to college, I played and watched every sport imaginable, did well academically, and was involved in my local community in many different ways, but was not really sure what the future held at that point in my life.
When I arrived on campus in the fall of 2007, I planned on being a chemical engineering major, but that lasted all of about two weeks before I switched to the College of Business. My dad was an accounting major and I enjoyed math, but I quickly realized that I absolutely despised the idea of sitting behind a computer for the next how ever many decades until I could finally retire. So I began asking around and doing my own research about other things Tech had to offer and I ended up finding the Kinesiology department at Memorial Gym. When I started classes there, I found a little slice of what I was looking for: people who liked sports, people who liked science, and the professors who were able to put it altogether into a degree that I could see my future self enjoying in a career that was not bound to a desk.
My time at Tech was great, and the kinesiology program set a foundation for me that I am greatly thankful for. The best and worst thing about getting my kinesiology degree from Louisiana Tech was the opportunities it provided me career wise, but since I still was not sure which direction to go with my career, it all seemed a little overwhelming. While finishing up my degree, I was able to become a certified personal trainer through a course at Lambright, which I used sporadically for a couple years before letting that go. I also took organic chemistry, and studied for the MCAT, but did not do well enough on that to apply for medical schools. Physical therapy interested me at the time, but I let others tell me that my 3.52 GPA wouldn’t get me into there either, so I didn’t even apply. There were a couple other options as well, but nothing really stuck so I ended up graduating and moved back to Texas.
While trying to figure out the next chapter of my life, I used my degree to work in corporate wellness, traveling the country doing healthcare screenings for health insurance purposes. While traveling, I took pre-requisites online to start nursing school in order to work in pediatrics. I returned to the University of Louisiana at Monroe to begin my nursing education, but right before starting I felt like I was not making the right career choice. From there, I went to meet with the occupational therapy department at ULM, and found an area that seemed to suit me. The field would allow me to work in pediatrics, and help children succeed, while also using my creativity more than other areas in the medical field would.
In 2014, I received my Associate’s of Occupational Therapy Assistant and began working as an occupational therapy assistant at a pediatric outpatient therapy clinic outside of Dallas. The primary focus of the clinic I worked at was sensory integration, so it was filled with swings, rock climbing walls, and obstacle courses to focus on helping children achieve sensory regulation. It was an awesome choice, but the goal was always to go back and get my Master’s in Occupational Therapy, so I met all of the prerequisites and went back to school less than a year later.
ULM has a bridge program that allows occupational therapy assistants to get their Master’s to become occupational therapists while working full-time and attending classes online plus on campus weekends for hands on material. I was able to complete my Master’s of Occupational Therapy at the end of 2017, and began working full time.
After graduation, I wanted to travel, so I put my pediatric dream on hold and began doing travel occupational therapy across the country. This included working mostly in skilled nursing facilities working with a wide variety of diagnoses including strokes, heart attacks, dementia, orthopedic injuries, and many others. I traveled for about a year and half working in Oregon, Kentucky, and a few areas of Texas, until life changed, and I got married. We decided to settle back in Texas, where I got to work part time in pediatrics, home health, and skilled nursing facilities.
Our family began to grow, and COVID made us rethink our lives, so in May of 2021 we felt God calling us to move to Louisiana. With a growing family, I took a job in Lafayette, Louisiana back working with adults, and yet again abandoning my dream of working with pediatrics, mostly because the financial compensation for working with adults is significantly better than working with children.
Since being in Louisiana, I have worked in home health, skilled nursing facilities, and currently working at an inpatient/outpatient brain injury center, where we work solely with adults with both acquired and traumatic brain injuries. After many jumps into unsatisfactory jobs and many prayers, I also have returned to pediatrics by starting my own pediatric outpatient business called 1720 Pediatric Therapy in the southern Lafayette area.
As I wrap this up, I want to look at three areas: 1) how Louisiana Tech’s kinesiology department set me up for success, 2) how awesome the field of occupational therapy can be, 3) life lessons from my journey that you can take with you.
I can not speak highly enough of the foundation that I received from Louisiana Tech. The professors that I encountered there (most of whom are still there) always had my best interests at heart. They were able to advise on all the possible career paths that we as students could take, and would often help us research those areas if we had questions. Without the education from Tech, I would most certainly not be where I am today, and probably would have had to take many more pre-requisite classes to reach my goals. I am thankful for each and every one of them for the education, and life lessons.
