Name: Sarah Phelps
Hometown: Bar Harbor, ME
Major: Kinesiology: Sports Studies Option Minor: Psychology
Graduation Year: 2019
Why be an ACE Mentor? What attracted you towards the position?
I was drawn to this position because of my experiences freshman and sophomore year - I felt lost in the system. I knew I was going to switch majors, and had talked to my advisors and advisors of other programs to see what would fit best for me, but I still felt as though I was navigating CHHS alone. I did not know what my next four years looked like and I was stressed out. I took various intro classes and really tried expanding my horizons. While it did open my eyes and help me realize the major I wanted to pursue, it would have been helpful to have someone to reach out to. I feel the ACE mentors are a great resource for undeclared students, and we can help students and answer any questions they may have about the College of Health and Human services. I found my place within CHHS and I wanted to advocate for it and the sports studies program.
Looking back on your time at UNH so far, what are you most proud of and why?
I am most proud of my time with the club volleyball team. Joining as a freshman 4 years ago and watching the progression of the club has been a really great experience. A lot of good and bad things have happened that allowed myself and my co-president to shape the club as it is today.
Let's talk favorites: do you have a favorite course and/or professor? Why is the course or faculty person so great?
Psyc 531, psychobiology, taught by Nathanial Stafford was by far the best course experience I have had at UNH. Professor Stafford was a PhD student at the time, and had a very effective teaching strategy that worked well for me. The combination of the class and professor is what made my experience so good. The material was interesting, but professor Stafford gave out daily quizzes at the end of class that weren’t graded, and focused solely on assessing our learning from that day. It enforced paying attention throughout the class, and highlighted the material that you should review. I should have thanked him for it, my grade was higher than I expected it would be entirely because of him and his teaching methods.
What motivates you?
I am motivated by the fact that my last 4 years (and hopefully the next 2 years in grad school) will lead me to a career that I am excited to be a part of. I like the topic of sports psychology, so working towards the end goal of an enjoyable career is very motivating.
How is your experience at UNH preparing you to achieve your goals?
Being at UNH, I have learned to advocate for myself and ask if I have questions. That is probably my biggest skill that helps me achieve my goals.
What are you planning to do after graduation?
My plan (as of now) is to go to graduate school for 2 years to get my masters in sport and exercise psychology. After that, I don’t really have a plan. I’m just going to wing it.
What do you love about UNH?
I love a lot about UNH, including club volleyball, my sports studies experience and professors, the beautiful campus, and most importantly the food (dairy bar and the works are hands down my favorite places.)
