Ten TLU students recently traveled to Waco for the annual meeting of the Texas Chapter of the American College of Sport Medicine.

“The primary goal of our trip is to expose students to the conference experience and expand their knowledge of the field of Kinesiology,” said Associate Professor of Kinesiology Erika Deike Short. Short said the conference gave students the opportunity to review research from other schools, compete in the "Student Bowl" (a Jeopardy-style competition), network with professionals, and gather information on graduate programs. “Additionally, this conference publishes student research, providing a valuable opportunity for those with strong Capstone projects.” 

TLU students have been participating in the TACSM conference every year for the past decade. To be eligible to attend, they must exhibit strong research skills and extensive knowledge of the field. 

“To present, students must have completed their Capstone class in the fall,” said Short. “And if they are still enrolled at TLU in the spring and have done great work, we encourage them to submit their abstract for acceptance. For the Student Bowl, we invite students who excelled in Exercise Physiology to join a team of three. They compete against schools across Texas, including Texas A&M, UT, and others.”

Students who made the cut this year included Kirk Revis, Patrick Montegrande, Will Celis, Eddie Pineda, Peyton Schmidt, Richelle Guerra, Cole Thompson, Liana Herr, Brianna Miller, and Kaydon Jackson.

"I am incredibly proud of my students for stepping out of their comfort zones to attend a conference, even when they don’t know anyone else going,” said Short. “Some go even further, challenging their knowledge against larger schools in a high-stakes game of Jeopardy and presenting the research they’ve dedicated so much effort to. This experience not only builds their self-confidence but also gives them a deep sense of accomplishment.”