Running Club: The End of an Era

It is no secret that I have a passion (or slight obsession) with staying healthy and active. Over the last 3 years, Running Club has been a great outlet for that passion. I have experienced the community, friendship, and fun that this club has to offer, and I tear up a little bit every time I think of saying farewell to this organization.

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I think the largest thing that I have learned from this club this year is that leaving a legacy is incredibly important. Yes, this club is for fun and friendly competition, but it is also a place where legacy belongs. When I joined the club my sophomore year I heard stories of the people who started the club. Now, as a senior, I tell the underclassmen of those same stories, and of upperclassmen who had made large impacts on my life. Names and people may be forgotten, but the legacy of those who came before me lay in the traditions and opportunities that the Running Club now offers. For example, the running club only started off with a small handful of students and now has grown to a larger club that is known on campus. The club began with T-shirts and no “home” meet, now the club offers tons of different apparel, has an official logo, and hosts meets and races of their own.

Often, I find myself looking around at social events with the club and thinking to myself, “these underclassmen are so so so lucky, they have no idea how much fun is in store for them. The have absolutely no clue that when they are seniors and are about to graduate, they’ll look back on the Running Club as some of their fondest memories.” That is why this year on the Running Club I have realized the importance of legacy. Through personal actions, through kindness and inclusion, and through hard work, a true team can be built. So what? As I graduate, the running club will continue to grow, people will continue to build bonds, stay active, and make memories. As I lay my time on the Running Club to rest I can leave smiling knowing that I have made small impacts over the years to add to the legacy of Central Michigan University’s Running Club.

Related Articles:

• On the Run…Again
• Set Backs and Strides Forward

 

 

Athletic Committee

During the 2017-2018 school year I was selected to serve on the Central Michigan University Athletic Committee. This committee is comprised of our new athletic director (Michael Alford), coaches, professors, two athlete representatives, and one student representative. As the student representative I attended each meeting and was able to input ideas and thoughts from the student population of CMU’s campus. Often, I listened to the other members of the committee discuss polices and rules from the national level that I had no idea existed. I was enlightened by the strict rules that student athletes, staff, and coaches had to follow, as well as how Central meets the marks for all of these standards by our Compliance Staff.

During this year a couple more exciting things occurred that I was able to learn about and input ideas about as well. One large project that Michael Alford, our athletic director, is undertaking is the building of an Chippewas Champion Center. It is planned to be built on the northern end of the Kelly Shorts Football stadium and will be home to student, fan, and athlete events. During our meetings I found that this project will be solely funded by alumni revenue and support, and that the facility is well on its way to being fully funded!

 In addition to building a new facility there has been a lot of talking during these meetings about collaboration and resource sharing throughout campus. One of the largest connections that the Athletic Committee is trying to make is teaming up professors with sports that fall into their scope of practice. For example we have multiple exercise physiologist master students and professors that could use their skills to help athletes  become better trained. We also have psychologist and communication professors/staff that have the resources to prepare student athletes for the challenges that they face.

Overall, being involved in the committee, I have learned how integrated Central’s community is AND that there are so many untapped resources. I truly believe that if collaboration and resource utilization continues to be a priority to the athletic and academic sectors of Central, this university will be propelled in a bright  future.

Alternative Break

Bay Pines Florida VA Hospital

This year I went on my very first Alternative Break through Central. Needless to say, this trip was AMAZING. On this trip I experienced a week full friendship and growth, and I also gain more perspective of the healthcare system. During the time we served at the VA hospital we were broken into smaller groups that had separate tasks. Some of the tasks included escorting patients, organizing gifts and a Christmas dinner food drive, and helping out in the extended care facility.

Although completing the tasks we volunteered for made an impact, I felt like the largest impact came to the patients when we interacted with them.  I was able to thank many brave men and women for serving our country in one of the most sacrificial ways possible. During these interactions I heard stories of WWII and Vietnam, of love and tragedy, of injury and healing, of family and lost ones. It seemed that every time I would sit down to talk with a patient the minutes would turn into hours, and my perspective was broadened greatly.

