“This program is top notch. A+. I can honestly say that because I have completed a number of degree programs from a variety of colleges all around the country, a lot of them online. They’ve all been great experiences, but there are some programs that are not as rigorous as others… In some of the programs I’ve been in, the feedback is very minor. In this program, feedback was very detailed: It had a lot of meat on the bones. You understood why you got things wrong, and you can apply that learning the next time. You keep getting better and better at what you do. It was an excellent program.” – Jerrod Brown, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Spring 2024

Lifelong Learning: The Only Way to Go

For Dr. Jerrod Brown, learning is a lifelong journey. As a professor, trainer, researcher, and consultant, specializing in forensic psychology, neurocriminology, functional nutrition, and behavioral health, he is continuously seeking out ways to expand and enhance his knowledge to better serve his clients and the field. While simultaneously pursuing a 5^th Master’s degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition, Jerrod recently graduated from the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program at the University of Connecticut (UConn). Jerrod is already infusing his new skills and knowledge into his work with clients, as well as sharing his knowledge and insights to educate others.

Holistically bridging many fields

Professionally, Jerrod is actively engaged in many different roles: He has been the Treatment Director at Pathways Counseling Center for the past 21 years. He is a college professor, teaching courses in psychology, forensic behavioral health, and trauma; and he is Founder and CEO of The American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS), a forensic training company he started in 2011. A prolific writer and accomplished speaker, Jerrod has published numerous articles and book chapters, conducted over 200 workshops, and is regularly featured on several national and international podcast programs.

Jerrod Brown is also the epitome of the lifelong learner. He has a PhD in Psychology, four Master’s degrees (Criminal Justice, Forensic Studies, Clinical Counseling & Psychotherapy, and Cognitive Disorders), and is currently working on a fifth Master’s in Applied Clinical Nutrition. He also has multiple graduate certificates, most recently graduating from UConn’s Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program in spring 2024. As Jerrod explains, “My other graduate certificates are in traumatic brain injury, autism, other health disabilities, neuroscience and the law, neuropsychology, and medical biochemistry. So, lots of degrees and backgrounds that really all come around the area of psychology, neuroscience, and medicine-related topics. I’m trying to bridge all of them together, because so many of our clients are dealing with so many medical health issues, behavioral health problems, and brain-based problems. So, without infusing all this together, we’re missing some key elements that can truly help the client improve overall functioning and health and wellness.” Jerrod adds, “I love learning. There’s so much to know, and I’m just scratching the surface.”

Deepening understanding

So, how does a certificate in Exercise Prescription factor into his holistic approach? Jerrod explains, “One of the reasons why I took the program is because so many of our clients at Pathways live sedentary lifestyles. They are dealing with pain disorders, depression, and sleep problems. A lot of the topics that were covered in the program, I’ve worked with from a behavioral health lens, but learning what I did in this program really brought it to a much deeper level, because most of my background is forensics and behavioral health. So, the program was fantastic, and it helped me have a better understanding of why clients are dealing with chronic conditions such as obesity and how exercise can play a role in their treatment. I know they talked a little bit about nutrition here and there, and I’m doing that simultaneously right now, because I think exercise and nutrition go hand-in-hand – and getting a good night sleep. Those are the big three in my opinion.”

Program is unique

Searching the internet for programs to further expand and deepen his knowledge base, Jerrod says UConn’s Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program was a unique find. “I’m always investigating other programs that are out there to see what I can do to continue to enhance my knowledge in all these interrelated topics. UConn was one of the only programs I could find out there, if not THE only program, that was online and offered a graduate certificate in exercise prescription. I’ve always been interested in exercise; I love it. But I wanted to start getting actual coursework under my belt, and this program has piqued my interest so much that hopefully at some point, if I can get funding from my employer, I’ll be going back to take the full Exercise Prescription MS degree program. We’ll see. Fingers crossed.”

Convenience of online

With so many professional responsibilities, the convenience of online learning was an imperative for Jerrod. “I probably would never go to a program again face-to-face. All the degrees I take now are online. There’s a lot of reasons for that. Part of it is convenience, obviously travel. With my busy schedule, if I need to get my homework done late at night or early in the morning, obviously there’s convenience there rather than if you’re in a face-to-face class. Attending in person would be tricky when you have a family, full-time work, things like that.”

While the program is completely online, Jerrod says the feel was different than other online programs he’s experienced, including those he himself teaches. “It was the best program for an online environment: It could almost feel like you were there face-to-face. Just to throw myself under the bus, even with the classes I teach online, there’s a lot I could enhance by far.”

“Now my mindset has completely changed to the precision type of planning for my clients and for my athletes. The way that I look at designing exercise is completely different. Every single person has their own background and needs… Precision exercise and personalized planning for every single person can change the outcomes for the athletes and for the coach entirely. I gained that mindset during this program, which is, I think, one of the greatest lessons that I learned.” – Ashkan Novin, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Graduate Summer 2023

Empowering Resilience with Scientific Tools of Precision

Ashkan Novin is a world-class star athlete in martial arts. With a blackbelt in karate and 22 years of experience, he has recently started transitioning from competing to coaching. After discovering the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate Program at the University of Connecticut (UConn), he was inspired to learn how to implement scientific knowledge and evidence to improve his coaching practices. Ashkan is also a brilliant scientist on a mission to stop cancer in its tracks. He is already discovering ways to weave together these dual passions of empowering resilience from within.

Ashkan has a long history of training and competing in karate. In 2005, while still a young boy in Iran, he won the Karate World Championship in South Africa. After moving to the U.S. in 2018, he continued to compete, winning the U.S. National Silver Medal in Karate in 2019 and again in 2021. He also won the Gold Medal in the Texas Open 2019, and Boston Open in 2019 and 2021. It was in 2019 when he also began shifting into his new roles as a karate coach and an official referee for the U.S. Karate Federation. As Ashkan explains, “I want to still participate in competitions, but we all know that there is an end at some point for the athletic aspect of sport. I realized I want to step into the role of a coach; coaching in martial arts includes a wide range of considerations but I want to share in their journey and look at the tatami (karate ring) from a different angle.”

Accidental discovery

It was Askhan’s interest in martial arts and studying unmet clinical needs that led him to discover the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program. “I knew that UConn has a set of multidisciplinary courses and certificates related to sports and my work, so I was trying to do some research on UConn’s website to find out if those courses were available. At the same time, I was trying to find some support to see if there was an opportunity to start a new martial arts team at UConn to participate in competitions. I found this great opportunity and realized that along with my PhD and my research, I could take those courses and empower and update the scientific aspect of my sport. Fortunately, I had a chance to meet Dr. Linda Pescatello (“Dr. P.”), and she gave me comprehensive details about the program, courses, and timeline and shared her perspective. I found it’s so compatible with my sport and academic background. So, we started working together, and it’s been an enjoyable experience and fascinating journey for me. It was exactly what I wanted in a really supportive environment.”

Brilliant scientist on a mission

Ashkan is not only passionately engaged in karate. He has another mission, even more pressing than the first: Ashkan is a brilliant scientist engaged in groundbreaking cancer research. He is a PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering at UConn, a Graduate Research Assistant for UConn Health – and he is Cofounder and CEO of a biotech startup, Genesist. His cancer research is fascinating: “The way that we look at cancer is quite different. Instead of targeting the tumor itself, we are trying to make the normal cells around the tumor more resistant to cancer. So in that way, we can prevent cancer metastasis. More than 90% of cancer deaths are because of cancer metastasis. If we can trap and contain cancer’s tumor within its primary location, then along with other treatments aimed at the tumor itself, those patients will survive.”

