Alumni Profile: Melanie (Zollars) McGrath '01

Assistant Professor - Program Director, Athletic Training Education Program
University of Nebraska-Omaha
Major at Linfield: Athletic Training

What are you doing now?
I am an assistant professor and the director of two Athletic Training Education Programs (undergraduate and entry-level master's) at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Tell us about yourself.
I graduated from Linfield in 2001 with a double-major in athletic training and exercise science, plus a minor in psychology. I received my certification as an athletic trainer in June 2001 and practiced for two years in Portland. I then moved to North Carolina and received my M.S. in sport and exercise psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2005, and my Ph.D. in human movement science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009. I then moved to Omaha and started my current position in August 2009. I teach five classes a year in the athletic training curriculum. I serve on multiple university, state, district, and national committees. I also conduct research on lower extremity biomechanics, specifically as they relate to ACL injuries in athletes. I also enjoy spending time with my husband of 11 years (Scott McGrath '00) and our two pets. We both participate in triathlons, ski in the winter, and generally enjoy any time we can spend outdoors! I also continue to play tennis weekly.

How did Linfield help prepare you for your career?
More than anything, Linfield and my professors fostered a love of learning that has continued to this day. The small class sizes and opportunities for hands-on learning really fostered my skills as an athletic trainer. I had multiple people who I would call "mentors" those who took the time to ensure I not only learned the material, but that I had the skills to continue learning and growing as a professional after I graduated. I have stayed in close contact with all of these people, and I value these relationships tremendously. One of my favorite stories is of one of my professors who pulled me aside my senior year, just before I graduated. I was getting married that summer, and wanted to take a year or two off before going back to school for a graduate degree. She made me promise that I would attend graduate school, because she wanted to make sure I fulfilled the promise she (and others) had seen in me. That level of support really captures the true essence of Linfield and my experience there.

There were also so many opportunities at Linfield - social, professional, academic, leadership; and I felt encouraged to participate in whatever I could. To this day, the ability to be involved and take on leadership positions has really helped me grow into the professional position I now occupy.