#PROFspective: Athletic Training Major Maribeth Novsak

Maribeth outside the Rowan field

Today, we speak with Maribeth Novsak, a freshman athletic training major from Cape May Court House (Cape May County), NJ, who lives on campus in Willow Hall. Maribeth will share her #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how she’s getting the most out of her college experience as a Rowan Prof.

Name: Maribeth NovsakMaribeth with her bookbag outside the Rec Center
Major: Athletic Training
Year: Freshman
Hometown and County: Cape May Court House (Cape May County)
Resident: Yes, Willow
Academic clubs: Athletic Training Club (Member)
Athletic clubs: Rowan University Unified Sports (Assistant Coach)
Social clubs: Student University Programmers (Tech Committee Member), Leadership Rowan (Member), First Year Leadership Involvement Program FLIP (Member), Rowan EMS (Member)

Why did you choose your major? When I was younger my dad was injured in the line of duty.  He spent a lot of time in physical therapy and it looked like a lot of fun.  As a little kid, I saw it as a job were you got to play catch all day, and balancing games.  As I got older I still wanted to do some sort of physical therapy but I really loved sports and being outside. When I got to middle school and high school I got injured a couple of times and had to go to our school’s athletic trainer.  I got to know her and she started telling me about the career and all of the great opportunities.  My junior year my friend and I became student athletic training aides and spent all of the winter season shadowing her.  My senior year I shadowed for the fall and winter season.  It was during those three season that I realized that athletic training would allow me to help injured people and I wouldn’t be stuck inside all day.

Maribeth outside near brick wallOne reason why you chose Rowan? I chose Rowan University because it is far enough away from my hometown but close enough that I can visit when I get the time.  As an added bonus, the Athletic Training Program has a really successful pass rate on the Board of Certification Exam.

My typical day as a Rowan student:

Mondays through Fridays I typically wake up around 7 am to get ready for my 8 am class and any other classes I have that day.  On Mondays and Wednesdays, I have an 8 am and a 9:30 am. I start those days in my Intro to Athletic Training class in James Hall. After that, my friends and I walk across the street to Robinson Hall where we have our Human Variation class.  We usually have about a half hour between these classes if we get out of Intro early.  I use this time to put last-minute touches on homework, look at my schedule for the rest of the week, and catch up on social media.  

Maribeth at Willow Hall sign

That class ends at 10:45 am.  On Mondays, I am free to do whatever I want until my Student University Programmers (SUP) Tech meeting at three. I use this time to get a majority of my homework done. I am not the kind of person that can sit at a desk and do homework for long periods of time so I like to go to different places on campus to work.  My favorite thing to do is hang my hammock in the trees outside of Mimosa and put headphones on and work.  I also like doing work in the Office of Student Activities (OSA) office in the Student Center, in the Marketplace, or the balcony of the Student Center. Occasionally I will have additional meetings or events that I go to, but that is my typical Monday and Wednesday. 

Maribeth outside in her #ROWANproud shirt

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I start my day with and 8 am Essentials of Psychology out in the Enterprise Center, then 11 am Human Anatomy and Physiology followed by a 3:30 College Composition class. In between those classes I try to do as many assignments as possible, grab something to eat or meet up with friends.  I usually don’t have any meetings or anything because I only have a few hours between classes.  

On Fridays, I sleep in until 8:30 am since I don’t have any classes on Fridays.  When I first get up I’ll watch my show from the night before.  When I get done with that, I gather my laundry and go to the Student Center, throw a load in the wash then head upstairs to eat.  At 1:45 pm on Fridays I have FLIP which is run by Leadership Rowan and is a lot of fun.  We meet up and do a few icebreakers then some leadership programming.  Every other week we do fun activities like lawn games by the volleyball courts or board games and card games.

Maribeth at a table outside

Saturdays are usually filled with events held by the University, volunteering opportunities or day trips to Philly, NYC, or home to the Wildwood area. Sundays are Unified days.  Unified is an amazing sports club organization where Rowan students are placed on teams with special Olympic athletes and they pay soccer in the fall and basketball in the spring.  I am the assistant coach for the Pink team this season and we have a blast. There is nothing like a little friendly competition. After Unified my day is all about finishing any homework, trying to get ahead on homework and getting ready for the week.

Maribeth showing off her SUP shirt So that is pretty much how a typical week for me goes here at Rowan University. A few tips for anyone thinking about coming to Rowan University; go on First-Year Connection Leadership FCL (you make a lot of friends), get involved in organizations, and stay on top of your school work (DO NOT PROCRASTINATE; this isn’t high school).

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Related stories:
#PROFspective: Athletic Training Major Cassie Dennis
Inside Look, Willow Hall: What My Room Says About Me
#RowanPROUD Philanthropy at the Beach

Story organized and photography by:
Vanessa Vause, junior public relations major and advertising minor

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