Josie Cooley

High school: Atherton High School    

Hometown: Louisville, Ky.

Major: Kinesiology     

Minor: Psychology

Activities: Chi Omega Gamma sorority, Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA)

Post-grad plans: Pursue a Masters of Prosthetics-Orthotics at Northwestern University    

Why Augustana?    

I knew I wanted to go to a smaller liberal arts college and pursue either kinesiology or biomechanical engineering for my major. After visiting many schools, Augustana was my top choice because of the beautiful campus environment and the educational resources like the newer kinesiology lab and Augie Choice.

Are you where you thought you'd be when you first came to campus?    

No. I don’t think I had many expectations for where I would be when I came to campus, but I definitely would not have expected it to be where I am now. 

I knew what I wanted to pursue with my major, but I was pretty nervous about the challenges I would face with the academic requirements, so I probably would’ve been really surprised to know how much I would enjoy most of my classes. 

I would have never expected that I would be a position holder in both my sorority and YDSA, or that I would be involved in research on campus.

Who helped you get to where you are now?    

The professors on campus have been so incredibly helpful in getting me to where I am now. Some of my most challenging classes were my favorite, and that would not be possible without the professors creating the environment they did. 

I definitely would not be where I am now if many of my professors had not taken the time to answer my numerous questions and walk me through concepts I was struggling with. My philosophy of medicine, ortho evaluation and biomechanics classes really reminded me how much I love learning and made me more excited about my future career.

My sorority has also been very influential in helping my growth. I have become not only more involved and confident, but also more hopeful about the future. I will definitely take what I have learned from my group with me after I graduate.

Peak experience?    

My J-term in Paris! I loved being able to briefly live in Paris and see so many beautiful places, like Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle. I will always miss the access to public transportation, art, markets and the patisseries on every block. It was also a reminder of how wonderful live music is. I never knew someone could shred on a saxophone until Dr. Hall’s concert! 

What surprised you?    

How much I have enjoyed being a part of research! I loved being in the journal club with Dr. Mettler, and getting to read articles about really interesting topics, which led to all of us figuring out how to set up the study and collecting data during the spring semester. 

I used to think I hated the idea of research, but it has been very rewarding to be involved in all of the steps of the research process so far.    

How did you use your Augie Choice?    

I used my Augie Choice to help pay for my study abroad in Paris!

What will you miss the most?    

Definitely the people, whether that’s my siblings and family in COG, my roommates who have become my family after living together for three to four years, or the professors. The people at Augustana make it such a welcoming community that encourages growth and pursuing your passions.

Advice for the Class of 2030?    

Do the fun things they offer on campus, show up to events that clubs put on, go see student performances, and pay attention to the opportunities they send emails about. I definitely didn’t take enough advantage of having free access to events/traditions/celebrations across different cultures and performances by students, and all the other stuff Augie offers throughout the year.