One of the most captivating  stories came from a gentleman who was receiving physical therapy for a knee replacement. He had served in the marines during the Vietnam War. During his tours he gave up four years of his life and still suffers from PTSD from the war time brutality. As I was thanking him for his service he started tearing up and shaking his head. He shared how strange it was that I was thanking him for his service in the war, because he faced such opposition when he returned from the war initially. He shared that he and his troop all had to take off and hide their uniforms before reaching American shores because they would be mobbed by people protesting the war. He explained how he was spat on in public because protestors recognized the military hair cut and boots, even without the uniform. Personally, I was blown away at this story. I have learned in my history classes of the protests of the Vietnam war, but hearing it from a personal perspective gave my previous knowledge much more depth. This patient  taught me, unknowingly, a lesson of a life time: Although I may have knowledge, others can teach me much more than I will ever be able to learn on my own, and thus service, collaboration, and perspective gaining are the cornerstones to a successful society.

 

 

Ultimately, this trip was filled with stories that left me both laughing, and tearing up. It was filled with learning, as a group and individually. I became more familiar with a the Veteran’s Affairs Health Care System, and what it takes to be a part of this type of facility. I left this trip with more perspective on the world around me, and a refreshment of my drive to become a Physical Therapist at a veteran care facility (with high hope that the facility will be Walter Reed).

MidMichigan Health Systems Internship

This semester I have been wrapping up the odds and ends of my undergraduate degree. One of the very last things for me to experience before graduation was an internship, which I landed at a University of Michigan branch hospital called MidMichigan Health in Midland. During this internship I had the opportunity to experience rotations in Cardiac Rehab, Pulmonary Rehab, and Stress Testing. Its been a long, challenging and extremely rewarding 600 hours over 15 weeks, and I wouldn’t exchange this learning opportunity for anything.

Cardiac Rehab-              This rotation was the primary focus of my undergraduate degree and thus the most predominate part of my internship. Often, Exercise Physiologist describe Cardiac Rehab as a sort of physical therapy for a patient’s heart. When a patient undergoes an open heart procedure, heart transplant, heart attack, stent, valve replacement, or other heart related events it usually leaves the patient weak and fearful. Through Cardiac rehab we walk patients through personalized exercises and educational plans to strengthen their heart  and help them gain back their confidence to become healthy and active again.

Pulmonary Rehab-        This type of therapy treats patients with lung diseases such as lung cancer, COPD, cystic fibrosis etc. Since almost all lung related diseased are incurable, the only hope for a patient is to receive a lung transplant. To maintain quality of life for these patients while waiting for a transplant, coming to pulmonary  rehab is the best option. Patients report more energy and clearer breathing after exercise treatments and educational sessions on how to cope with their disease. For some patients, getting on the transplant list will never be  an option whether that be beacuase of age or other medical issues, but it is still important for them to come to Pulmonary Rehab to be as healthy as they can for as long as they can.

Stress Testing-                This part of my internship revolves around diagnostic testing for cardiologists. When a doctor has suspicion of a heart issue/condition in their patient, they refer them to get a stress test. There are a couple different types of stress test that the cardiovascular department runs, and that I have learned to administer. Whether the test involves running on the treadmill, an echocardiogram, or injecting the patient with a nuclear isotope, many things can be learned from these tests. With the testing information doctors decide what medications to administer, what surgeries to preform, or further tests that need to be run.

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My Experience

Each of my three rotations at MidMichigan Health have taught me so much. I feel well versed in cardiovascular/ pulmonary health, as well as patient care. Although I could write pages upon pages of stories, memories, and lessons learned, I will share my largest take aways from this internship:

1. Confidence and ability are directly related– When patients come to cardiac rehab they are typically scared and weary to do any sort of physical activity post traumatic heart issue/surgery. With encouragement and care I have seen patients excel and do things more strenuous and physically challenging activities than what they were doing BEFORE the heart issue. This is because the program slowly build patients up, step by step, to a much larger task so that patients gain strength and confidence along the way.  Often I hear things like “I haven’t done that in 15+ years and now I can do it again!” or “I’ve always wanted to be able to do that, and now I actually can at 80 year old”
2. Community. Community. COMMUNITY!!!-   Something I certainly forget is that as we age (especially into 70yrs or older) friends become more and more scarce. The elderly loose friendship because their lack of transportation, physical inability to get out of the house, or even death. Therefore, when patients come to cardiac/pulmonary rehab they find new friends and a support group because they all share a common purpose: getting better after a serious health issue. Patients are usually in the program 3 times a week for about 12 weeks with the same people, so they end up all getting close and having a blast together. The community built inside of the facility stretches far outside its walls.
3. YOU are the professional– On this internship I have learned 3 distinct roles in my rotations, but I have also learned to fill hundreds of other roles (that are not defined in my internship contract). To my patients I went from the professional who knew about cardiopulmonary health to the professional who traded recipes, the professional that talked about fishing and boating, the professional that changed hearing aid batteries, the professional who gives hugs etc. I’ve certainly learned that being a medical professional is far more than what we learn in the classroom and THAT is actually what makes the job work every minute.