As I highlighted throughout my story, occupational therapy is a very diverse field and it is not always easy to describe exactly what we do. Working with adults, our goal is to either help people with injuries or diseases regain their independence with daily activities (feeding, bathing, dressing, leisure activities, etc.) or to help people with progressive diseases maintain their independence or quality of life for as long as possible. This can look like a mix between physical therapy, psychology, adaptation, and caregiver education, among other things. In pediatrics, we work with individuals with autism, Down syndrome, developmental delays, NICU babies, feeding disorders, sensory dysfunction, along with other less common diagnoses. We address these limitations through primitive reflex integration, sensory integration, fine motor coordination, activities of daily living training, and much more. In both adults and pediatrics, we work in coordination with physical therapists, speech therapists, behavioral therapists, and other medical professionals to help clients achieve their highest level of independence. The world of occupational therapy is vast, and has a little bit of something for everyone.
Now, the lessons learned throughout this process. 1) We don’t all know what we want to be when we are 21-24 years old. 2) If you want to do something or have a goal, don’t let anyone talk you out of it. There is always a way to reach your goal, even if sometimes you take the scenic route. 3) Don’t chase jobs for money. Yes, money is needed, but happiness is much more important. 4) The journey is just as important as the destination. Don’t overlook the present while reaching for the future. There are so many lessons to be learned that can save you from heartbreak in the future, plus you will meet some pretty cool people along the way! 5) Don’t give up on your dreams, even if you have to put them on hold you can always go back to them and find a way to achieve them. My pediatric therapy clinic dream started in 2014, and it took 10 years for me to return to it, but I believe those 10 years were needed to teach some very valuable lessons to help my business succeed in the future.
If you have any questions about the Louisiana Tech kinesiology program or occupational therapy, please feel free to reach out to me at seth@1720pediatrictherapy.com
Sydney Rice BS Kinesiology and Health Sciences – Louisiana Tech University 2020 3rd year Occupational Therapy Doctoral Candidate – University of Arkansas/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
My name is Sydney Rice, and I’m a third-year occupational therapy doctoral candidate at the University of Arkansas/ University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in the medical field and work closely with individuals to facilitate healing. I graduated from Louisiana Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Sciences in 2020. My years in the Kinesiology department at Louisiana Tech were some of my best memories from Tech! I felt adequately prepared to start my OT program because of the investment of time and support the Kinesiology department provided to their students. During my time at Tech, I attended Rock Steady Boxing classes through one of my courses and later became an assistant coach. This experience made me realize the importance of addressing caregiver health and well being. Until this point, I intended to pursue a career in physical therapy. However, after exploring other careers, I realized that my interests in caregiver health and holistic treatment aligned better with occupational therapy.
At this point, I connected with an occupational therapist, Dr. Danielle Acurio, and observed her occupational therapy sessions in early intervention home health. This experience stuck with me because Dr. Acurio had a naturally fun and interactive approach when working with children. I was shocked that you could use toys and music to treat individuals experiencing developmental challenges! On top of this, therapy felt like play. I admired her enthusiasm and her impact on children’s and families’ lives. Most importantly, her dedication to her patients inspired me the most. When explaining her love for the profession, she said, “I view occupational therapy as my art outlet.” This idea resonated with me as she explained the integration of art and science that is occupational therapy. She described each patient or situation as a “blank page” that permits new approaches and expressiveness and challenges you to persist until you see the desired result. Her dedication to meeting the needs of her clients and her perspective on the holistic and artistic nature of occupational therapy helped me confirm occupational therapy as a career encompassing my personality, values, and innate skills. She confidently encouraged me to pursue occupational therapy at the University of Arkansas and expressed her confidence in the staff and leadership, providing an enriching and non-traditional learning experience!
My last semester at Tech was a transformative period, particularly due to the challenges brought about by COVID-19. During this time, I discovered the therapeutic power of gardening, which helped me manage stress and maintain a sense of normalcy. The pandemic, with its shift to online learning and the need to manage personal health and social connections, further deepened my understanding of the importance of holistic care. These experiences, coupled with my previous experiences in caregiver health, complex healthcare needs, and a growing interest in nature, became the foundation of my future endeavors.