Ashkan continues, “More than 39% of people around the world will be diagnosed with cancer at some time during their life. The stats are scary. In the UConn research lab, we work with real patient samples and biopsies. Every time we receive a new sample, we know that there’s a story, there’s a person, a family, and a lot of emotions, sadness and hopes behind this biopsy. And it’s cancer and it hasn’t been solved yet. But if we can have a tiny effect on the quality of their lives, we have done our job. It has been a rewarding journey for me.”

Sharing a summary of his research, Ashkan adds, “There is an evolutionary story behind cancer metastasis. It was found that some mammals, like cows and horses, get cancer but cancer cells cannot metastasize in their body. And on the other side, we have humans, where basically, cancer cells can spread in the patient’s body very quickly, even before detection. In other words, the surrounding tissue can be resistive enough to prevent cancer invasion. So, we examined the genetic information from the tissue from all of these different mammals – dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, horse, cows. And based on the results, we found which genes might be responsible for resisting cancer metastasis and preventing invasion. This idea has been led by my PhD advisor, Dr. Kshitiz, and in the lab, we’re targeting those genes in the cells around the cancer tumor to contain the cancer and prevent metastasis. Our first round of animal studies showed promising results. So, I co-founded this biotech startup to take this technology to the next level and apply it in clinical needs.” In addition to this monumental commitment, Ashkan continues to invest time and energy in his passion for karate and striving to be a first-class coach.

Inspired to bring scientific knowledge to his coaching practices

As a scientist, Ashkan recognized he could improve his coaching expertise by bringing in more scientific knowledge to support his practices. “The reason that I chose the Exercise Prescription program was that I’ve been training in martial arts and karate for about 22 years. And I want to bring in scientific knowledge and evidence to empower the teaching process for my coaching in an updated and standardized way. I need to know how to encounter different challenges in order to prescribe an exercise program for my students, for my athletes. It was also very helpful in terms of giving proper analysis tools for athletes’ performance. This is what inspired me to take this program.”

Diversity of perspective and expertise 

For Ashkan, one of the highlights of the program was the opportunity to learn not only from the renowned faculty, Dr. Linda Pescatello and Dr. Yin Wu, but also from a diverse array of expert guest speakers. “That diversity was really helpful. Not only in presentations, discussions, and networking, but also different perspectives that people were bringing into the courses because of their background and expertise. The program sheds lights from different angles, which is super helpful to have a more comprehensive perspective and better understanding of athletes’ needs and progress. Alongside that, having a variety of guest speakers to talk about different topics was really engaging. It highlighted a wide range of issues and situations that we might encounter in the future with our clients.”

Surprisingly interactive and engaging

Despite a strong preference for in-person learning environments, Ashkan was very impressed by the level of interaction and engagement he experienced via UConn’s HuskyCT/Blackboard online platform. “For me, who prefers to have in-person interaction with people, I think this virtual learning process worked. Although it might be challenging, I saw that the interactions were happening among students and instructors. It was definitely one of the most effective virtual programs that I have ever experienced. Again, the engagement was there. The materials and media content themselves were engaging enough to provide us a professional environment to learn and enjoy in.”

Expanding on the quality of interaction with his peers, Ashkan adds, “I felt like most of the people were so responsive. Not only do you never feel like you’re left behind, but you get a variety of feedback about your work. We had some group projects, so we were checking in on each other and we were working together on a small project. At the same time, we also gave comments on our perspectives about different case studies. We asked a lot of questions of each other. That level of interaction is really hard for virtual platforms. I’m still in touch with some of my classmates, which means, at the end of the day, the interaction worked and it was sustainable.”

Ashkan goes on to explain that the flexible, asynchronous nature of this online program offers one huge advantage over in-person classes: “You don’t have to spend a lot of time to go somewhere else. You can do it wherever you want, whenever you want. You find available time and compatible space for yourself, and you try to just learn in the way that you like the most. It’s one of the important things I can mention about this virtual platform.”

Mindset shift to precision and personalized

The opportunity to examine case studies of real people, using tools to guide the process, has had a lasting impact on Ashkan’s coaching practices. “Every week, we worked on a case study with a name, age, background, and need, including what they want as exercise for themselves. We learned the variety of things we need to consider to get to the full picture. We used different approaches that are the most updated methods to be used in real world situations. This includes all the data sheets, medical tests, considerations, strategies, and so on in order to make sure that we are designing the best personalized exercise program for our clients.”

For Ashkan, one of his most significant learnings was a shift in mindset. “I was in karate for 22 years. I have a black belt, and I have my own students. We used to have one single plan and strategy for everyone, and this is not how it works nowadays. This program taught me how to consider and address my athletes’ needs in a way that they can make progress efficiently. Through all the case studies, I realized, that there are different concerns and angles that I need to bring to the exercise. Now my mindset has completely changed to the precision type of planning for my clients and for my athletes. The way that I look to design exercise is completely different. Every single person has their own background and needs. Now I can see the progress that people are making, so the learning curve and nature of our interactions are quite different. They own their story; at the same time, they’ll feel they are valuable. Precision exercise and personalized planning for every single person can change the outcomes for the athletes and for the coach entirely. I got that mindset during this program, which is, I think, one of the greatest lessons that I learned.”

Weaving together pathways of expertise

Especially appealing to Ashkan is the ways he perceives this certificate program will help him weave together both pathways of his expertise. “Honestly, I found this program, and it’s somewhere between my research and my sports background. I can use the knowledge for the sports and the need that people have, and at the same time, we might have some cancer survivors or patients who wants to engage with different sports during the treatment and recovery. So, I found it’s very compatible with what I have in my life right now. I think it was the right choice.” 

In fact, while reading an article for one of his assignments, Ashkan made a serendipitous discovery. “As I was reading an article that Dr. P. had sent to us, I found an organization that is working with kids who are diagnosed with cancer and undergoing treatments. They’re in touch with different hospitals or cancer centers including Boston and New York City. I saw that they have martial artists that help kids to overcome the negative consequences and exhausting parts of their treatments. They go and get them involved with karate and its techniques, like breathing techniques, basic moves, punches and kicks. So, I initiated a conversation with the directors to learn more about their work. Importantly, for me the first piece of this domino and connection was the Exercise Prescription program. Now, I’m working with them doing volunteer work and helping them to expand their work in CT cancer enters and Children’s Hospital. I appreciate this opportunity and that this program opened this door for me. From my research, I am learning how the cancer cells work and what they are doing to the patient’s body. And from my karate background, I am practicing the techniques that have a wide range of positive effects on body. I was lucky enough to be in a position to utilize and bring together all of those different aspects for a real-world issue. It has been very unique and, of course, a rewarding experience for me.”

Pursuing multiple commitments with passion

While continuing to nurture his passion for karate through coaching and refereeing in national and international events, Ashkan’s highest priority remains his PhD cancer research and taking his work to the next level. “Right now, I’m close to my graduation and I am focusing on the pre-clinical studies that we need for our work. We are running different animal studies; and optimizing our drug delivery and efficacy methods. We are also exploring the need and potential of technology in veterinary clinical needs, like dog and cat patients. The risk of getting cancer and recurrence is so high for them too. At the company we are focusing on non-dilutive fundings now to proceed the work to the next steps. I love the work that I am doing. We are building up a great team which makes this journey more enjoyable. I believe at the same time, we need different supporting points in our life, so I’m trying to continue exploring and experiencing the coaching and having karate in my life too.”

Ashkan adds, “I appreciate this program and all the topics that were covered and that we learned during this journey. UConn is known not only for its scientific background, but also because of its national championships in different sports. Alongside that, there are great people and resources that are ready to help you and support you to achieve your goals and make this world a better place.”