Setbacks and Strides Forward

Last year around this time I reflected on my journey of joining the CMU Running Club. I was nervous, and quite reluctant at first, but I ended falling in love with the sport all over again. Coming into the fall 2016 cross country season I was ready to meet up with my team and take on the sport in stride….but that did not go as intended. Last year training for the half marathon I became injured and didn’t stop to give my body a rest. Determined to finish the half marathon I kept running, pushing myself, and ultimately making my injury worse (typical of any strong willed runner). Starting off this season I had to go through a knee surgery that end with adverse complications. In total, I was readmitted to the hospital, developed blood clots in my leg and both lungs, underwent another surgery, had a device implanted by my heart, and racked up many hours of physical therapy. So what was a girl supposed to do? Keep going.

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Following all of the unforeseen events I was left exhausted, upset, and with broken spirits. Returning for the fall season was out of the question with fresh stitches and soon to be scars. Yet, that didn’t stop my teammates from being my team of supporters. I still went to social events, attended elections, and ultimately became the team’s #1 fan (as did they for me). Once I got clearance from the surgeons and physical therapists to lace up my running shoes I was determined to get back to practice…. yet fear kept me away from something I loved so much. Fear of re-injury, fear of lost progress, fear of disappointing myself. So I began secretly training on my own in attempt to hide my recovery process from my team, yet once a team ALWAYS a team. Before I knew it I was convinced to come back to the track. With a lot of vulnerability at practice I was back running painfully slow times… yet having a blast. My team supported me, encouraged me, and pushed me to get back in the groove. Who knew that a Register Student Organization (RSO) could mean so much to me? Moral of the story: You can’t do everything on you own, no matter how headstrong you are. Sometimes you’ll need someone to help you along the way, maybe even a small army at times, but there is no shame in leaning onto another to accomplish something so much greater than yourself.

So where am I now? After a lot of laughs, sweat, ice packs, and memories I was pushed by my teammates to sign up for the NIRCA National meet. I once again slipped into the maroon jersey with apprehension. I proudly wore Central Michigan University’s flying “C” across my chest. I laced up my spikes with reoccurring fear from the beginning of the season and competed like I ever thought I would again. I ended the meet by running a semi-decent time in the 1500m and earned an All-American title in the high jump. My team couldn’t be more proud to bring a few All-American titles home and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the abundance of  joy this team has brought into my life. FIRE UP CHIPS!

Humane Animal Treatment Society

At the Humane Animal Treatment Society in Mount Pleasant they started a new program called “Running Buddies.” Essentially, you sign up to take a dog for a day and you get to walk/run with them outside of the Humane Society.  The program acts as a bridge program between the Humane Society and the surrounding community.  Not only does this program help train the dogs to interact with surrounding environmental factors, it also advocates for the dog’s adoption by advertising their availability. For me this program not only acted as a way to serve the community, but also a stress relief.

I personally bonded with one dog, named Hutch, this spring semester. He was a pit bull and boxer mix and was dropped off at the Humane Society randomly one night. When I encountered him he had been in the care of the Society for four months without leaving the facility. When the care taker brought him out to me I was terrified because Hutch had such a bad reputation. He supposedly had other-dog aggression and was vicious toward male authority figures. He was presented to me with a body harness because he was apparently very difficult to control while walking and disobedient to commands. YET I found all of these things to be false. He ended up being the sweetest dog I have ever entered. He was well trained, walked next to me nicely, played with males and other dogs just fine. We ended up becoming the dynamic duo since I took him from the Humane Society  2-3 times a week. Eventually I had a couple of people showing interest in adopting him. After some more visits and paperwork Hutch was happy adopted by my friend Landy and her fiancé, Devon.  Now Hutch is as happy as a clam with a great program to support him.

Since Hutch has been adopted I’ve been back at the Humane Society walking with different dogs. Its been hard to build the same type of relationship with the other dogs that I had with Hutch, yet I have been still having a blast. The Humane Animal Treatment Society will always hold a special place in my heart, as will Hutch.

