Faculty Spotlight
Health & Fitness Science
SeaWorld's Loss Has Been Wake Tech's Gain
As a sixth-grader, Samantha Reed was already planning a career training dolphins, even writing to Florida State University for information on its marine biology program.
But that dream was dashed in high school when a guidance counselor told her she would never make a living working with dolphins.
"I didn't know what I was going to do," Reed said. "All I ever wanted was to train dolphins. I didn't have a backup plan."
SeaWorld's loss, however, would turn out to be Wake Tech's gain.
While investigating other possible careers, Reed discovered the field of exercise science and quickly found a new path for herself. Growing up in eastern Pennsylvania, she had always been athletic, from playing various sports with her brothers to participating in gymnastics and cheer.
"I don't think we ever sat around inside; we were always outside," she said. "I was really into sports."
Reed figured exercise science would feed that part of her personality and allow her to work with athletes on strength and conditioning. But she didn't count on how hard learning anatomy and physiology would be.
"I really struggled," she said, noting she created dozens of flashcards to drill herself on facts about the inner workings of the human body.
The experience prompted her to focus her studies on nutrition – her master's thesis examined the impact of beetroot juice on sprinters' performance – and she began envisioning a career in research instead of training athletes.
"I really enjoyed studying and discovering things," Reed said. "I never had teaching on my radar."
A mentor of hers at East Stroudsburg University, where she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees, told her she was a natural instructor and suggested she give it a try. So, she got an adjunct teaching position at East Stroudsburg and found that she enjoyed it even more than research.
"I like finding the passion in students," she said. "It's cool to watch it all click and come together."
After moving to Wilmington, N.C., Reed contacted fellow East Stroudsburg alum Chris Kacyon, the director of Wake Tech's Health & Fitness Science program, to see if he knew of any jobs in the area. When an adjunct job opened at Wake Tech in 2017, she was hired and began commuting to Raleigh a couple of times a week while coaching gymnastics in Wilmington. Three years later, after winning a Wake Tech Excellence in Adjunct Teaching Award, she left Wilmington and gymnastics behind and became a full-time faculty member.
Recalling her own experience, Reed, now an assistant professor, encourages her students to take the anatomy and physiology courses required for a Health & Fitness Science degree early on in case they struggle and need to retake them.
"[Those classes are] the foundation of understanding how the body moves and works," she said.
Students describe her teaching style as energetic and engaging.
"All students are different, and she takes the time to get to know us," said McKenzie Henderson, who wants to become a middle school physical education teacher.
"She's firm and establishes what you need to do, but she offers tons of support," said Alberto Marroquin-Gonzalez, who aims for a career as a physical therapist. "I find something I can use from every class."
Stelios Hatzimimis, a student in Reed's personal trainer class, calls Reed detail-oriented.
"No question is too trivial," Hatzimimis said. "She makes sure everybody's at a place where they need to be to be successful."
Reed says she just wants students to have a positive experience at Wake Tech.
"It's so rewarding to hear from former students because I know I helped guide them toward their future," she said.
