Rock Island Today

Kinesiology at Augustana: a good choice for ‘people persons’

The day before students left campus at the start of the pandemic, Augustana launched a new major: kinesiology. Today, 65 students are majoring in this field focused on human movement and physical activity. 

“I chose kinesiology because I have always loved playing sports and trying to maximize my performance by looking at the science behind sports,” said David Russ ’23, a tennis player and captain of the Ultimate Frisbee club. 

He also saw “a chance to get hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology” at Augustana.

An Augustana education is an excellent base for a kinesiology major, whether seeking a career in fitness, wellness, sports or medicine. All students are exposed to multiple fields in a liberal arts curriculum, seeing connections and learning through experience. Their education is active, interactive and interdisciplinary.

“Because kinesiology really asks people to think about the intersection of systems and disciplines, the liberal arts and kinesiology go hand in hand,” said Dr. Shaun Edmonds, assistant professor of kinesiology.

He names three routes to advanced learning in the health sciences: biology/anatomy, psychology and kinesiology. Biology/anatomy is the physical science of the body, while psychology focuses on human interaction and the mind. 

“With kinesiology you get the whole person, moving,” he said. 

Sydney Krueger ’24 is a kinesiology major and varsity volleyball standout. Her favorite class so far has been Biomechanics and Human Movement. “I loved learning about different injuries, how they happen, and how they can be better prevented,” she explained.

Dr. Edmonds calls the major a good choice for students who are “people persons,” because kinesiology takes them “from cell to society — from cellular biology all the way to the sociology of sport and physical activity.”

Original source can be found here