{Click here to read about my other experiences with the Humane Society}

Leader Advancement Scholars in Detroit

LEAD Team:

At the beginning of this year I decided that I wanted to bond with the underclass men of the Leadership Advancement Scholarship program because I understand the importance of mentorship. I was fortunate enough to have people and opportunities to shape and mentor me during my first year of college, and I thought serving on the trip that jumpstarted it all would be a great place to start! {Click here to read about my experience on this trip in 2015}

First things first: FACILITATION

This trip was mainly focused around the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy(JRLA). We met with students enrolled in their leadership courses of their high school and taught them how to facilitate different leadership activities. We discussed community standards, what it takes to be a leader, and the different types of leadership styles that were used. Through this my role was to use the facilitation skills I’ve learned over my college years to teach the LAS freshman how to facilitate. The LASers then took their new skills to the JRLA high schoolers and taught them. Our goal was to create a living and learning community, which was exactly what happened.

Second step: ServiceThe next day the 45+ LAS students the LEAD team and I were in charge of woke up ready
to serve! We worked with CASS community in different facets of service. Some people worked on recycling, some worked with the soup kitchen, and some worked on making products out of recycled material to sell to the community. We spent a couple of long and laborious hours with this organization and really got to know the community members. We learned that each of the employees were once part of the homeless population of Detroit and all of their stories merged together when they joined CASS community. This organization gave them job, education, and opportunities to give back to the community they came from. Overall, the students in my facilitation group fell in love with the service, mission, and people of CASS.

Third…. was a little bit of fun!

As the LEAD team coordinators we made sure the LAS students had a little fun along with their hard work. We planned a trip to Quicken Loans, where we toured around the facility and were informed of their forward thinking business outlooks. Whether those outlooks included dog-friendly workplaces, basketball hoops, slushy machines, or even colorful paint we learned that the workplace can be a place of fun that cultivates creativity. By the end of the visit we had multiple people scheduling interviews for summer internships with the company. Lastly we were off to the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA). This trip was purely for fun and the LAS students loved spending time with their cohort learning about the importance of art and the culture that surrounds it.

So what?

During this trip all I wanted to do was to be a mentor to the underclassman LASers. Did I accomplish this goal? YES, and so much more. I connected with the students in ways that I could have never imagined, but I also learned so much from them. Their different passions showed through as we served along side of each other and I truly felt like these people were the leaders of today, the ones who were going to change the world in ways no one could have ever imagined. So, yes I was a mentor, a leader, a member of the LEAD team…. but ultimately I was a friend, fellow server, and a step toward a brighter future for Detroit.

On the Run…again

CMU’s Running Club

Seven years is a long time…. a little over 1/3rd of my life to be more precise. Considering 1/3rd consisted of me learning the basic functions of being a human{eating, speaking, walking etc.} and  another 1/3rd learning how this thing called life worked {red means stop, an hour is 60 minutes, poison ivy makes you itchy etc.}, I’d say the last 1/3rd has been extremely significant. If you know anything about me, its that I spent those 7 years running competitively and I couldn’t be imagine my life any other way. When I came to college I hung up my running shoes, determined to close that chapter and find a new passion that could impact the world. Yet, I’ve found out that, ‘once a runner, always a runner.’ Although I stayed away from the sport for almost two years I found my old running shoes and I’m back at it…again.

Running: The Sequel… After I graduated high school I never seriously considered returning to the sport where my passion laid. I used the excuses that I was “too old” or “too busy” or “exploring other passions” in order to avoid running competitively again. To be honest, I was antsy and ready to run something everyday since my last race, but I suppressed it because I wanted a brand new beginning when I came to college. BUT, here I am as a second semester sophomore with a maroon and gold jersey, new running shoes, and a team that has my back.

How in the world did I end up here???After some coercion for the last three semesters from friends on the running club, I decided to join. I was just going to test the waters to see if it was something that I might possibly be interested in and from the first practice I was hooked. Before I knew it I was signing up to run a half marathon at the NIRCA Nationals in Indiana. So much for finding a new passion!

