Steer loving experience at MSU
MINOT, N.D. – After transferring from Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, Holly Steer just finished her first year at Minot State and has enjoyed every moment.
Originally from Warren, Minnesota, Steer graduated from Northland in the spring of 2020 with an associate degree in liberal arts and sciences. Her journey from Northland to MSU is unique.
“My best friend from Northland, Janie Wunderlich, decided to transfer here to play basketball. We had always talked about going to college together after we graduated from Northland. After looking into the majors that MSU offered and seeing the corporate fitness and physical education programs, I was sold,” Steer said.
At Minot State, she is double majoring in corporate fitness and wellness management and physical education. Along with her majors, she is also pursuing a concentration in strength and conditioning.
Steer was able to focus on her general education requirements at Northland, which made the transition to MSU easy.
“Once I transferred here, I was able to dive into the classes that were related to my majors. Within my two areas of studies, there’s been a lot of hands-on learning which I have loved,” Steer said. “The smaller class sizes here made it feel similar to Northland and the faculty and staff are the best of the best. I’m very fortunate to learn and build relationships with them.”
While gaining a lot of hands-on experience, Steer has been able to accomplish much more than expanding her education.
“A neat experience I’ve had while at MSU has been getting different certifications — I became a certified indoor cycling instructor this spring and am currently studying to become a yoga instructor and a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) certified personal trainer,” Steer said. “The exciting thing is that this is just the beginning — while I’ve been working towards these certifications, I’ve learned that I’m very passionate about these areas and want to continue expanding my knowledge.”
She is a part of the KIN Krew, MSU’s kinesiology club for students in the corporate fitness, physical education, or exercise science programs, as well as a North Dakota student representative for the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Region 5. Steer also attended multiple leadership workshops from the Looyenga Leadership Center hosted over the 2020-21 school year.
Steer’s involvement in many activities on campus helps her gain experience in her areas of interest — one of them the MSU Wellness Center.
“Another way I’ve gotten involved is by going to group exercise classes at the Wellness Center. In the near future, I am going to start teaching some Group X classes at the Wellness Center and at another gym in Minot. Being able to get this relevant experience during my time here at MSU will help me learn and grow more and will be beneficial when looking into different career paths,” she said.
Steer points to Terry Eckmann, chair of teacher education and kinesiology, as someone who has had a big impact on her first year at Minot State and has helped guide her over the past two semesters.
“She has helped me grow tremendously both as a student and as a person. Simply put, she’s helped shape me into a better version of myself. Dr. Eckmann’s enthusiasm is contagious, and I always find myself wanting to learn more from her,” Steer said. “She has a plethora of knowledge about all thing’s health and fitness, so getting the opportunity to learn from her is such a sweet gift.”
This summer, Steer will continue to take classes and prepare for her next year of undergraduate schooling.
“To say that I am glad that I transferred to Minot State would truly be an understatement. Although I kind of made the decision on a whim, it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made,” she said. “The thing that stands out the most is the people that I’ve been fortunate to have met and build relationships with — the instructors that I had this past year were amazing and the friendships that I’ve made will last a lifetime.”
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 06/25/21 |