My desire to positively impact the lives of others has been constant but how I wanted to achieve my goals changed. The holistic and innovative approach occupational therapy used felt different from my earlier career pursuits. Fast forward to today; the occupational therapy program at the University of Arkansas/UAMS has prepared me to feel confident in addressing a wide variety of challenges, including how individuals’ cognition functions, how they regulate their emotions, process information through their senses, and move about in the community. Occupational therapists also know how to rehabilitate upper extremity conditions, help children with developmental delays, advocate for clients, understand health policy, conduct research, develop programs to serve specific needs, and promote health in groups and populations. Going into this program, I knew that their values of self-directed learning and non-traditional practice aligned with my interest in the intersection of nature and health and caregiver health and well being.
The faculty and leadership of my program have been instrumental in providing practical opportunities through coursework to interact with clients and engage in research with community organizations. Currently, I am completing my capstone research at the Hux Occupation Lab at the University of Arkansas under the mentorship of Dr. Glenda Hux, OTD, OTR/L, IHC. Dr. Hux’s passion for research and interprofessional collaboration in population health and the health and wellbeing of parents and caregivers of children with specialized healthcare needs is contagious. Her mentorship has further fueled my enthusiasm for this specialty and my commitment to making a meaningful impact. She developed a framework called Integrating Neural Networks (INN) which focuses on a mind, body, spirit connection to healing through occupational engagement.
Through my capstone research, I will be applying Dr. Hux’s INN framework to explore the impacts of occupational gardening interventions on the interoceptive awareness of adolescents with a history of stress or adversity. Interoception is the process of sensing internal bodily processes such as hunger, thirst, pain, and even emotions. Additionally, interoception influences how individuals interact in different contexts and daily activities. During capstone I’ve spent most of my time reviewing literature, writing, analyzing data, and attending journal clubs and presentations related to my research interests. When I’m not working on my capstone research, I assist with Dr. Hux’s research projects in the Hux Occupation Lab.
Dr. Glenda Hux and Sydney Rice at the Cardiofaciocutaneous Syndrome (CFC) Conference in Orlando, FL July, 2024.
Dr. Amy Wagenfeld, an occupational therapist, therapeutic and universal design consultant, and a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Washington is also my mentor. Dr. Wagenfeld and I share a common interest and value in the connection between nature and health. She has guided me through the processes of clinical reasoning, design, research and publishing, and networking in the nature and health sectors.
The most important advice for students considering careers in kinesiology is to keep an open mind about career options, do your research, and make sure that your choice aligns with your purpose. While OT school hasn’t been easy, having my “why” was crucial for persisting through some of the hardest days! I would be happy to connect with any students interested in pursuing a career in occupational therapy! Please reach out if I can be of assistance in any way!
Contact Information: Ricesydney5@gmail.com
CarFit training day as a part of the Occupational Adaptation and Innovation Neuro course
Orthotic fabrication during the upper extremity rehabilitation lab course
Jason Beam, Ph.D. B.S. Mathematics- Louisiana Tech University 2006 M.S. Health and Exercise Science- Louisiana Tech University 2007 Ph.D. Exercise Science- The University of New Mexico 2013
My name is Jason Beam, andI currently live in Los Alamos, NM. I have a full-time job at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) as an Occupational Safety and Health Professional. My main responsibility is to oversee the surveillance of the medical fitness programs. In other words, I am the strength and conditioning coach for the Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD), LANL Hazmat, and LANL emergency response employees. Employees in these three groups are required to complete an annual physical fitness assessment and medical physical. If an individual does not meet a standard for physical fitness, I get to create an exercise program for them to follow and/or personal train him or her to improve their fitness. One of my major responsibilities every year is to design and implement a 24-week strength and conditioning program for the LAFD training academy. In addition to this, I also open our wellness center every day, teach a group exercise class, and give regular presentations to the LANL employees. I have given many presentations, but a few of my favorites are on how to improve body composition, back health, and metabolism.
Before I started my position at LANL in 2022, I was a full-time assistant professor at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) in the School of Fitness Education. I started my position there in the spring of 2014 as an adjunct faculty member. I taught a kinesiology course. A full-time position opened in the fall of 2014, and I applied and received the position! At this time in my life, I was still single with no wife and no children. I had just finished my doctoral studies at the University of New Mexico(UNM) in the summer of 2013. I applied for many assistant professor positions across the United States. I was offered three in-person interviews at three universities, but I was not their chosen candidate. My wonderful mentor at UNM, Christine Mermier, told me about the adjunct faculty position at SFCC, and the rest is history.
