Exercise Science student interns in Texas

By: Sara Banton
Creative Services Student Writer

When searching for an internship to complete for their degree, most students seek ones within their intended career path. Brady Hepner, an exercise science major, plans to attend graduate school for physical therapy (PT) but chose instead to accept an internship at the University of Texas at San Antonio in strength and conditioning. During his internship, Hepner was mentored by the university’s strength and conditioning coaches while assisting with the men’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams.

“The internship coordinator said we could branch out so I thought, I know my major and what I want to pursue, however, I was interested in strength and conditioning,” Hepner said. “I was looking at openings and applied to a few of them and that’s how it all started. I just branched out.”

The internship also appealed to Hepner as it gave him an opportunity to explore a part of the country he had never visited before. “This was my last summer in college to do something cool, so the places I applied to were far away, just to experience something new for the last summer I had,” he said.

Internship coordinator, Jana Walters, recognizes the significance of Hepner’s internship and believes that it will set him apart from other graduates.

“Brady’s internship in an area outside of his intended career path was a decision worthy of praise. He took a huge leap to move far away from home and also explore a different career,” Walters said. “Brady now has an exciting new experience to add to his resume. He is able to say he completed an internship with a Division I school in strength and conditioning.”

When Hepner began his internship, he was challenged by the fact that he didn’t know anyone in the area. Not knowing anyone was a new experience for him, but the coaches and team welcomed him into the fold. As they began to work together, he developed relationships with many of his colleagues. By the end of the internship, he knew everyone by name. He remains in contact with a few of the coaches and players and continues to follow their performance.

“With the basketball team, some of them had different issues and problems I got to experience and go through with them,” Hepner said. “Being there with them for their ups and downs, meeting them and becoming their friend and coach by the end was very fun.”

An additional opportunity Hepner gained from this internship was the corresponding course he took as part of the internship. Through this class, Hepner learned how to design strength and conditioning programs for athletes. Overall, Hepner learned a lot from his two months in Texas, through both interactions and the classroom.

Though physical therapy is his intended career path, Hepner believes that this internship opened his eyes to other opportunities and experiences. He knows that if he ever needs to follow a different career path, it would be in strength and conditioning.

“Taking advantage of this internship gave him the opportunity to fit information he has already learned into new situations,” Walters said. “This is a useful skill to practice in any profession because effective professionals are constantly evolving.”

Hepner encourages other students to branch out as well. “It’s not going to hurt, it can only help,” he said.