Connecting Students to Charlotte's Industry Leaders

Amy Knab, Ph.D., FACSM, remembers joining the Queens campus a decade ago, right as the Levine Center for Wellness and Recreation was unveiled. She was hired to lead the Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science program, a new major that was created to teach students about how to incorporate scientific principles to understand and improve the outcomes of exercise and sport performance. It’s a multidisciplinary field of study, where students experience an interactive curriculum that examines human movement from the perspective of a performer, practitioner, and researcher.

“I was immediately drawn to Queens because of its focus on developing relationships between its students and their professors,” said Knab. “Plus, we were able to house our laboratories in the Levine Center for Wellness and Recreation, a state-of-the-art facility that provides a space for our students to have hands-on experiences while learning.”

Since its inception, the program has grown tremendously. Knab is now the chair of the department of health and human performance which houses four majors and programs. In addition to exercise and sport science, there is also sport management, health science, and a master’s in health administration. What started as a cohort of just two students in exercise and sport science, is now a robust program that welcomes more than 20 students each year.

“I’ve enjoyed working with the same students year after year as they move through the program,“ said Knab. “You feel as though they come in as students and they evolve into your colleagues by the end of their studies.”

Students graduating with an exercise and sports science major pursue careers in medicine, physical and occupational therapies, fitness and wellness, and clinical exercise physiology, such as cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.

“Teaching students in Charlotte has been amazing!” said Knab. “We’ve been able to build these strong partnerships with industry leaders, like Atrium Health and OrthoCarolina, to create internship opportunities for students. Students can apply the lessons they’ve learned in the classroom to real-life patients, under the mentorship and guidance of qualified healthcare professionals.”

In addition to her role as department chair, Knab is also the president of Queens’ faculty council, which facilitates faculty involvement in university governance. Composed of full-time faculty, council members are elected by their peers to manage all standing committees across the university and consult with the provost and deans on university matters. The council is an important instrument in facilitating the flow of information between faculty at large and university administration.

“Through this experience, I’ve been able to meet faculty from all different disciplines across the campus,” said Knab. “Regardless of what area of study we are in, we all have one common goal to work together to create the best experience for our students as possible.”