I started my college career four short years ago at Butler University as an eager and nervous first year student with ambitions to follow my childhood dream and attend medical school following graduation. I had spent many of my high school years shadowing in the hospital and learning from several, amazing physicians, including my big brother. I wanted to be just like them. Majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, I was setting myself up to gain all of the knowledge necessary for becoming a physician as brilliant and caring as the ones I had previously spent much time learning from.
However, my college career took a different turn. Halfway into my college journey I took a class that, quite frankly, changed my life. To fulfill my personal well-being credit for my Butler liberal arts education, I enrolled into a class called PWB129: Strength and Conditioning. In my mind, I thought this class would be like any other: I would go to class, study, do my assignments, and maybe get a workout in, given that this was going to be a class focused on exercise. Little did I know, this class would open my eyes to a passion of mine I knew I always had and lead me to a career I never knew I would ever pursue. It would also lead me to meet my greatest mentor. In this class I was introduced to Sam Woodworth, my professor who was also a personal trainer at a gym called the Fitness Clinic of Indy on the northside of Indianapolis. His passion for fitness was evident and his optimism was contagious. His upbeat demeanor always made class fun, even when it was switched to one hundred percent online in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In this class, I learned a great deal about nutrition, stress management and sleep hygiene—all things that are very important when it comes to one’s overall wellness! Additionally, I learned a lot about the anatomy of the human body and the body’s mechanics. It was a class I found myself always looking forward to attending and one that focused on topics that peaked my interest. I was always wanting to keep learning more.
At the end of the class, Sam offered me a summer internship to work with him at the Fitness Clinic. During a time when it was nearly impossible to get a job in a hospital due to the pandemic, I took him up on this offer. Going into it, I was still following the path to pursue a career in medicine, but I knew I would enjoy this opportunity. Fitness has always been a passion of mine, especially running, starting from a very early age. I started running when I was 8 years old, participating in Girls on the Run, an after school running program for girls in grades 3-5. (In fact, I had the pleasure of coaching the past two seasons of Girls on the Run here in Indianapolis and enjoyed every minute of it!). I ran cross country and track all throughout middle school and high school. I’ve completed several half marathons, and while the pandemic has caused a brief hiatus to racing, I have ambitions of completing my first full marathon.
During my internship I fell in love even more with the fitness world. Much like pursuing a career in medicine, I loved the idea of being able to help people and cultivate relationships while helping them to achieve a goal of improved health and wellness. Because I loved my experience so much, I decided to get certified in personal training through the American College of Sports Medicine and completely switch my career path. I passed my personal training exam in January and have been working as a personal trainer alongside Sam at the Fitness Clinic ever since. There is nothing better than seeing my clients build up confidence and achieve personal goals they never thought might be possible. I’m essentially helping my clients become the best versions of themselves, and that’s a pretty cool thing.
Without Butler University, without Sam Woodworth, and without following my passions, I would not be where I am today. I am fortunate to have a job that I love, a workplace I look forward to going to everyday, co-workers I enjoy being around and who serve as great role models, the best clients in the world I get to cultivate relationships with and help achieve their goals, and a boss who believes in me and pushes me to learn and grow in order to meet my full potential. My journey might not have ended up the way I always thought it would, but I would not change a thing about it. I am looking forward to continuing this new journey in the fitness world. Everything happens for a reason, and I will forever be grateful for signing up for PWB129.
Yours in Wellness,
Taylor