mentored others, idealist

DeMarcus Nash is a senior from Shreveport. He is majoring in Kinesiology Exercise Science with a concentration in Pre-Physical Therapy.

I am involved in several ULM organizations: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., secretary; NAACP, former president for two years and current treasurer; Campus Activities Board, former committee head; PREP Staff; National Pan-Hellenic Council and Association of Students in Kinesiology. I was involved in 31 Ambassadors, Student Government Association, ULM Telecounseling Staff, Hometown Hawks College Democrats and the Hawkeye.

I want to be a high-ranking graduate who will leave many footprints at ULM. Upon graduation, I plan to attend the University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas Physical Therapy school, where I will receive my doctorate. Growing up as a child, I had many older family members who were very sick. My grandmother suffered with cancer, and I took her to doctors appointments. My uncle suffered from multiple strokes, and I took him to therapy. Health is a big issue in my family, and it’s affected my major and my career choices. These challenges have inspired me to become a physical therapist.

I have many favorite spots on the ULM campus. I love campus -especially since we are constantly undergoing renovations to make ULM the ideal campus for any college student. I enjoy the area behind the Bayou Village Apartments on the bayou, where I can relax and clear my mind after a full week of studying. The library offers the perfect environment for studying, and I can look out the window and admire the Monroe skyline. I also enjoy the SUB, mainly because it is a popular hangout spot on campus, and I am a very social person who loves to meet new people.

At ULM I have discovered many professors I have grown to adore, but there is one I particularly admire: Mrs. Tommie Church of the kinesiology department. I have been one of her students every semester at ULM. We have a bond, and she understands my academic performance; she can detect when something is just not going right. She has always been a professor I can talk to about many topics, ranging from school to personal trials. When I have been tired and worn out, she has continued to push me to go those extra miles.

My favorite ULM memory was serving on the 2006 PREP Staff. Not only was it a chance for me to mentor many incoming freshman, it was also a time that helped me grow as a person. It helped me realize how much I really loved this campus. Of all of memories, the one that will remain with me forever is the day I saw my best friends flip out of a canoe into Bayou DeSiard.

ULM has helped me grow into the idealist that I am. I have worked with many of ULM's students and staff members, and they have all had an impact. They have given me praise when I have done something great, and they have given me that little pep talk when they thought I could do something better.