For any Elizabethtown College student, thinking about the future can be overwhelming. However, those who take full advantage of their education and opportunities for experience often find themselves with a solid foundation to build upon after graduation. This week, hear from one talented, hardworking student who has used her undergraduate career to build a solid foundation for the future.
Junior exercise science major and coaching minor Desiree George has taken full advantage of the opportunities presented to her at Etown. From York, Pa., George initially enrolled in a military college after spending her high school years in a JROTC program. However, she eventually decided to go down a different path and applied to other schools. Already familiar with the school through her sister, who attended the College at the time, it seemed to be a good fit. “Etown gave me the best financial aid and had just announced they had the exercise science program,” George said. With an interest in learning more about the human body from an exercise and fitness perspective, George has since become highly involved in her major in a variety of ways.
When asked about her favorite classes, George stated she enjoyed “any exercise science classes.” This semester, she is especially interested in her course called Fitness Testing and Exercise Prescription. George enjoys the class due to its hands-on nature; rather than being lecture-based, she often finds herself learning how to do different types of tests on fellow students. In addition, the course has a lab in which students are able to see and engage with more intense forms of testing relevant to the field of exercise science. Commenting on the exercise science major as a whole, George stated, “It’s been a little hectic with the program just starting….but I’ve learned so much I didn’t even think I knew and have retained so much information”
Beyond her studies at Etown, George is also looking forward to gaining further professional experience over the summer with an internship at UPMC Hanover in their medical fitness center. Encouraged by her exercise science professors to reach out to a variety of institutions, George had several options open to her as an exercise science major. “Exercise science is such a broad field it gives me a greater opportunity to expand for internships,” George said. With multiple jobs on campus relevant to her major and future career, George has already had some experience which will no doubt prepare her well for an internship.
As a Peer Tutor, Fitness Desk Attendant at the Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness and Well-being and Human Performance Lab Assistant, George has used skills from her major in a variety of ways to gain further experience. As a lab assistant in particular, George works to assess data about athlete performance, learns about new performance testing equipment and has the opportunity to work closely with staff on athlete testing. George is more interested in “being able to see the difference over time in the athletes and how their original results changed versus the new ones.” She has gained knowledge about how different athletes perform on tests based on the sports they play, as well as which athletes require which kind of tests. George gave an example: for a cross-country athlete, it would make sense to give them a test on endurance, but not one on grip strength. Pulling it all together, George finds it exciting to “[be] able to learn about these different tests and implement the data into a student athlete’s everyday workout to see how it affects their performance.”
Aside from the many jobs and classes which keep her busy, George also enjoys readings and taking time for herself. Her biggest advice to fellow students is to “always have something to do as a stress reliever, especially when taking anatomy and physiology.” Further, George advised, “Make time for yourself. I didn’t do that freshman year but I’ve since figured out how to balance school and social life.” In terms of academics, George also recommends students get in touch with and network with professors as much as possible. “Networking with professors is a big thing I did. If you don’t have that you won’t be successful in college. If you know professors one-on-one, they understand you more and can check in when you’re having a rough day,” George said.
Moving forward, George aims to continue her education with a Master’s Degree in clinical exercise physiology. In particular, she is looking at Lebanon Valley College, as it has an accelerated program which George feels would be extremely beneficial. “My biggest thing is I want to work with people,” George stressed. With such clear goals and an obvious determination to learn all she can, there is no doubt George will have much success in the future through her internship and post-graduation plans.
