What are your future career plans?
After graduating I plan on attending graduate school for physical therapy. Being involved in sports my entire life, I have always thought I would go on to work with athletes doing rehab and injury prevention. Volunteering at the children's hospital the past few years, however, has opened my eyes to a whole new world of options for a physical therapist. I would love to work with kids who have long-term hospital stays due to illness or injuries.

How has Kinesiology prepared you for Physical Therapy School?
I am now getting into the upper-level classes in Kinesiology and am so excited about everything they have to offer. I am currently taking Motor Control and all the information we have learned, even in the first few weeks of class, directly relates to rehabilitation.

Beyond the basic knowledge necessary for Physical Therapy school, the classes and professors at Michigan, specifically in Kinesiology, have challenged me to think beyond the textbook answer, absorb the information and apply it to my everyday life, and really internalize everything that I learn. I believe this deeper understanding of concepts will prove invaluable during my future education and career pursuits.

How do you manage time for studying while playing a varsity sport?
I have learned to take advantage of every half hour break I get during the day. Whether I use it to catch up on reading, review notes, study for a test, or check e-mail, those little chunks of time can add up and be very beneficial. I have also found that getting in a routine is very important. If I set aside a chunk of time for studying, I am much less likely to waste that time doing something that is unproductive. The past few years I have been busier than I ever thought possible but I have loved every minute of it. I really believe that if you find something you are passionate about, there is always a way to fit it into your schedule!

What Movement Science course have you enjoyed most?
The hands-on experience I have gotten from being in a research lab has been amazing. Even though this is not a specific course, I would highly recommend getting involved in some sort of research. No matter what you are interested in, there is a professor on campus who is researching it. I was never exposed to research in high school so I didn't even consider it until I got to U of M. Now I have been doing it for over a year and can't get enough. The critical thinking, yet systematic problem-solving required is both challenging and fascinating.