Jennifer Hillier: Kinesiology

Jennifer graduated on May 21, 2022, with a Bachelor of Science in Human Performance and Fitness. Jennifer will be starting our Master of Science in Exercise Physiology program this summer! She is from Lisle, Illinois.

Tell us about some of the professional opportunities that have presented themselves while you've attended SAU. How will you use those now or in the future?
During my college career at St. Ambrose, I have been surrounded by great teachers and coaches. Their leadership has taught me that helping people in life is a noble pursuit. This is why I have aspirations to help those in need. Being part of health coaching research has made me realize this is my passion. Providing a service to improve the client's physical fitness and mental health brings me a lot of joy. I have had many experiences in college that have made me well-rounded and improved my time management skills. Throughout my college career, I have been involved with the competitive dance team, health coach, STEP club, and have taken 16-18 credits for all four years of college. The health coach program has taught me to become a better listener and health care advocate. I look forward to helping people from all walks of life. My original plan for college was to become an occupational therapist. Since COVID-19 happened it has affected how many observational hours I was able to acquire. Applying to this program will help me with my future application for occupational therapy school. I am filled with confidence and passion as I pursue this course of action. One of the biggest and most valuable professional opportunities was health coaching.

What was a defining moment or very memorable experience you had as a student in the Dept of Kinesiology?
While conducting the health coach research, I have had aspirations of joining the MS in Exercise Physiology program. This helped open my eyes to more possibilities within the kinesiology field. Dr. Schwartz has been a mentor for me throughout my college career. He helped me develop my leadership abilities in and out of the classroom. 

What drew you initially to our department? Has that motivation changed over the course of the years you've been at SAU?
My original plan for college was to become an occupational therapist. Since COVID-19 happened it has affected how many observational hours I was able to acquire. My plan was to go to occupational therapy school after my undergrad. Doing the health coaching has taught me that there is a lot more to kinesiology and opened my perspective more. I decided to do the Master of Science in Exercise Physiology program.

What advice might you give to a prospective student considering the Dept. of Kinesiology at SAU?
I would definitely recommend the Kinesiology Department. All of the professors are amazing and willing to help any student in the department. I would say set up a meeting with a professor from the Kinesiology Department and they would definitely want to help any student that is interested in being a Kinesiology major. I would keep your options open. Don't be afraid to try something new and out of your comfort zone.

What advice might you give to someone just starting the bulk of their required departmental coursework?
I would definitely say there are a lot of tests and studying that are done within each Kinesiology class. Regardless of any class you are going to take, the student is going to need to study. My biggest recommendation would be to study every day for 30 minutes of each chapter. The majority of being in the Kinesiology Department is taking tests within each class. The student should not feel apprehensive about that; any professor is willing to meet with their student and help them learn the material better. Studying a little bit each day goes a long way with learning all of the content in the class.

How did your affiliation with St. Ambrose help you in your job search or graduate school search?

In the summer I will be starting my MS in Exercise Physiology program. I'm super excited to start this program. I would definitely say being a part of the health coaching program on campus expanded my options in the Kinesiology program. After my master's is done a goal of mine is still to go to occupational therapy school.