Old passions die hard for a reason… That reason is simple, my passion for running is true and I’m not done with it yet. Although it seemed as if joining this Registered Student Organization (RSO) was a step backwards in my new journey though college, it was quite the opposite. Joining this team has amplified and added value to my nights at CMU. I get to spend  2 hours with some of my closest friends, stay physically active AND do something I love! All of these are wins to me and I can’t believe that it took me this long to figure it out. Through running I’ve had the opportunity to touch many people’s lives by building meaningful relationships and establishing a strong work ethic. I honestly believe that I’ve grown just as much as a person in a pair of running shoes as I have in the classroom, and that for me reveals the meaning of my passion.

The Tides have Turned….

Me? A Mentor?

As a Leader Advancement Scholar at Central Michigan University, I’ve had the opportunity to be accepted into a unique and complex group of individuals that soon became my family. I was welcomed by my very own mentor, Becky DalSanto, and she was welcomed by her’s, Dakota Hard…. and so on and  so forth. This year, as a sophomore, it was finally time for me to accept someone new into the family. This someone new just so happened to be my bundle of joy, Kylie Zellner.

Eagle Village: Round Two!

As an incoming freshman  I spent the weekend at Eagle Village with my Mentor and now I had the chance to go again with Kylie! {Click here to see her take of the experience} I’d have to say, the trip was a giant event foreshadowing the rest of the year. We experienced a lot of laughs, challenges and overall bonding. We entered the camp as complete strangers and left as family, and as the year progresses I couldn’t have asked for a better mentee.

Thats just how we role…

Going into this experience I hoped to have a relationship with Kylie that I’ve seen past mentor/mentee pairs have. That is, best friends that do everything together and seem to be a match meant to be by the universe. However, Kylie and I don’t quite have that type of relationship, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Instead, I’d describe our bond as unfaltering and independent, which matches both of our personalities. Kylie and I are able to go extended periods of time apart from each other, yet we know that we have each other’s backs. If she where to ever have a problem or a question, I’d be the first one to through myself in the way to help her sort it out. Through the tough and scary things, the happy and exciting moments, and the everyday ups and downs our relationship will be firm, enduring and unfaltering without having to spend every waking moment together. Thats just how we role…

So what…

Throughout this experience I’ve loved my role as a mentor and each time that I see Kylie the excitement is still boundless. Whether she realizes it or not, I feel extremely proud to not only have I gained an amazing friend , but also a sister that I get the privilege of watching grow into who she really is meant to be. Each time I hear from her and see her around I have this unending joy as I see her personality and confidence evolve. As she continues to push herself academically, try new things, and take on more predominant leadership roles around campus and beyond I will never stop being a proud mentor.

-McKenna Mathis…finally a sister

 

YoungLives

Young Life meets Teen Moms: YoungLives Addition

The first three weeks I served at Timber Wolf Lake approximately 1,500 high school students came to camp to have the best week of their lives and to hear about Jesus. The third week our Young Life camp was shaken up to serve some babies in addition to the teens, in a program called YoungLives. YoungLives gives teen moms ages 12-20 yrs. the opportunity to come to camp and experience the fun, messages, and growth that other teenagers have while giving them a break from parenthood. In essence, the teens get to become teens again while daycare providers come in to take care of their children for them

Just like any other week at Timber Wolf, the campers had the best week of their life, I did my part, and bonded with the campers. Yet this week was by far my favorite one because I had the opportunity to experience something completely new AND adorable babies were everywhere I turned! Although this week had many of its own challenges and adjustments, it turned out to be even more impactful than I ever thought.

As soon as the mothers arrived, it was time to remind them they were teenagers, just like us. They had the chance to experience the fun and excitement that YoungLife camps provide even if they were mothers.  They did all the daily activities that campers in the prior weeks did, and I was surprised at the result. I saw teen mothers sink back into their roles of just teens. It was strange, but the realization hit me that most of these mothers were younger than me. I had been subconsciously holding them to a higher standard than normal campers because they had one or more children of their own. Once that barrier broke from my mind my eyes and heart were open to treat them as such, my peers.

We could talk about the latest music, our celebrity crushes, make-up tricks, and even our favorite memories of high school. It was as simple as that: teens moms are still, at the root, teens and would love to be treated as such. This moment was defining and it taught me how to interact in challenging situations where I felt uncomfortable at first.

The moms themselves bonded and grew together by listening to each other’s stories and sharing some of the most difficult times they’ve every experienced. I was luck enough to be a part of that. I was honored to show them that their lives mattered despite the shame they received from the outside world. I was happy serve them for a week and see the both sides of motherhood and teen-hood converge, and respect them more than words could ever describe.