“If you have a passion for exercise and helping other people exercise, this program is well worth it. There is a huge push in medicine right now for prevention. So, it would be really beneficial for healthcare providers to have this background and basic knowledge to really help their patients, instead of just saying, ‘Go exercise for 30 minutes a day.’ Because a lot of people, if just told to go exercise, are like, ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Where do I start?’ It’s overwhelming if you haven’t started exercising and you’re also dealing with chronic health issues. This program gives you the foundation to help people with where to start and how to build. It's really great now feeling confident when I talk to my patients about exercise.” – Jennifer Sherwood, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Graduate Fall 2022

Helping Her Patients Breathe Better

As a Respiratory Therapist, Jennifer (Jen) Sherwood is passionate about helping her patients lead healthier lives. Exercise is an important component in promoting better health and augmenting airway clearance for her patients living with cystic fibrosis (CF), but Jen did not feel confident in knowing how best to advise her patients on incorporating exercise into their daily routine. After completing the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate at the University of Connecticut (UConn), Jen now feels empowered with the knowledge and tools to guide her patients to exercise in ways that will help augment airway clearance and enhance the quality of their lives.

In Jen’s work as a Respiratory Therapist at the University of Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Center, educating patients and their families about airway clearance therapies is a primary responsibility. With a growing recognition of the importance of exercise as preventative medicine, Jen recognized she lacked knowledge on how to best guide her patients in developing an exercise routine that would meet their specific needs. As Jen explains, “We’re trying to find ways to get our patients to incorporate exercise into their daily lives, and our providers are trying to find ways to get our patients more motivated to participate in an exercise routine. Since exercise can help augment airway clearance for our patients, they look to us for advice. I really wanted to be able to feel confident in guiding my patients.”

With recent advances in medicine, the focus on exercise for patients with CF has become increasingly important. “Currently, there is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but with newer medications available, the life expectancy has increased significantly. Promoting exercise will not only help augment airway clearance but will also help to lower certain risk factors that affect all of us as we age, such as stroke, heart disease, and some cancers, to name a few. Being able to encourage my patients to exercise appropriately will not only help them live longer, healthier lives, but also have a better quality of life.”

Seeking confidence to guide patients

Jen discovered UConn’s Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program through her colleague, Miranda Bradley, also a Respiratory Therapist, but on the Pediatric Campus. “Miranda found this program, and we both decided to do it so that we feel confident talking to our patients about exercise. I wouldn’t have known how to talk to patients about where to start. So, this really helped us so that when we’re with our patients, we actually have a guideline to go by to help them start incorporating exercise into their daily routine.” Both Jen and Miranda began the program in fall 2021, and taking one course per semester, they graduated in fall 2022. (At the time, it was a 9-credit program consisting of three courses but has since been expanded to include a fourth course for 12 credits.)

Further explaining, Jen adds, “Both Miranda and I did the program just so we could better help our patients. Miranda and I really wanted to feel confident in guiding our patients correctly into what they should be doing for exercise and not just giving a generalization of 20-30 minutes of cardio every day.”

Program uniquely appealing

After searching online, Jen says this was the only program that aligned with their specific interests. “Looking around, I didn’t find this kind of program anywhere else. When we were looking at the courses, they catered to disease-specific issues. For example, we knew were going to learn about exercise prescription for hypertension, and exercise prescription for obesity, and exercise prescription for certain disease states, like lung disease. That really appealed to us, and I just didn’t find that anywhere else. It’s very unique.

Jen continues, “That’s the great thing: They really stressed tailoring it to the person, not one-size-fits-all for everybody. The courses went through different diseases, different barriers different people will face, and how to overcome those barriers with what they can do instead. We really went through a lot in this program. It was only three classes, but we covered a lot.”

Easing into the learning process

Returning to school, particularly in the context of a new field, initially felt a bit intimidating for Jen, but she says the design of the program helped ease her into it. “It was a tough start for Miranda and me because we don’t have any personal training background, and I think most of the students did. But we both really ended up loving it and getting into it once we got going. It had been 18 years since I was in college. So, it was all very new to me again, and the technology was different, but I thought they were great at easing you in and helping you learn the technology, and then starting with the basics and the building blocks and slowly working you up. When we first started creating exercise prescriptions, they were very short and just very basic. And then slowly, we built and built on them.”

Felt like being in a classroom

Even though the program is completely online and asynchronous, Jen says that HuskyCT, UConn’s Learning Management System (LMS) enabled her to feel connected to her classmates. “I really liked the HuskyCT platform because I actually felt somewhat like I was in a classroom, especially with the way we would communicate with everybody on the discussion forums. I could go on and make comments, and I might not get comments back for a few hours, but I felt like I was having really great conversations with all the other students, even though it was completely online. We weren’t all on at the same time, but we still had these ongoing conversations that I really liked. That was my favorite part because I felt really connected to the rest of the students.”

What made these conversations with her classmates especially valuable for Jen was the diversity of backgrounds and experience. “It was very valuable to get other students’ perspectives. It was a very eclectic group of students. There were very young students who were personal trainers, or they worked with sports medicine. Then we had students more our age. There was a woman that worked in the insurance side of things, and one woman who was in cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation. Everyone is so different, and they’re taking the program for a different reason. So, I think you learn a lot by talking to all the different people. It was great having a lot of personal trainers in there, because I didn’t have that background. Miranda and I have a healthcare background, which I think benefited others too. Everyone benefited from each other.”

Learning to trust the process

Of the faculty, Jen says, “They were great! They were very active in the online discussions with us. They were easy to contact and very responsive. If I had a question, they would answer my question. They also had periodic live synchronous video meetings that we were able to join so we could all ask our questions together.”

One course that Jen found especially challenging – and rewarding – was KINS 5508 - Exercise Prescription for Individuals with Chronic Diseases and Health Conditions, taught by the Director of the program, Dr. Linda Pescatello (“Dr. P.”). A major requirement in KINS 5508 is a systematic review on a topic relevant to the work students do. The only requirement was the topic needed to relate to physical activity. As Jen explains, “That course was a rough start for me because I hadn’t written a paper in years. I think Dr. P. gave me a lot of tough love on that one in the beginning, but it turned out great. I feel like I really learned a lot writing that paper, not only in terms of the writing process, but now when I go back and read literature, I understand it better: I know how to read through it better and look through the sources. I did find that really great.”

Further explaining the tough love, Jen adds, “I’m an anxious person so I get in my head, saying, ‘I don’t think I can do this. This process is too hard.’ And Dr. P. would say, ‘You need to just stop, slow down, and follow the process.’ The whole time, she just kept saying, ‘Trust the process.’ Once I finally did, it just worked out really well.”

Becoming the experts

Jen and Miranda partnered together for their final presentation, which they were then able to revise and present to their providers at the University of Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Center. “We did separate papers. Hers was geared more toward pediatrics, and mine was geared toward adults. But when we did our final presentation, they let us combine it in KINS 5595 - Special Topics in Exercise Prescription. We did an hour-long presentation together. Then we were able to take our presentation and present it to all our providers, which was really excellent. Our presentation for the program went through the basics of cystic fibrosis and basic treatments, which our providers don’t need. So, we cut that out and put more into the section on exercise and what exercise prescription is. They loved it. They were excited. We’re still working on adding formal stuff into our Epic system so it will be a little easier for Miranda and me to educate our patients and the people we work with about exercise.”

