How long have you been at GCC and what do you do here?
ERIN: I have been at GCC since 2013… so 8 years! I teach in the Kinesiology division, including Intro to Health, fitness center and sometimes other PE classes like tennis. My primary focus though is teaching courses in the Fitness Specialist Certificate/AS degree, which prepares students to become personal trainers and group fitness instructors. This is my dream job – ever since I went to community college myself.
What do you wish people knew about your department or division that you think they might not totally understand?
ERIN: I would love for others to recognize the value and importance of kinesiology, health and physical education. Kinesiology is the art and science of human movement. In some of our classes we get pretty deep into biomechanics (how the body moves), bioenergetics (how we produce and use energy), and the intricacies of coaching behavioral change (how to get us moving!). Kinesiologists can have many roles: many of us have had coaches, PE teachers, physical therapists, or fitness instructors that changed our lives – inspiring us, motivating us, educating us, giving us that sense of belonging to a team that supports everyone’s success. Science and education in our field has perhaps never been more important than it is today. We are keenly aware of the deconditioned state of most of America – and it’s not just that nearly 80% of us carry extra weight – only 23.2% of adults meet the recommended amount of aerobic and strength exercise each week. On top of this, the health and wellness industries are overrun with misinformation and sciencey-sounding fads that people fall prey to, and trust in public health entities is waning as a result of political campaigns and conspiracy theories. A college health class can help lay the foundation for students to critically evaluate health information and to understand their own health behaviors and ways to change them positively. A PE class can support student success now (hello endorphins + brain-derived neurotrophic factor), and give them lifelong skills to stay active and healthy in the future. And Kinesiology prepares the next generation of health and fitness professionals to combat the origins of chronic disease and improve quality of life for all.
When you think about our movement toward a more student-centered campus, how can the rest of the campus be more supportive of your department/division?
ERIN: Helping students to recognize the value of a broad and meaningful education is super important to me. As an instructor of a career-ed program, I completely understand the need for students to focus on the specific skills for their desired job or industry, so that they can start working ASAP. I think there’s certainly more that we can do in developing stackable curriculum that can get students working in their desired field while they are still continuing their education. And, there is so much benefit that students can gain from taking a wide variety of courses – that they may not even realize. I personally spent 4 years at two different community colleges before transferring, and although I begrudgingly took a few classes I didn’t think I “needed”, every single class I took has provided some value to my professional or personal life. For example: I never thought those English classes would be that helpful after grad school was done – but then I ended up writing for a national fitness magazine. I took life drawing classes because I enjoyed them; and bringing my sketchbook to anatomy class was undoubtedly instrumental. From Spanish to math, from history to health – all of our courses can add to the success of our students and the collective wisdom of future generations. Connecting across disciplines helps our students to see that we value each other’s expertise and education as a whole, and are willing to work together to ensure their continued success. So, I invite you to take a jaunt to the south side of campus next year; admire our updated facilities, take a pickleball class, join us for a fitness center workout, cheer on our Vaqueros!
Bonus question: What is the most unexpected “aha” moment or outcome you have experienced at GCC?
ERIN: There have been many… but one of them was recognizing the diverse backgrounds our students come from and realizing just how many international students we serve at GCC. Since we transitioned to remote learning last year, I have had students take fitness specialist classes with me from across the country and the globe. But even before that – when all of us were meeting face-to-face, students from all different backgrounds, abilities and life experiences came together to learn the universal language of movement. From ages 17-65, elite athletes, desk jockeys who wanted a new career, budding entrepreneurs, and some who had completely different academic goals but wanted a side hustle, or some who wanted to just train themselves. I am proud to be a part of both the local and global community of GCC, and to watch my students go out and make an impact in theirs.