Photo of my SFCC exercise physiology class in 2015 outside the hypo/hyperbaric chamber at UNM. My doctoral mentor, Christine Mermier, is the third person from the right. My colleague in the School of Fitness Education, Enita Pendleton,is the second from the left.
While I was an assistant professor at SFCC, I taught many classes such as sports nutrition, exercise physiology, anatomy & physiology, kinesiology, and a beginner’s resistance training class. I enjoyed creating and teaching these courses, and I still teach my anatomy & physiology course as an adjunct faculty member. In the spring of 2016, I bought my first house in Santa Fe, NM. In the summer of that same year, I met my wife. We were engaged in October of 2016 and married in March of 2017. We have been married seven years and have three boys, Joshua (about to turn six), Caleb (will turn three at the end of this year), and Simeon (10 weeks old). In 2018, we sold our house in Santa Fe and bought a house in Rio Rancho, NM. During the COVID pandemic, the exercise science program at SFCC was not doing well. As a result, the program was cut and so was my position. I lost my job there after the spring semester of 2021, and I was unemployed for about six months.
Photo of my wife (Tara), and me.
Photo of my wife (Tara), sons (Caleb and Joshua), and me.
Photos of my three sons (Joshua, Caleb, and Simeon).
In the spring of 2020, Dr. David Szymanski contacted me and told me about an opportunity to design and teach a graduate-level strength and conditioning course for the Tulane University Kinesiology Department. The department chair while I was a graduate student at Louisiana Tech University was Dr. Lanie Dornier. After I graduated with my Master’s degree, Dr. Dornier assumed a the position of Department Chair in the Kinesiology Department at Tulane University. Dr. Szymanski was one of my mentors and professors while I was a graduate student in Health and Exercise Science (now called Kinesiology) at LA Tech. So, there is the connection. I designed the course in the summer of 2020 and taught it for the first time in the fall semester of 2020. I am currently teaching this course.
Soon before I lost my job at SFCC, I met one of my best friends and research partner, Zachary Mang. He was finishing his doctoral studies at UNM, and he taught a class in our department at SFCC. He and I talked about an idea for a research study, and I told him that one of my strengths is statistics and that I would be happy to help you and your fellow graduate students with the statistical analyses for their research so that it can get published. I ended up helping three doctoral students publish three research studies in 2022. After Zachary graduated from UNM, he stared a post-doc position at the LANL wellness Center (where I currently work). He told me about a position that was opening, and I applied. I received and started my position as an Occupational Safety and Health Professional in January 2022.While Dr. Mang was a post-doc at the wellness center, we designed and completed five research studies. We published three research articles regarding firefighter training academy fitness programming, one article on slow and fast tempo squatting, and one article on pyramid resistance training. We also published four research review articles. The link to my Google Scholar and Research Gate accounts are below if you are interested in learning about my research.
My friend and research colleague (Dr. Zachary Mang) and I hanging out at a baseball game in Albuquerque, NM.
I moved to Albuquerque, NM in 2008 to start my doctoral studies at UNM. I grew up most of my life in Bossier City, LA. My dad was in the Air Force and stationed at Barksdale AFB. I graduated from Parkway High School in 2001 and started college in the fall of 2001 at Northwestern State University(NSU) in Natchitoches, LA. I wanted to go there so that I could be in the marching band and on their drumline. I played the snare drum at NSU for two years. My original major in college was physics, but I changed my major to mathematics in 2002.After my second year of college, I decided that I wanted to become an officer in the Air Force. I particularly wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force.
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My dad and I at Six Flags in St. Louis, MO in 2002.
I transferred to Louisiana Tech University in 2003 to join Air Force ROTC. I was also in the marching band at LA Tech and played the snare drum for three years from 2003-2005. My major was still mathematics. During the spring of 2004, I learned that I was chosen for a pilot slot in the Air Force, and I was so excited to achieve my lifetime dream. However, I still had one more year to complete in ROTC before I graduated and started pilot school. During the summer of 2004, I went to basic training for ROTC cadets. It is called field training. It was at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX. It was supposed to last two months, but I only stayed for a few weeks. I had bad anxiety from the high-pressured environment and decided to leave. As a result, I had to pay back my ROTC scholarship, and my dream of becoming a pilot in the Air Force was crushed. After I got back home during the summer of 2004, I started having very bad thoughts of hopelessness. I even had thoughts of suicide run through my head. However, I was not going to let the devil steal, kill, and destroy my life! I am so glad that I was filled with the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ when I was 12 years old. I would not be here today if it was not for the life of my precious savior, Jesus Christ, living in me.