This past year, that same presentation became the basis for a new module offered in the course KINS 5508 - Exercise Prescription for Individuals with Chronic Diseases & Health Conditions. “Dr. P. invites experts in the field to join the classes regularly on the discussion board so we get to learn from leading experts in the field on a variety of topics. Miranda and I were invited and did it together. We revised our presentation with some corrections from Dr. P. and re-recorded it for the module. We created a case study, and students designed an exercise prescription for our case study. Then Miranda and I got to go on the HuskyCT platform and interact with the students in the class on the discussion board about their answers to the case study. We spent two days that week giving feedback on every case study, and students would talk back to us. We were the experts. It was work, but it was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed it. It only helped us doing this module, because it refreshes us on everything we learned and makes us really go back and think.” Both Jen and Miranda are excited to join in for their module again this coming year.

Benefitted professionally and personally

The knowledge and skills Jen learned through the program have made a positive impact in both her professional and personal domains. “Professionally, it’s just going to help me be a better respiratory therapist for my patients: Just the fact that I’m able to help coach my patients with an exercise routine now. If I can guide them appropriately, they’re going to do better in the long run. Personally, it’s helped me too. My husband had high blood pressure. Now he’s following the exercise prescription for high blood pressure, and his blood pressure has come down. And I feel like it’s helped me design a better exercise routine for myself following some of the guidelines. So, it’s helped me professionally and personally.”

Well worth the time investment

Reflecting on her journey, Jen shares, “It is a time-intensive program, I will say, but I actually enjoyed the work. I enjoyed the research I was doing; I enjoyed the assignments and the projects. It was work. I would come home from work and then spend several hours in the evening working on my coursework, but I enjoyed what I was learning.”

Jen enjoyed the program so much that she is returning this fall to continue her journey with the Master of Science in Exercise Prescription: “I am excited, because I really liked the program. “There are other areas I can go into as a respiratory therapist, and one of the areas I’ve been looking at is pulmonary rehabilitation. My passion is to eventually work with patients with chronic lung disease and help them design workouts appropriate for their needs.”

To those considering the program, Jen encourages, “If you have a passion for exercise and helping other people exercise, this program is well worth it. There is a huge push in medicine right now for prevention. So, it would be really beneficial for healthcare providers to have this background and basic knowledge to really help their patients, instead of just saying, ‘Go exercise for 30 minutes a day.’ Because a lot of people, if just told to go exercise, are like, ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Where do I start?’ It’s overwhelming if you haven’t started exercising and you’re also dealing with chronic health issues. This program gives you the foundation to help people with where to start and how to build. It's really great now feeling confident when I talk to my patients about exercise.”

“It didn’t really hit me until I was an instructor. I took the program because I’m an exercise professional, but once I transitioned to the instructor, I realized that this program was not just created for people who are going to be a clinical exercise physiologist or a doctoral student. This is really a program that every healthcare provider should be taking.” – Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Morrissey-Basler, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Graduate Fall 2020, Instructor 2021-Present

Learning to Teach; Teaching to Learn

Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Morrissey-Basler is passionate about exercise as medicine. As both a student and an instructor of the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program at the University of Connecticut (UConn), Maggie has garnered a unique insider’s perspective to the program. These combined experiences have been pivotal to her learning and career trajectories, informing her research, shaping her skills, and inspiring her teaching. As she steps into her new role as Assistant Professor, Health Sciences at Providence College – while continuing to teach in the Exercise Prescription online program – she is excited to educate a broad range of future healthcare professionals on the exercise medicine mindset as a critical component of their practice.

Maggie first learned about the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program while pursuing her PhD in Kinesiology at UConn. She had heard lots of great feedback about the relevance of the program, and the faculty were looking for a Teaching Assistant (TA) for the in-person undergraduate course, KINS 2227 - Exercise Prescription. As an exercise professional, with a BS in Health and Exercise Science from Skidmore College (2014), and an MS in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University (2018), this role was a natural fit for Maggie. To prepare her role as TA, she would need to complete the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program so that she felt she had the tools and expertise to educate undergraduates.

Flexibility of online essential to juggling priorities

While simultaneously immersed in her PhD work, Maggie began the certificate program in winter 2020, taking the second course in spring, and completing in fall 2020. (At the time, it was a 9-credit program consisting of three courses, but has since been expanded to include a fourth course for 12 credits.). This is a lot to juggle. As Maggie explains, “I was intimated at first. I wasn’t sure: Am I going to be able to do this? My PhD work involved a lot of lab research. So I was always in the lab, morning to afternoon. The flexibility of the online program helped me tremendously. I felt like I was still able to be productive in my PhD, but then felt like I was able to easily meet all the deadlines for the program. I was still absorbing and taking in that information I was learning, instead of just feeling like, ‘Oh gosh, at the end of the day, I have to send in this assignment.’”

Informing her research and her work

Beyond opening the door for teaching, Maggie recognized that learning about exercise prescription would have great relevance to her research and her advising work. As she explains, “I took a lot of courses as an undergrad focused on American College Sports Medicine (ACSM). I knew the importance of that information to not only prepare me as a teaching assistant or instructor, but also to inform my research. I do a lot of work with working populations, such as construction and agriculture. That’s a special population, especially because they’re physically active in their jobs. I realized this program was going to help me get into a better mindset of how some of my research questions may be affected by fitness. And if I were to meet with some of these workers, what would I recommend to them to improve their health? Part of my current job includes going to different companies and performing heat safety assessments because my research area is occupational heat stress. So, I will go and talk to occupational and environmental health and safety professionals about preventing heat-related illnesses and injuries. And physical inactivity is a huge risk factor for heat-related illnesses. Without having a strong fitness or exercise prescription background and the Exercise Prescription Certificate under my belt, I feel like I wouldn’t be able to effectively help them reduce their risk of heat illness.”

Renowned professors with a national reputation for excellence

Maggie explains that a major advantage of the program is the opportunity to learn from experts in the field: “The program director, Dr. Linda Pescatello, is one of the most distinguished researchers and faculty in the exercise physiology field. To be able to learn from an expert in the field is really amazing. UConn has an incredibly successful Kinesiology program: The National Association of Kinesiology (NAK) ranks it #3 in the U.S. (when normalized for program size). It has a very strong reputation. I think when people are looking at the program, they see exercise prescription, Dr. Pescatello, and Kinesiology, and confidently recognize that ‘This is really an amazing program that’s going to give me the skills I need’ for whatever they may be wanting to get out of the course.”

Takeaways: more than I could have imagined

The takeaways of her learning in this program, exceeded Maggie’s expectations: “You really come out of the program with skills beyond just, ‘okay, I can prescribe exercise for various populations.’ Even if you decided that the exercise profession, science, or healthcare was not what you wanted to do, you’re still learning these core skills out of the program. For example, you’re still going to be able to create educational presentations. A lot of people need to perform some form of public speaking in their future career, which requires a specific skillset, and although you’re not doing it in front of people in the course since it is online, the course really teaches you how to do that. The course also teaches you how to critically analyze research and how to write a systematic review. I think the systematic review alone, even if I had just done that, I would have taken away more than I could have imagined.”

Maggie especially appreciated the flexibility to tailor assignments to student relevance. “That was actually one of the best parts about the program as well. For those who were also in a graduate degree program, the instructors were like, ‘Hey you really should focus on something you’re either doing for your thesis or your dissertation, so you’re not reinventing the wheel. This is going to help you.’ I did my systematic review on a topic for my dissertation. And then there’s a lot of professional students in this program who are healthcare providers: We had physicians; we had respiratory therapists. They did a systematic review, but it was a little bit different. They weren’t preparing for a manuscript; they were just finding something that was relevant to their field. So they were still taking something from it, just in a different way. I thought that having that flexibility of catering to degree students, but then also ones who weren’t degree students was phenomenal.”

