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A Prescription for Med School

Exercise Science and Chemistry student Kaitlin Mahoney has many reasons for her fascination with nutrition and the medical field, but one hits closer to home than the rest. She has hypoglycemia, a condition resulting from low blood sugar that is essentially the opposite of diabetes, she says.

“Hormones are so complex, and a lot of it is based on what you eat,” said the athlete from Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., who must pay strict attention to her diet.

Mahoney completed a January Term internship at the University of Maryland, making the rounds between Shock Trauma and the Infusion Center, where patients receive chemotherapy and other treatments. Although she enjoyed learning about oncology, her passion lies with endocrinology, the study of hormones.

Her interest was fueled last summer when she was a counselor at a camp specifically for kids with type 1 diabetes, where she says she “learned a lot about how kids deal with this condition, how it becomes normal for them.”

Mahoney, who plays lacrosse and field hockey, says the Exercise Science program helps her apply the medical knowledge she is learning in the Chemistry department to real-world situations.

Exercise Science & Physical Education

Undergraduate | The McDaniel Plan | Departments | Exercise Science & Physical Education
Overview | Majors & Courses | Faculty | Resources
Exercise Science & Physical Education Overview picture of students exercising

Overview

McDaniel enjoys a long history of preparing students with the knowledge and skills in the fields of sport and exercise programs and the opportunity to conduct scientific research to successfully compete in selective careers, for graduate study in the exercise science and in allied health fields. Professors bring extensive experience into the classroom as educators, advisors, coaches and researchers. Students frequently serve internships, conduct independent study projects, or co-author publications resulting from research with faculty. Excellent athletic facilities including the Human Performance Lab provide students with hands-on experience testing cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and neuromuscular systems on equipment used in the health and fitness industry.


“Growing up with sports I knew I wanted to do something related to sports and fitness. You can walk into class and have an entire conversation with your professor about some aspect of the sporting contest the night before. Whether it be the sport psychology behind the game, the nutrition aspect, the biomechanics behind the skill, or just a conversation about how the team did the professors make an effort to connect with their students.”

Location
Gill Center

Contact
Dr. Steve McCole
Department Chair
410-857-2570

Exercise Science & Physical Education Online Catalog

 

 

Majors & Courses

The Exercise Science & Physical Education majors program provides numerous options for the student including a basic major, teaching certification, and preparation for graduate study in a wide variety of fields (exercise science, sports medicine, physical education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, among others).

A dual major, Exercise Chemistry, is also offered for those desiring a more extensive science background. Various minors for the Exercise Physical Education major, as well as non-majors, are also offered by the EPE department, including sports management, sports coaching, and athletic training. Minors include programs in athletic training, sports coaching, sports management, and physical education.

Faculty

Associate Professor, director of Human Performance Laboratory and department chair Steve McColeAssociate Professor, director of Human Performance Laboratory and department chair Steve McCole

(Ph.D., University of Maryland), Dr. McCole teaches exercise physiology and directs student research projects; in summer 2012, he’s focused on cardiovascular and metabolic responses to non-aerobic exercise. He also advises all students interested in allied health professions (physical therapy, physician assistant, etc.)

Professor Richard Carpenter and coordinator of the Exercise Science & Physical Education master’s degree programProfessor Richard Carpenter and coordinator of the Exercise Science & Physical Education master’s degree program

(Ed.D., West Virginia University), is an expert mentor having coached swimming for seven years, football for nine, track for 19 years and doubled as cross-country coach for six seasons. He also served as Athletic Director from 1984-1999 leading the college into membership with the Centennial Conference. Currently, he teaches such courses as “Sport in American Society” and “Psychology of Sport and Exercise.”

Assistant Professor Andi HoffmanAssistant Professor Andi Hoffman

(Ph.D., Temple University), keeps wellness as a goal for all students and helps to coordinate the Tournament of Champions, an annual event where McDaniel students volunteer to help children with special needs participate in a variety of physical education activities and contests. Dr. Hoffman’s areas of teaching focus on pedagogy and motor development. She also advises all students who elect to minor in Physical Education and graduate students in the initial teaching certification program and serves as co-sponsor of Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in Education.

Assistant Professor and co-director of Human Performance Laboratory Jennifer McKenzieAssistant Professor and co-director of Human Performance Laboratory Jennifer McKenzie

(Ph.D., University of Maryland), teaches nutrition and fitness and her research has focused on the concentrations of glucose and insulin metabolism, pre-diabetes, obesity and gene-environment interactions.
 

Senior Coach Lecturer, Assistant Director of Athletics/SWA, and Women’s Basketball Coach Becky MartinSenior Coach Lecturer, Assistant Director of Athletics/SWA, and Women’s Basketball Coach Becky Martin

(M.Ed., McDaniel College), recently named by the Middle Atlantic Conference’s inaugural Hall of Fame for her stellar record as a coach, teaching coaching, archery, and golf. An avid traveler and lifelong athlete, Coach Martin regularly organizes tours to France for the basketball team and their families that include exhibition play with sightseeing.

Senior Coach Lecturer and Baseball Coach Dave Seibert

(M.Ed., McDaniel College), who teaches a variety of courses, including fencing, weight training, tennis, and the First-Year Seminar, “America's Game: Baseball.”
The EPE Department also coordinates the general education activity program required of all students taught by coach lecturers. More than 40 sections of these courses are offered each semester.

Resources

Exercise Science & Physical Education students have recently conducted internships with professional, college, and high school sports teams, hospitals and doctor's offices, physical therapy clinics, sports camps, athletic administration, and fitness centers.

Recent EPE internships include:

Carroll Sports Rehab and Physical Therapy
Robert Moton Elementary School
Cherry Tree Rehab Center, Hanover PA
Theragro, Inc.— pediatric occupational therapy practices
Velocity Sports Performance Training, Cherry Hill, NJ
Longview Nursing Home
McDaniel College Athletic Training Room
McDaniel College Sports Coaching Management
Tournament of Champions- event planning and management for special-needs children
Carroll County Public Schools – Technology In Education
Central Maryland Rehab Services
Orthopedic and Spine Specialists
Linganore High School, Frederick MD
Westminster High School

Student –Faculty Research
 

Student Faculty Thesis
C.J. Naper Dr. Richard Carpenter Effects of Eye Color on Reaction Time
Sam Morris Dr. Andi Hoffman Assessing Student Learning: High School Weight Trainging Unit
Juris Eyler Dr. Steve McCole Comparing Resting Heart Rate to Body Fat Percentage using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis
Kylr Pruitt Dr. Steve McCole Effect of Cardiovascular Exercise on Short-term Memory
Tim Hoy Dr. Jennifer McKenzie An Analysis of CrossFit Training and Standardized Weight Lifting
Paige Stewart David Petrie Comparisons of Heart Rates Between Varsity Soccer players and Club Frisbee Players During Competition

Career options for students of the program include athletic training, outdoor education, sports journalism, sport science, sports management, and sports coaching. Recent graduates are employed as health club instructors, sports information directors, athletics administrators, teachers and community recreation leaders. Recent EPE majors have attended graduate schools at the University of Maryland, University of Pittsburgh, University of North Carolina, Indiana State University and Duke University.