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Photo of the LA Tech drumline in 2004. I am the fourth snare drummer from the left.
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Photo of my ROTC class in at the 2004 Dining Out Ceremony.
Photo of me and four other AFROTC cadets with our commander at the 2004 Dining Out Ceremony.
As a result of the above, I went to see a psychiatrist and he prescribed depression medication. I took this medication for about six months until I started having weird side effects. I decided to wean myself of the medicine at the end of 2004. Since I was no longer going to be in the Air Force, I needed to decide what I wanted to do with my life. My college major was still mathematics, and I was over halfway complete with my coursework. My degree plan for mathematics required me to take several technical writing courses, so I just decided to declare a minor in technical writing. During the winter quarter of 2005, I took an advanced technical writing course. One of the projects we had to complete in this course was to create a technical manual. I did not know what to create, so I sat down with my professor to discuss some options. She asked me what some of my interests were. I told her that I enjoy playing sports, percussion instruments, and flying airplanes. She told me that there was a sports department on campus that taught classes in health and exercise. She said that there may be a professor in that department that has a project you can help with. So, she made some calls to the Health and Exercise Science department to see if this was the case. Sure enough, there was a professor in the department that was working on a project, and she needed help. The professor’s name was Dr. Wendy Miletello (now Thomas). Her and I sat down to chat about the project, and we connected so well on many aspects of health and fitness. She told me that I should consider starting a dual-enrollment program where I start my Master’s degree while currently working on my Bachelor’s degree. I took her suggestion and was accepted into the Master of Science degree program in the Department of Health and Exercise Science in the Spring of 2005. I completed my degree requirements for mathematics in the winter semester of 2006 and graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics. One year later, I completed my degree requirements for the M.S. in Health and Exercise Science and graduated in the Winter semester of 2007.
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Photo at the 2007 LA Tech College of Education Banquet. I received the outstanding graduate student award for 2006-2007. From left to right are Dr. David Szymanski, Janine Dreckman (my mom), me, and Dr. Wendy Thomas (then Miletello).
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My mom and I after graduating with my M.S. in Health and Exercise Science in the winter of 2007.
Between the time I graduated in February 2007 and when I moved to New Mexico in August 2008, I was employed by Dr. Wendy Miletello to help her with two grants. One grant was to provide a summer camp for high school students that taught them kinesiology but also tutored them in subjects they needed help. I was the math tutor. I was also Dr. Miletello’s grant coordinator. At the same time, we were working on another grant for an NIH research study on obesity hosted at the Pennigton Biomedical Institute in Baton Rouge, LA. Dr. Miletello and I were responsible for teaching elementary and middle school teachers how to teach their students about nutrition and fitness.
I am blessed to be where I am in life and to have a wonderful family and career. I have learned during my life that God has a purpose for life, but that it is not always straightforward. I thought I wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force, but His thoughts were different. I probably would not have met my wife and have the three handsome boys I do if I followed through with my dream. I am so glad that I listened to God and followed his path for my life. I will end quoting a Bible verse that my friend and Christian mentor, Linda Douglas, brought to me when I was going through my difficult time in 2004. Linda Douglas (my mother’s co-worker) was also the lady who invited me to watch an evangelistic drama called “Heaven’s Gates & Hell’s Flames”at her church in Shreveport, LA in 1995. This is where and when I gave my life to Jesus Christ! “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).”
Kevin Winn, Louisiana Tech University Kinesiology and Health Promotion (2009)
In March of 2010 I was sitting on a picnic table in Arizona crying because my life changed in an instant and everything that I had been working for my entire life up to that point was taken. I had just been released from the San Diego Padres as a minor league baseball player and didn’t know what I was going to do next. If you would have asked me at this time, being a Christian, I would have told you that my identity was in Jesus Christ. However, once my career as a baseball player was taken, I realized that my “true” identity was tied to baseball.
I was fortunate enough to have a great family, a supportive family and a great network of friends that helped me through this difficult life transition. Looking back, I can also see my time as a student athlete at Louisiana Tech as one of the greatest building blocks to my current career. You see, I always thought that once I finished playing baseball, I would then transition into coaching baseball. I did this for a period of time, but eventually realized that I couldn’t be the man, husband and father I wanted to be by pursuing a career in professional sports.
