Kinesiology major – ‘When in doubt, play it out’
Student of the Week: Ashley Galloway
As a gifted athlete, Ashley Galloway says she put a lot of thought into finding a program that could give her the right tools for a career in sports.
Entering Kinesiology at South Texas College, Galloway says the program gave her the ability to utilize her talents and turn it into a meaningful experience that she will one day use in the real world.
A graduate of Nikki Rowe High School, Ashley says she began at STC in the summer of 2017, opting to attend college due to its proximity to home and its affordable education options.
“STC is close to home, and I really don't qualify for financial aid, I pay out of my pocket so I came here and my experience here has been awesome,” Galloway said. “A lot of professors have been helping me out in all my courses, all my classes. Everything here is just perfect.”
Faculty with the Kinesiology Department at South Texas College seek to prepare their majors to continue along an educational path to meet their goals as advocates for healthy lifestyles.
The department offers a variety of courses in the areas of physical education teaching, fitness, health education, and specialized certification courses. Kinesiology recently added its much anticipated personal trainer certificate for the fall.
“STC is close to home, and I really don't qualify for financial aid, I pay out of my pocket so I came here and my experience here has been awesome."
The certificate includes an introduction to personal training that enables students to explore all areas of the personal training occupation including marketing, legal aspects, and psychology while emphasizing one-on-one or group training situations.
“I do volleyball, basketball, soccer, and I have recently begun coaching,” Galloway said. “Hearing about this program here, one of the advisors in the program actually helped me out to decide on a career choice by going through this degree plan.
“I look forward to instructing younger minds, and it's really fun to see them learn and grow,” she said.
Now looking ahead to graduation this December, Galloway says she hopes to continue her education in Physical Therapy or as a personal trainer. As a message to students, she says she has always lived by a statement she offers to her athletes on the volleyball court.
“For students, I have a motto that I give my girls on the court that is ‘when in doubt, play it out’,” Galloway said. “Just because you fail one time doesn't mean that you can't get back up. You're going to take one step back, but then you have to take two steps forward. I once heard long ago ‘You might cry, but if you do, cry on your feet, but never kneel’.”