From student to teacher

While completing her last course in fall 2020, Maggie simultaneously began as a TA for the undergraduate course, KINS 2227 - Exercise Prescription. The following year, Maggie shifted into the role of instructor for the online graduate certificate program, teaching the 7-week introduction course, KINS 5507 - Fundamentals of Exercise Prescription. “This course introduces everyone to the primary concepts of exercise prescription and lays the foundation for the other three courses to come. I enjoy teaching that course because I’m really helping the students problem solve and change their mindset about how to think, and to provide answers that are evidence-based, not just ‘I think that you should do this.’ No, it's ‘what actual scientific evidence can you tell me that’s going support for your statement?’ And I honestly wouldn’t be able to teach in this course successfully without taking the certificate program first.”

Having been a student in the program herself, Maggie can really relate to student experience, and she enjoys sharing her own strategies to help support them. “I feel like I legitimately understand what they’re going through. The introduction course is quite rigorous; it’s a graduate program. It’s rigorous, but you’re able to complete it on your own time. A lot of students now get so overwhelmed with everything. I felt like could tell them: ‘Hey, I get it; I’ve done it. These are the strategies that I found to be successful. I hope this will be helpful for you.’ I can actually share my personal experience I went through with them. I think it really helped them to feel like, ‘Okay there’s a way to make this work.’” Having taught this course for two years now, Maggie adds, “I’ve really enjoyed not only taking the program but being an instructor. This has been an amazing experience that I can’t wait to continue.”

Online presence: more interactive than in-person

Contrary to what many might imagine, Maggie found the level of interaction with instructors in the online program to be a major strength: “I think the best thing about the program is how interactive the instructors are, and I learned from both sides. As a student, having Dr. Pescatello constantly interacting with her students, I never felt like I was by myself on my computer and not able to figure something out. The instructors have always been really accommodating. Even if you don’t see them in person, they’re constantly in contact with you in email or willing to set up a virtual call. Actually, funny enough, I felt like I spent more time interacting with instructors online through the program than I did with the instructors that I had in person in my PhD program. I really got to know Dr. Pescatello and the other instructors, and they got to know me. It’s not just that you’re taking the course, and then you’ll never hear from them again. You develop these relationships because of the frequent dialogue you have. So that’s a huge strength.”

Maggie also valued the interactive process of learning with peers over the HuskyCT/Blackboard discussion board. “You were constantly learning how to do things well, and it’s a lot of trial and error to a point. So that’s the best part about the discussion board. You usually had a discussion board post that was a case study due on Wednesday. It’s your first attempt, so you do the best you can. And then you spend Thursday learning the mistakes you made or finding out the things you did really well by looking at your peers, and saying, ‘Oh wow, that person said that; I could do that.’ And then you have a submission on Friday, where you’re actually taking all the information you learned and putting it into the final weekly assignment.”

As an instructor, Maggie emulated the online presence she had appreciated so much as a student. As she explains, “I feel people may think that when you’re teaching an online class you’re not as present. But I felt like I was constantly talking to the students; always having meetings; always on the discussion board. I put a lot of time into it because I wanted to be able to see where students started from week 1, and how much they progressed by week 7. To see them provide evidence to support their statements and recognize strategies to implement exercise medicine was really rewarding. It’s rewarding to see the success of professional students who are not degree students. Because they’re working clinically now, and I hope that they’re going to take what they learned in the class and they’re going to share it with their patients – and they’re going to make a difference.”

Critical learning for ALL health care professionals

Moving from student to instructor expanded Maggie’s understanding of the far-reaching relevance of exercise as medicine: “It didn’t really hit me until I was an instructor. I took the program because I’m an exercise professional, but once I transitioned to the instructor, I realized that this program was not just created for people who are going to be a clinical exercise physiologist or a doctoral student. This is really a program that every healthcare provider should be taking.”

When interviewing for a faculty position, most candidates focus their faculty presentation on their research area. Inspired by her learning in this program, Maggie embraced an alternative route: “It was funny because, for my faculty interview at Providence College, I actually did a presentation on Exercise Prescription for Healthcare Professionals. That’s how powerful it was for me. It is a Health Sciences program, and I wanted to show that this isn’t just something that strength trainers or clinical exercise physiologists need to know. If you want to be a physical therapist, if you want to be a physician, if you want to be an athletic trainer, you need to know this information and utilize the exercise medicine mindset when you’re prescribing certain things to your patients. So, I really enjoyed that, and I’m absolutely going to utilize the things that I learned as a student and an instructor in my courses that I develop as an Assistant Professor.”

Embodying great teaching and mentoring

For Maggie, the learning she experienced in the program has been transformative on multiple levels, including inspiring her own aspirations of who she wants to be as a teacher and mentor. “When I was enrolled as a student, Dr. Linda Pescatello and Dr. Yin Wu were the instructors. Outside of my major advisor, they mentored me more than any other faculty. And I didn’t really meet with them in person. It was all virtual. They always offered continuous access to them – and mentorship. Actually, I published a few papers with both of them, because I just really enjoyed getting their feedback. Really, my critical thinking and my scientific writing skills were completely transformed within the program, and with their mentorship outside of the program as well. They were fantastic faculty. Dr. Pescatello was actually on my dissertation committee, because I loved working with her so much in the program.” She adds, “I’ve learned a lot about how to be an effective instructor, so I am so excited to utilize those skills when I get to Providence College. Because I feel like there’s a lot of specific skills that Dr. Pescatello and Dr. Wu embodied that I constantly tell myself, ‘This is how I want to be as an instructor.’ I want to be very thoughtful and intentional about the teaching platform and the course material, and not feel like students are just reading things and regurgitating information.”

Educating future healthcare professionals

In addition to continuing to teach in the Exercise Prescription program, Maggie is excited to be starting her new role as Assistant Professor of Health Sciences at Providence College. She believes her learning and teaching experiences with the certificate program have been pivotal to this opportunity. “Without a doubt, this program helped me get my current position. Health Sciences is a really broad field, and I utilized my experiences as an instructor and as a student in this program to let them know, ‘Yes, I do research in heat stress and occupational work, but I also teach this topic of exercise prescription that can benefit everyone.’”

Maggie now looks forward to the opportunity she will have to share her knowledge with students pursuing a wide array of health professions: “The Health Sciences department at Providence College is a new program, so I can start everything from the ground up. And I am very, very adamant about making sure there is some sort of exercise prescription course. A lot of these students are majoring Health Sciences because they want to go into healthcare. I think it’s essential to sort of open their eyes to, ‘Oh wow, exercise can actually be used as medicine, and this is what I should do with my patients.’ I think it’s really critical and it will be a really important take way for them.”

“I chose the University of Connecticut’s program because I wanted something much more in-depth than simply studying for and taking an exam. It turned out to be a wonderful opportunity to study with a great university and develop expertise in physical exercise science, despite being nearly 8,000 miles away from the UConn campus!”— Kilo Wong, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Spring 2020

Extra—Extra—Long Distance Learning

Kilo Wong, Hong Kong native and lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University, knew he had to do something to help those students who suffer from chronic conditions that preclude them from exercising on a regular basis. A lecturer in a variety of general education skills courses, including Tai Chi and Weight Management and Healthy Living, Kilo decided to do a Google search to see if he could find a program that could help him teach his students how to use exercise properly to improve their lives. As he explains, many people in Hong Kong live in small apartments, which can make exercising at home challenging. Hong Kong residents typically walk a lot anyway, so suggesting that they add walking to their exercise routine is not a real solution. And jogging? “The city is so congested, it is not necessarily safe to jog. I needed to rethink how I was going to prescribe an approximate exercise regimen that would fit my students’ lifestyles and the Hong Kong environment,” says Kilo.

