Student Stories
Stevie Lizabeth Lee
Exercise Science graduate
Professional health and wellness coach
Uncovering "true potential" is what drives Stevie Lizabeth Lee. A certified health and wellness coach, Lee helps women achieve their personal and professional goals. She herself uncovered her own potential as a student at COCC.
"The amount of knowledge and support I received as a student at COCC is unmatched, and without that educational foundation I would not be who I am today."
"The Exercise Science program gave me the opportunity to immerse myself into a world that made sense to me, and I cherished the community of fellow students who shared my passions," she says. "The amount of knowledge and support I received as a student at COCC is unmatched, and without that educational foundation I would not be who I am today."
Learning from instructors who bring many career perspectives to the classroom — from former professional athletes to trainers to coaches — elevated the education for Lee. "I found all of my professors in the program to be spectacular. They brought the information to life in a way that made learning exciting and memorable…providing even more depth to their knowledge and experience."
After COCC, Lee earned a bachelor's degree in health science/kinesiology from Oregon State University-Cascades and then received her certified health and wellness coach credentials. Today, she operates her own coaching business in Bend.
Dr. Colton Pope
Exercise Science graduate
Chiropractic physician
"I was drawn to the study of exercise science because of my fascination with anatomy, physiology, and wellness," says Colton Pope, who set out to forge a career that integrated both the scientific and lifestyle aspects of human health. At COCC, his studies opened his eyes to a range of occupational possibilities.
"I found all of my professors in the program to be spectacular."
"The 'Introduction to Exercise and Sport Science' course [HHP 131] did a great job of exposing me to a variety of career options that I hadn't previously considered," he says. "Each week there was a different facet of health care and human movement. I loved that I was being introduced to a variety of people whose work was based in anatomy and physiology."
Upon graduating from COCC, Pope transferred to Oregon State University-Cascades for a bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science. He then earned both a bachelor's degree in human biology and a Doctorate of Chiropractic from the University of Western States. "The focus of my career is patient care and patient education," says the Bend-based chiropractor. "I work to educate people about their pathology, while helping them to overcome it."
It all started with a strong foundation at COCC. "What I valued most about the teachers I had at COCC was how invested they were in my education," Pope adds. "At COCC I felt cared for as both a student and a friend. All of my teachers seemed to go out of their way to help me succeed in both my academic life as well as my professional life."
Ally Thompson
Associate of Science, Exercise Science
Certified personal trainer
A personal struggle in her own life led Ally Thompson to make a lasting difference in the lives of others. A lifelong athlete, Thompson always knew health and fitness would figure into her career. She had also struggled with an eating disorder for part of her life.
"My instructors care about their students and their students' success."
"I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to teaching and guiding people to be healthy and strong in a safe and healthy way," says the certified personal trainer. "I am incredibly passionate about training for health and lifestyle. My motto is 'Healthy is not a look. Healthy is a lifestyle.'"
Thompson enrolled in the Exercise Science program at COCC and found a learning atmosphere led by experts. "I think one of the things that makes the COCC Exercise Science program so strong is the dedication of its instructors," she says. "They're so knowledgeable and so invested in what they are teaching."
Becoming a certified trainer while she was still a student allowed Thompson to work with clients during her education, but her degree, she says, "definitely opened so many more doors for me."
Being a part of the Exercise Science department has made Thompson feel connected to an enduring program bond: "My instructors care about their students and their students' success," she says, "long after the classes end."