Arkansas
Tech alumna Elizabeth Bowles Sharp recently received her Ph.D. in
human performance and has accepted a position at Mesa State College in
Grand Junction, Colorado.
Sharp was hired as an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Mesa
State where she will begin in August. She will be teaching physical
education and health education pedagogy courses and supervising student
teachers.
Sharp graduated from Arkansas Tech in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree
in health and physical education and received a master’s degree in
physical education in 2005, also from Arkansas Tech.
Originally pursuing a basketball coaching career, Sharp discovered
her love of physical education and preparing physical education
teachers.
“In my position, I am able to help college students pursue their
dreams and watch them discover the amazing opportunities there are in
physical education. I am also able to be a part of the public schools
and work with local teachers and kids to help create new ways of moving
and improve education techniques,” Sharp said.
After leaving Arkansas Tech, Sharp moved to China to teach. When she
returned, she became a visiting instructor at Arkansas Tech in the
Department of Health and Physical Education for four semesters.
Sharp credits working with the physical education majors as a
motivating factor in her decision to pursue a Ph.D. in human performance
with an emphasis in physical education pedagogy from Middle Tennessee
State University.
"While at Tech, I was very involved in various organizations and
activities. I am very thankful for the great start that I got from
Tech. I not only received an excellent education, but I also gained
some incredible mentors who have encouraged me as I pursued my Ph.D.,”
Sharp said.
“I am able to stay active and yet am challenged with new things at every turn. For me I feel like this job is the perfect fit.”