Upon starting my freshman year in the fall of 2005 at Tech, I naturally majored in Kinesiology and Health Promotion because I thought it worked well with playing sports. I wanted to use the information I gained in classes to be able to apply to my athletic career in order to maximize performance. After graduating, I thought I could then use the skills I learned to one day coach other athletes once I transitioned into baseball coaching. I never in my life thought that I would one day use this information to build a corporate wellness company and lead thousands of non-athletes to become the best version of themselves.
I believe it was no coincidence that another individual stepped foot for the first time on the Tech campus that same fall as an assistant professor in the Kinesiology department. Dr. David Szymanski had just arrived on campus after finishing his Doctorate at Auburn University and spending a brief stint in Oklahoma as the director of a sports performance facility. At his previous post at Auburn, Dr. Szymanski was the assistant coach and director of sport performance for the baseball team where he helped lead the Tigers to a berth in the college world series. His passion and intensity for growth and knowledge was contagious. In addition to working in the classroom, he VOLUNTEERED his time 3-4 days per week to train our baseball team at 5:30 AM. He also applied his research to our team and I was able to participate in many studies over the years. Dr. Szymanski’s passion and enthusiasm changed my life. I began to fall in love with Kinesiology and wellness and loved his exercise physiology classes and strength and conditioning. For the first time, I began to enjoy academics and started to develop passion for something other than sports. Although it took me until 2015 to start applying this knowledge outside of the sport realm, I am grateful for the experiences I had at Tech- it was a pivotal building block for me.
Kevin and wife Amanda 2009
After being released from the Padres in 2010, I took what I THOUGHT would be a “temporary” job as a technician at a physical therapy clinic in Bowling Green, KY (my home town). My wife Amanda (Tech alumni 2009!) were married that October and she began her career as a teacher in the local school system. In addition to my job in the physical therapy clinic, I started coaching baseball at local high schools. Although my dream was to coach collegiately, I tried unsuccessfully to land a job in college coaching for 5 years. I remained a physical therapy technician during this 5 year period and was making a very limited income. I was not growing with that company because I was putting all my focus STILL into a career in baseball. In 2015, we were blessed with the birth of our first daughter, Ava (we have 4 children now!), and my wife Amanda felt called to quit her job as teacher to stay home with Ava. This more than cut our household income in half and I realized that I needed to focus less on baseball and focus more on supporting my family. It was the best thing that ever happened to me!
I decided I wanted to begin “applying” myself in something outside of baseball. I was looking for opportunities in my company outside of becoming a physical therapist. At this point in my life I didn’t feel like PT school was something that I wanted to pursue and I knew financially it would be too difficult for our family. However, I did notice that there was one area for growth: corporate wellness. My company was starting to do some work with various employers throughout Kentucky and the need for wellness services within industry was apparent. I realized that the majority of our community were performing physically demanding jobs and sustaining musculoskeletal injuries with limited to no support to help them through it. I realized that oftentimes the reason they didn’t seek the care needed was because it was too expensive. I started thinking back on my experiences as an athlete.
When I played baseball at Tech and in the minor leagues, I had an entire team of people that helped me feel and perform my best while avoiding and recovering from injuries. This included athletic trainers, physical therapists, strength and conditioning specialists and registered dietitians. I realized these individuals were essentially “industrial athletes” and that they should receive the same care as athletes on the playing field. I began working very hard to develop programs for these companies. This included ergonomics to improve work stations, job testing to ensure proper job placement, early intervention programs to catch injuries before they become worse, and pre-work stretching routines. Additionally, we developed ongoing coaching programs as well to make sure we were alongside to help people in their wellness journeys by providing training and dietetic coaching. This was a pivotal time of development for me and I began to fall in love with corporate wellness. I realized that the thing I loved the most about baseball coaching was helping people reach their goals. Corporate wellness programs allowed me to do this same thing on a much larger scale.
In addition to growth in my career, I began to focus on my faith. As my relationship with Christ grew, I began to have more clarity in all areas of my life. I started clearly seeing that I was called to business ownership and to create a product that was Christ centered and relationship driven. At the time, I didn’t know anything about business, but I set a goal in 2017 to be self-employed within the next three years. Not by chance, and through a series of events, I was connected to the right people and the right opportunities presented themselves.