Going deep

When Kilo started his online search for a program that would help him fill his knowledge gap, he found few choices, among them, the University of Connecticut's Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate Program. Says Kilo: “I chose UConn’s program because I wanted something much more in-depth than simply studying for and taking an exam. It turned out to be a wonderful opportunity to study with a great university and develop expertise in physical exercise science, despite being nearly 8,000 miles away from the UConn campus!”

Kilo says he especially appreciated that he was able to connect and communicate with other students through HuskyCT/Blackboard—UConn’s online platform. As he discovered, students were asked to post comments on the platform’s discussion boards, which invited lively back-and-forth conversations. “I really liked having the chance to interact with classmates who have such different experiences and backgrounds. It helped me be more critical in my thinking,” notes Kilo.

Expertise from real-world experts

Another big benefit of the program was having the opportunity to learn from a rich variety of guest lecturers, each with his or her own specialized expertise. Says Kilo: “Dr. Pescatello brought in many guest lecturers. For example, two of the physician guest lecturers, (Dr. Paul Thompson and Dr. Anthony Fernandez from Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT), were cardiologists internationally known for their research and clinical specialization in sports cardiology. They provided a tremendous amount of information and resources about sudden cardiac death and ways to avoid sudden cardiac death in athletes. I was also so impressed by Dr. Rebecca Puhl’s lecture in weight stigma. I didn’t realize that the stigma of being overweight was actually a real thing in my own work environment, and how it was negatively affecting the attitudes and self-esteem of our students and staff,” says Kilo, who adds: “Not only were the guest lecturers experts in their fields, but they also shared their practical observations and experiences from the real world—not just from textbooks.”

Kilo did have a few issues with the online platform primarily due to difficulty accessing some of the videos. But he says, “The support I received from Dr. Pescatello, instructional designer Cathy Healy, and others was tremendous. Anytime I had a technical issue, someone was always available to help me and was able to resolve the problem within 24 hours.”

Teach a man to fish…

By far, Kilo says, one of the most important takeaways from the program was developing the ability to find answers. As he explains, “All of the courses had a research element. As a result, we were not taught the answers; we were taught the methods for finding answers ourselves. This is a much better approach because you never know what kind of health conditions or illnesses you may encounter.”

Having developed new research skills is now paying off in a big way. After Kilo submitted his final assignment for KINS 5508 – Exercise Prescription for Individuals with Chronic Diseases and Health Conditions, Dr. Pescatello asked him if he would like to extend the work into an actual manuscript for publication. Kilo worked closely with a small group of students in her laboratory, and under the supervision of Dr. Pescatello and the postdoctoral fellow in her laboratory, Dr. Yin Wu, the group presented its findings in poster form, entitled “Exercise as a Treatment of NAFLD: A Meta Review,” at the 2021 ACSM Annual Meeting. They are now working to prepare a full manuscript and target it for publication in the Exercise Physiology field.

Says Kilo: “The ACSM annual meeting is one of the biggest sports-related conferences in the world. I was surprised that we were able to take an assignment all the way from the classroom to presentation level. For someone like me who is interested in working on research projects, collaborating with such a great group of like-minded people was a huge bonus.”

Helping COVID long-haulers

At the completion of the program in May 2020, Kilo volunteered to join a research project lead by his department and the university’s School of Chinese Medicine to create a COVID rehabilitation program—the world’s first program of its kind designed specifically for patients who have had COVID-19. Kilo helped design the 12-week tele-exercise program, which comprises cardiorespiratory exercises, resistance training, and muscle training, along with Chinese herbal medicine. (Click on https://research.hkbu.edu.hk/highlighted-projects/covid-19-rehabilitation for more information.)

“My job at the university does not require us to work in research, so I am happy to have played a role in this project. I was able to apply what I learned in UConn’s Exercise Prescription program, such as how to monitor exercise intensity and the effects of different medications on exercise programs, to ultimately have the potential to help anyone in Hong Kong who has had COVID-19 and suffered longer term effects.”

In summary, Kilo says: “Thanks to the program, I now have greater confidence in screening students to see if they are ready to start with an exercise program and in my ability to prescribe appropriate exercises. I highly recommend the program for anyone in the exercise science field. It is truly a high-quality program with outstanding professors and guest lecturers.”

"Online learning has several advantages over a traditional classroom setting, especially for someone like me. I loved it because of the convenience factor. I work full-time and I'm a full-time Doctoral student, so being able go online when I had time was great. I also had the chance to interact with people from all over the country, many of whom worked with different types of patient populations than I do. That interdisciplinary expertise provided for a great learning environment."— Greg Panza, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Fall 2017

A Big Confidence Booster

Greg Panza has an extensive background in Exercise Physiology, but he knew his skills were lacking in a few areas within the field. Looking to build his confidence prescribing exercise programs for the special populations he works with at Hartford Hospital, he enrolled in UConn's Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate Program. He came out with a whole lot more than just confidence.

Sure, Greg Panza knows a lot about Exercise Physiology. After all, he's a third-year Doctoral student in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut (UConn), and he's an Exercise Physiologist at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, CT. He also earned his Bachelor's and Master's in Exercise Science. So why would he feel the need to enroll in the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate Program at UConn?

For several reasons, says Greg. First and foremost, he needed to build his confidence working with special populations of patients. "I work in a cholesterol clinic and care for and conduct clinical research with patients with all kinds of health problems," he explains. "During the program, we were presented with a wide range of case studies from which I learned the mechanisms of many chronic diseases and conditions, as well as the behavior characteristics of certain patient populations."

Knowing the "gold standard" like the back of his hand.

In addition, Greg says that while he had a good idea about the content of the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (GETP 10th edition), he knew he needed greater familiarity with the book, which is considered the “gold standard” in the fields of Sports Medicine, Kinesiology, and Health and Fitness. In fact, Dr. Linda Pescatello, his professor and head of the Exercise Prescription Program, was the senior editor of this gold standard. As Greg explains: "With the courses based on the information in the guidelines, I came out of the program knowing the guidelines like the back of my hand. I feel so much more confident in applying the principles appropriately in real world settings and choosing protocols for patient testing."

Walking Greg through the publishing process.

Another reason Greg praises the program so highly is the experience he gained in scientific writing. In fact, for the second course, KINS 5508: Exercise Prescription for Individuals with Chronic Diseases and Health Conditions, the students were required to conduct a systematic review. Greg focused on analyzing literature that investigated the effects of exercise interventions on cognitive function among people at risk for, or diagnosed with, Alzheimer's disease. "There are so many steps involved, but Dr. Pescatello thought my work was worthy of publication and thankfully, helped me through the entire process. In fact, with her guidance, I turned my systematic review into a meta-analysis, which just got published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society."

No background in psychology? No problem!

There was also a behavioral component with each course, notes Greg, who especially appreciated this aspect of the program because he had no background in Psychology. "I've had patients in the past who have had trouble adhering to their exercise program. We learned how to use several different behavioral models that would help us ensure that patients are better able to stick with the prescribed program. I remember one patient with high cholesterol who was on the borderline of having to take medication if he didn't make some lifestyle modifications. I used the trans-theoretical model of behavior change to assess his readiness to change and to find any sticking points that were holding him back. We worked through the issues, and two months later, he was adhering to his exercise program and his cholesterol had dropped."

Online on his own time.

