350-500 words
How has/will my college contribute to my career path?
My name is Maggie Meacham and I will be finishing my freshman year of college in just a few weeks. I am currently a student at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Shelton State has been a great experience for me this year, especially in preparing me for my chosen career path of Athletic Training and Exercise Science. At SSCC I have participated in a very successful softball program, in addition to being exposed to men’s and women’s basketball programs that have competed deep into the ACCC Tournaments. Our great cheerleading squad has competed for national championships several years in a row. Being exposed to such quality athletic programs with athletes who are driven to succeed has been a great experience for me. Athletes who are serious about competition sometimes find themselves with athletic injuries; and I have seen my share of injuries and sports rehabilitation this year. I took my first Athletic Training class during the fall semester, and it was a great to have that background as I dealt with my shoulder pain and rehab exercises as well as the injuries and treatments of some of my teammates. I love the study of Athletic Training and Exercise Science and Shelton State has been a great place for me to start my college career.
Shelton State is a two-year college, so I plan to earn my Associates Degree and then transfer to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and continue my education. The University of Alabama has a rich history of athletic achievement. I feel fortunate to be attending college in the city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where I am so close to all of the athletic events that take place here. The University of Alabama has recently won two national championships in football; its softball program has been strong for the last several years; the U of A gymnastics program has won many national championships and is a force to contend with every year; the basketball and baseball programs are well respected among their competitors throughout the country. In addition to the great athletic programs you will find at the University of Alabama, they also have one of the few Athletic Training schools in the state. As part of the Athletic Training degree I will be required to do rotations with several of the sports at U of A. This exposure to such highly competitive athletic programs will be a significant benefit to me in my quest to become an athletic trainer.
My every day involvement with athletics at Shelton State Community College has been a great asset to my plans to become an athletic trainer. The constant exposure to athletes and their injuries have helped me know what will be required of me in my chosen career path. Transferring to the University of Alabama will more than prepare me for becoming an athletic trainer because of the strength of that study program and the strength of their athletic programs.