In 2020, I was able to leave the physical therapy clinic that I worked for to start/own my current company, MuuvWell. Business ownership had been a long-term goal and making the leap into entrepreneurship has been scary but also rewarding. MuuvWell now employs 11 people and we are headquartered in Bowling Green, KY. We work with many different types of clients all over the southeast such as barge transportation companies, manufacturing, banking, city governments and municipalities. We have developed our own mobile app, MuuvWell, and deliver most of our services virtually through our platform. With MuuvWell, every client has access to free one-on-one coaching on an unlimited basis with physical therapists, registered dietitians and personal trainers. We also offer various on-demand programs through our app as well as quarterly challenges and onsite services.
MuuvWell HQ Ribbon Cutting 2023
The last few years, I have been able to replace my passion for baseball with a new passion, ultra running. I have competed in many ultra marathons and will be toeing the line at my second 100 mile race this November. Four years ago, I also found the “Hot Rod Ultra Marathon” in Bowling Green, KY. This is a 24-hour race that takes place in the concourse of a minor league baseball stadium around a .31 mile loop. We just had our fourth race this past weekend and had 149 runners from all of the country and the world attend! All of the money raised from this event supports a local ministry, Curbside Ministries. This year, we were able to raise close to seventy thousand dollars for this amazing non-profit! You can learn more about the race by visiting http://www.hotrodultra.com.
I feel incredibly fortunate to do what I do. I can honestly say that without my time at Tech, I would not be doing what I am doing today. Dr. David Szymanski and all of the professors I came in contact with at Tech were a HUGE inspiration in my career. They taught me love and passion for Kinesiology and also instilled a work ethic in me by leading with their example. I am so thankful for my time in Ruston and excited to see where MuuvWell continues to go.
Kevin, Amanda and their 4 children: Ava (9), Everly (4), Asher (3), and Ella (1)
The Health Coaching Undergraduate Certificate in the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech University was recently granted NBHWC Approved Training Program status in August 2024. This means that students who complete the Health Coaching Certificate at LA Tech are eligible to sit for the National Board of Health & Wellness Coaching Board Exam and earn the credential NBC-HWC (National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach). To be eligible to sit for the NBHWC Board Exam, individuals must complete an NBHWC Approved Training Program, complete 50 health and wellness coaching sessions, and have an associate degree or higher or 60 college credits.
Health coaches help support their clients to make sustainable and healthy lifestyle behavior changes. Health coaches are trained in behavior change theories, motivational concepts, health education and health promotion, as well as the link between health behaviors and health outcomes. This skillset that combines evidence-based behavior change strategies, communication tactics, motivation tools, and health knowledge puts health coaches as a prime player to help individuals live healthier lives. Health and wellness coaching is a growing field, and coaches can work in many different settings. The most popular employers for health coaches are: worksite or insurance programs, fitness settings, healthcare settings, digital health, community-based programs, or self-employed.
During the 2024 summer quarter, three undergraduate students – Connor Hill, Brandon Jackson, and Jada Turner – completed their Internship in Health Coaching and became the first students to complete the Health Coaching Certificate at Louisiana Tech University. As a part of the certificate program, within the internship, these students conducted over 50 coaching sessions and are now eligible to sit for the NBHWC board exam. The students gained a lot of real-world experience through managing their own caseload of clients through a 9 week program. Brandon Jackson’s favorite part of the internship was “observing in real time how different each client’s life is. It helped me understand that everyone has their own life going on outside of what we might only see on a surface level.”
While the Health Coaching Certificate is a new program in the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech, it has already provided new career path options for students. Jada Turner indicated that “completing the health coaching certificate has motivated me more than ever to have a set plan for when I graduate. Once I take the board exam to become an NBHWC after graduation, I plan to pursue my RN degree in hopes of working with both my health coaching and nursing degree simultaneously.” Connor Hill saw that the coursework and skills developed in the Health Coaching Certificate allowed him “to be able to assist those looking to make or improve healthy lifestyle choices. My passion is serving others, particularly in a healthcare setting, and this certificate allows me to live that out and use my knowledge to promote health and wellness for everyone.”
For more information, please contact the Director of Health Coaching Certificate, Dr. Alison Reichter, NBC-HWC at reichter@latech.edu
The Exponential Factor 