The online platform, HuskyCT/Blackboard, was another big program plus. Says Greg: "Online learning has several advantages over a traditional classroom setting, especially for someone like me. I loved it because of the convenience factor. I work full-time and I'm a full-time Doctoral student, so being able go online when I had time was great. I also had the chance to interact with people from all over the country, many of whom worked with different types of patient populations than I do. That interdisciplinary expertise provided for a great learning environment. We were also expected to post comments on the discussion board, so there was constant back-and-forth dialog every day, all day long. If I were in a classroom, I'd only interact with other students once or twice a week at the most."

There's one final reason Greg is so delighted he choose to go through the program. As he notes, he has had extensive experience giving presentations. But at one point in all three courses, the students had to record themselves giving a presentation. "Each of us was required to post our recording on a web page that everyone else could view. After it was posted, you'd lead a discussion based on the presentation. Other students would ask questions and you'd have to field them accordingly. I'd never done that before."

A graduate certificate from "one of the best in the country."

In conclusion, Greg highly recommends this program to anyone in the exercise field. As he says, "The certificate is coming out of UConn's graduate school in Kinesiology—one of the best in the country. That your graduate certificate is coming from such a prestigious program speaks volumes and will definitely be attractive to employers. The program provided me invaluable tools that I use in my work on a daily basis and has truly helped me grow professionally in my career."

"If I had gone to another graduate school, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to earn a PhD, along with two graduate certificates that I believe will definitely help me from a research standpoint. I tell anyone who asks about my experience that they'll receive a certificate in something very unique and have earned a great credential from one of the best known Kinesiology departments in the country—a clear advantage if you're looking for a new job or want to advance in your current situation." - Kate Dibble, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Fall 2017

A Real Natural

When one of her professors recommended that Kate take the first course in the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate Program, she was immediately hooked. The curriculum fit perfectly with her PhD program in Human Development and Family Studies and provided her the skills she needs to add Exercise Prescription to her already extensive list of skills.

Kate Dibble is well on her way to earning her PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Connecticut (UConn)—and she's currently working towards earning a graduate certificate in Quantitative Research Methods. Somehow, she also makes time to work as a Graduate Research Assistant under Dr. Linda Pescatello, Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and UConn's resident expert in Exercise Prescription.

So when Dr. Pescatello suggested that Kate take KINS 5507: Fundamentals of Exercise Prescription to satisfy one of her PhD program's specialized course requirements, she jumped at the chance. Says Kate, who is studying breast, uterine, stomach, and digestive cancers, "It's really important for me to learn, from a research and interventional perspective, how to prescribe exercise safely and cohesively for cancer patients. When I learned more about KINS 5507, it seemed like such a natural fit with my PhD program. Part way into the first course, I knew I wanted to invest in earning the full certificate."

Right up her alley.

Taking the second course, KINS 5508 – Exercise Prescription for Individuals with Chronic Diseases and Health Conditions, was right up her alley. "There was a cancer module in this course and that intrigued me," notes Kate. "But what really fascinated me was discovering how important it is to prescribe an individualized exercise program tailored to the patient's unique needs. Even family history of cancer or other diagnoses can impact the success of an exercise program."

For example, Kate explains that going on a treadmill at the gym might be great aerobically, but for someone with cancer, it may not even hit a portion of what they need to be doing. What if the person has a metabolic condition? What other medical issues need to be taken into consideration? "After completing the course, I realized that each patient, with his or her unique limitations and treatment regimen, warrants a different exercise prescription," she says, and adds: "We also learned the value of taking a holistic approach to help ensure that patients can maintain the exercise program—and even enjoy it."

Evidence based.

There was another important aspect of every course that Kate found to be tremendously valuable: everything she learned was "evidence based;" that is, the concepts and strategies introduced in the courses were derived from or informed by objective evidence. Not surprising, says Kate, since UConn is a Research 1 University, a category that the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education use to indicate universities in the United States that engage in extensive research activity. "Dr. Pescatello presented many case studies grounded in real science, including studies based on actual breast cancer patients, and how the side effects of treatment can affect cardiovascular health and how that impacts exercise," she notes.

Defined start and end dates.

Kate, who describes herself as a "big organization" person, especially appreciated how the three online courses were broken into separate modules, with a clear start and end date. "I had never taken an online course before, but I thought the HuskyCT/Blackboard platform was just great. The interactive discussion board was incredibly helpful. With all the posting back and forth, I learned so much from my classmates, and I think they learned from me as well. There was so much material, including case study assignments, major papers to read, and a systematic review to conduct, but with the weekly modules, the material was well organized and manageable."

Learning how to write a whole new way.

Most importantly, Kate completed the program in December 2017 with a whole new set of skills beyond learning how to develop individualized exercise prescriptions for patients with chronic diseases. As she explains, she has a strong Psychology background. After all, she earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Psychology from UConn, and she understands how to do meta-analyses. But prior to the program, she had no experience in writing and formatting Kinesiology studies for publication.

Yet today, with Dr. Pescatello's assistance, Kate is turning her final paper from the KINS 5508 course into a poster, Exercise prescription for breast cancer survivors with cardiovascular disease treatment side effects: A systematic review, which she will present this spring at the annual Society of Behavioral Medicine in New Orleans. "Switching from a Psychology-based to Kinesiology-based writing style was very difficult for me. There was such a big learning curve, but with the help of Dr. Pescatello and my classmates, I'm thrilled that I have the opportunity to present my poster at the meeting and that it will be published in the Society's Annals of Behavioral Medicine. We also plan to submit the full results for publishing at a later day."

A PhD and two graduate certificates - all from UConn.

Kate isn't exactly sure what the future will bring. She still has another two years to complete her PhD and will earn her Certificate in Quantitative Research Methods in 2019. But she does know she'll either pursue a teaching position—she'd love to stay at UConn—or become a researcher specializing in the study of cancer for a medical center or governmental organization.

To anyone considering this program, she says: "If I had gone to another graduate school, I wouldn't have the opportunity to earn a PhD, along with two graduate certificates that will definitely help me from a research standpoint. I tell anyone who asks about my experience that they'll receive a certificate in something very unique and have earned a great credential from one of the best known Kinesiology departments in the country—a clear advantage if you're looking for a new job or want to advance in your current situation."

“I highly recommend the program to anyone looking to earn solid credentials in Exercise Prescription. UConn is very well known in the field. Having a graduate level certificate from UConn is no joke if you are trying to demonstrate your credentials to a prospective employer. There’s no doubt in my mind that having the certificate will help me get into PT school."- Regine Rossi, Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Spring 2018

Brains and Brawn

Powerlifter Regine Rossi is an incredibly athletic woman who loves unconventional sports — like “Strongwoman,” which gives women a venue to compete in strength athletics. Currently, Regine can deadlift 315 lbs. and bench press 155 lbs. For a recent Strongwoman event, she had 60 seconds each to do as many deadlifts, axle and circus dumbbell presses, and “stones over bar,” followed by three running events: carrying a “yoke” 50 feet, a 100-lb. sandbag for another 50 feet, then a beer keg 100 feet — all as quickly as possible. She also loves a sport called “rucking” — the foundation of Special Forces training that entails shouldering heavy backpacks weighing up to 50 lbs. She not only hikes with the backpacks, but she also does push-ups, squats, and other calisthenics wearing the pack.

Regine is also smart, really smart. In 2014, she earned her PhD in Education at New York University. Today, she is a Professor of Education at a small rural college outside of New York City. She’s also planning to go back to school for her Physical Therapy (PT) degree in 2019.

Last summer, Regine decided to pile more onto her plate by starting the first course of the University of Connecticut’s (UConn) Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program. This spring, she completed the three required courses to earn the credential.

