Education

 During my junior year of undergrad, I started to think that physical therapy was not the route I was meant to take. It did not excite me as it had initially, and I knew it was vital that I found my passion before graduating. I’ve always known that my purpose on this earth is to encourage, support, and assist others, but how could I abundantly put this desire into action?

During my last year at my undergraduate institution, I became heavily involved in research with two Ph.D. students I now refer to as my mentors. I completed my senior internship of 220 hours in the Neuromechanics lab, where I learned what it takes to be a researcher. Conducting research gave me a sort of excitement that I never expected, and that’s when I knew I had figured it out (well, I thought). I pursued a Master of Science degree with the hopes of being a researcher. I aspired to work for a massive company like Nike or Under Armour, where I could conduct cool research on athletes. Well, along the way, my childhood dream of becoming an educator resurfaced. I can vividly remember sitting in a class where the amazing Dr. Killen explained the three elements of post-secondary education: teaching, scholarship, and service. This was the moment when I had an epiphany. “Tia, you can be a researcher and educator all in one if you choose academia! Imagine the number of people you could influence.” This was the moment that I knew I had truly established my purpose in this world.

Teaching, scholarship, and service all play into one another. When I think of this triad, I picture them being written circularly with arrows pointing to the next one. Engaging in research and service can aid in more efficient and productive teaching pedagogies. As an educator, I can use science-based research to improve my curriculum and instruction for more fruitful and beneficial student learning outcomes. On the other hand, effective teaching pedagogies can be helpful in how well an educator can run or assist a service project. Further, participating in service opportunities can give the educator a new perspective or insight into their teaching instruction or original research ideas. All in all, a healthy balance of this trio is vital for educators to be the greatest and the most valuable.