Alumni Spotlight: Jaclyn Connors, '20

This spotlight features 2020 Health and Physical Education Teacher Certification graduate Jaclyn Connor. Learn how the School of Kinesiology helped her be a top recruit in her field and more below.

Where are you from and when did you graduate from LSU?
I'm from Slidell, LA and I graduated in 2020.

Please share a little bit about your career (what your role is, etc.).
I am a fitness trainer at REGYMEN Fitness and lead group HIIT workouts using heart rate monitors. I also teach K-5th grade PE at a primary school in Ascension Parish, and coach indoor and beach club volleyball.

What are some of your best memories of the School of Kinesiology?
I loved my 1800 classes and participating in professors' studies. My favorite class was exercise physiology. I also made a lot of friends within my classes who I still network with today, including my professors.

How did the School of Kinesiology prepare you for your career?
The School of Kinesiology really prepared me and taught me to be flexible, which helped tremendously as I started my teaching career during a pandemic. I also came out as one of the top recruits in my coaching hiring group due to my knowledge of fitness and science. I am able to enhance my athletes’ performance with my background knowledge in biomechanics and human kinetics.

What advice would you have for current students?
Pace yourself and make friends in your classes -- studying in groups is so much easier than by yourself. Also, make friends with your professors and show up to office hours if you have questions! They can explain the material one-on-one and it helps if they know your face! Planning out your semesters is also very important as some classes are only offered in specific semesters.

Anything else you'd like to include?
I am so grateful to LSU for all they taught me and how overly prepared I was to enter the work field. My degree was so dynamic that I have been able to find jobs in many different areas.