A fascination with exercise science

So what motivated her to enroll in the UConn program? Regine has always been fascinated by Exercise Science, which combines her love of athletics and her interest in understanding the science of human movement. In addition to her teaching position, being an advisor to 50-plus students at her college, and her commitment to working out, she is also a personal trainer. “I knew that earning the certificate would greatly enhance my skills as a trainer and enable me to help my clients live healthier lives through exercise, rehabilitation, and nutrition. I was also very familiar with UConn’s outstanding reputation in the field,” says Regine, who happened to come across the Exercise Prescription program when she was looking for courses to complete her science prerequisites for PT school.

Reluctant to take courses online – at first

It’s only natural that a professor at a college might be reluctant to take courses online. As Regine notes, “I teach traditional face-to-face classes. I am very accustomed to that kind of setting. But I have to be honest; after having participated in the Exercise Prescription program, I now actually prefer online.”

What changed Regine’s mind about the online platform? She credits the director of the program, Dr. Linda Pescatello, PhD, FACSM, FAHA, with creating a “classroom” setting that felt more personal than a traditional classroom. Says Regine: “As I know from experience, not all students feel comfortable talking in the typical classroom setting. And even if they do make a comment, there’s not always time for a thoughtful response by the professor. Dr. P. (as the students fondly refer to Dr. Pescatello) runs the program in such a way that she seems to be carrying on individual conversations with everyone, while encouraging others to interact with each other. I found it amazing how she was able to foster friendships between students. I have some great friends from the program who I have actually never met.”

In part, the secret to creating such an interactive online environment stems from the way the program is structured. Using the HuskyCT/Blackboard platform, Dr. Pescatello gives students discussion questions and students are required to post their responses on the discussion board each week. “Dr. P. responds to every single comment,” says Regine. “I feel like I know her better than any other professor I’ve had in-person.”

Learning directly from the expert in ACSM Guidelines

Regine was also very impressed with the program content, which is based on the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, considered the “gold standard” in the fields of sports medicine, kinesiology, and health and fitness. As she explains, “Dr. Pescatello has done so much to help shape ACSM policy and she brings all that expertise into the courses. The amount of information we were given was incredible, and we had many opportunities to practice what we learned, which was invaluable since there are so many moving parts to Exercise Science.”

In addition, Regine learned how to conduct a systematic literature review at a professional level and is working with Dr. Pescatello on preparing her research for publication. “Dr. P. connected me with one of her colleagues at ACSM, who provided several articles she had written on a topic similar to mine. That was so helpful,” notes Regine.

Strengthening bonds with her own students

Best of all, Regine is currently using the new knowledge she gleaned from the program, both in fine-tuning her personal training business, as well as helping students she currently advises. “We are a very close knit community. My advisees know that I do different sports. Now that I’ve earned the certificate, they frequently come in and talk to me about what they should be doing at the gym, and I can make specific recommendations to help them deal with pain issues or physical limitations. I feel like I have a stronger bond with them now.”

In conclusion, Regine adds: “I highly recommend the program to anyone looking to earn solid credentials in Exercise Prescription. UConn is very well known in the field. Having a graduate level certificate from UConn is no joke if you are trying to demonstrate your credentials to a prospective employer. There’s no doubt in my mind that having the certificate will help me get into PT school.”

“I believe that my credentials from UConn, and especially the Exercise Prescription certificate, will help me more easily establish trust with clients as I move forward with my health club plans. Thanks to the program, I now have the knowledge and skills I need to address all kinds of situations and help people achieve their exercise goals – and help them have fun while they’re doing it!”- Rob Maybruch Graduate of the Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate, Spring 2018

Exercising His Real Passion

Rob Maybruch found the transition from college into the workplace less than perfect. When he discovered UConn’s Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program, he realized he could combine his passion for exercise with his desire to help other young people more easily make that big step out of college and into work life.

It was a tough decision for Rob Maybruch. He had what he describes as a “cushy” job working as a bank examiner for FDIC in the Hartford, CT area. He was quite proficient at it; after all, he worked in the same position for about five years after having graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Connecticut (UConn). “The people I worked with were great, but I really wanted to feel passionate about what I was doing, especially knowing I have another 40 years to work,” says Rob, who adds: “I have always been active and was a long-time member of the Trampoline Club at UConn. I realized that I wanted exercise and fitness to be at the center of whatever I decided to do next. As I looked into different career paths, Exercise Prescription really appealed to me.”

In order to make such a big transition, Rob recognized that he needed knowledge and credentials. So naturally, he thought of his Alma Mater – UConn – first. After conducting an online search, he came across UConn’s Exercise Prescription Online Graduate Certificate program – the perfect solution! He spoke to the director of the program, Dr. Linda Pescatello, PhD, FACSM, FAHA, and was hooked. Rob started the program in the summer of 2017 and completed it a year later.

Surprise!

Rob admits that when he was first looking into the program, he felt hesitant about taking classes online. “I like having access to a teacher and I like to ask a lot of questions. I thought there might not be the same accessibility in an online course as in the traditional classroom setting.”

 He’s the first to admit he was wrong! According to Rob, the HuskyCT/Blackboard platform created a very interactive setting. “I was so surprised that the online platform created a great way to interact with the professor and with other students. I give the credit to Dr. Pescatello, who was incredibly responsive and approachable. Her lectures were great too. Because she had recorded them, we could watch them at our own pace. I’d often plug them into my phone and watch while I was exercising at the gym.”

Rob also appreciated learning so much about the science of exercise. “I had my personal training certificate. But other than studying for the exam, most of the academic information I had about exercise came from doing Google searches,” he explains and notes: “I loved that everything presented to us was evidence-based. And I appreciated learning about the process of systematically gathering evidence and uncovering primary research to support well-informed decision making. Now I have the tools and know-how to do the research and stay current with what’s going on in the industry – something I could never have done without having participated in the program.”

 A real eye-opener

By the end of the three courses, Rob had been exposed to many different areas within the fitness arena, which he said was a real eye-opener. “I came into the program with my own interests in weight lifting and outdoor types of sports. But I left the program with a much greater understanding of all the elements that make up the world of fitness. For example, we learned about a variety of disease and conditions and about how to promote better adherence to exercise programs." 

Making exercise fun

Rob’s ultimate dream is to open a health club in the Greater Hartford, CT area, and he’s well on his way to pulling it all together. He’s written a business plan, begun to apply for various licenses, and is now looking for the right home for the club. Most importantly, he knows exactly what he wants to focus on. As he explains: “When I started with FDIC, I was right out of college. I went from a very active and social environment, where I had access to all kinds of sports and to a great fitness center, to working at a desk eight hours a day. I envision creating a club for people who are going through a similar transition, a place where they can have fun, be active, and socialize all under one roof. Of course, I’ll have classes and exercise equipment, but I’d also like to have ping pong tables, active video games, a rock climbing wall, and maybe an evening dodge ball league – those kinds of fun activities that help you forget you are doing something great for your physical health!”

Evidence-based

Not surprising, Rob is basing his vision for the club on evidence he found after having conducted a systematic review for the second course, KINS 5508 – Exercise Prescription for Individuals with Chronic Diseases and Health Conditions. His topic? The influence on physical activity of young people transitioning from college into the workplace. “I found that some people experience a decline in physical activity, while others were actually able to increase their level of exercise. That told me that the transition from college into the workforce is a very influential time that affects behaviors around exercise. That’s why I want to target this population of people,” says Rob, who adds: “The UConn brand is so well respected. I believe that my credentials from UConn, and especially the Exercise Prescription certificate, will help me more easily establish trust with clients as I move forward with my health club plans. Thanks to the program, I now have the knowledge and skills I need to address all kinds of situations and help people achieve their exercise goals – and help them have fun while they’re doing it!”