When Melissa Miles crosses the commencement stage this December, she won鈥檛 just celebrate the end of a rigorous academic journey, she will honor herself by accomplishing her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse.

Miles waited patiently through marriage, raising children, a previous career in teaching and helping with grandchildren before finally giving herself permission to pursue her dream. Her first major pause came when she decided she needed to take time off to support her family.

鈥淚 always wanted to do nursing,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淏ut I got married, had kids and they became my focus.鈥�

Once her children were grown, Miles took a leap of faith and returned to the classroom. She began her prerequisites with her oldest daughter in 2021. Going back to school with a familiar face helped Miles ease her way back into academic life.

鈥淭here was this student who sat next to me in class who also sat at my dinner table,鈥� she laughed. 鈥淚t was sweet.鈥�

She felt she had finally found the balance between family and her academic responsibilities, but as she began pursuing her nursing degree, life once again led her to put her academic pursuits on hold when her family needed her full attention.

During this break, Miles realized she was too close to the finish line of a bachelor鈥檚 degree to give up. In 2022, she completed a health sciences degree from Georgia Southern.

鈥淚t was exciting for me and for my family to see me graduate,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut my husband looked at me and said, 鈥極k, that鈥檚 not what you want to do. You don’t want to sit at a desk in a hospital.鈥� He was right.鈥�

A call from her advisor and her husband鈥檚 support encouraged Miles to reapply to the nursing program.

鈥淚 was so scared to open the letter,鈥� she admitted. 鈥淏ut when I saw that I got in, it was one of the most unexpected and proudest moments of my life.鈥�

Between balancing family, work shifts in an emergency room and the demanding program, Miles knew this would be no small feat.

鈥淭here were missed dinners, missed bedtime stories,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut it was worth it. I just kept remembering my why.鈥�

Her family was her driving force through the nursing program at Georgia Southern.

鈥淚 wanted them to see me do something for myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f their 44-year-old mama could go back and get a very hard degree, they could know that they have time to figure out their own paths.鈥�

Miles proudly calls herself a nontraditional student. At Georgia Southern, she never once felt out of place.

鈥淪ome of my closest friendships are with people the same age as my kids,鈥� she laughed. 鈥淭hey welcomed me. They treated me like a peer.鈥�

Miles emphasized that Georgia Southern has shaped her to be more than prepared for her future. She credits her success to the support that she found, especially among the School of Nursing faculty in the Waters College of Health Professions.

鈥淭he professors have been amazing,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey understood where I was coming from, but they didn’t let me slack off. They encouraged me.鈥�

Miles found one professor in particular, Mary Bester, Ph.D., who made a profound impact on her journey.

鈥淪he saw me for me, not just Rebecca鈥檚 mom,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淪he remembered my family, my grandkids. She listened. Being seen like that made such a difference.鈥�

Before joining the program, Miles believed she wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse. However, through summer classes and an ICU rotation, Miles discovered her true professional passion.

鈥淚 fell in love with the ICU,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a puzzle balancing things, figuring things out, staying organized. The teamwork there was unlike anything I鈥檇 seen. I saw their compassion. I realized this is where I鈥檓 meant to be.鈥�

Miles hopes to inspire others and show that it鈥檚 never too late.

鈥淛ust do it,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here will be days you want to throw in the towel, but don鈥檛. Find your balance. Find your people. And remember your why. If one person at home sees me walk across that stage and thinks, 鈥業f she can do it, I can do it,鈥� then that means everything.鈥�

With a signed contract to work in the ICU at Memorial Health in Savannah, Miles finally sees her dream coming to fruition.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 give up,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淚 persevered. Now I get to help others not give up too.鈥�

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slK1Dnp5ofU

A long-vacated pool space in the University鈥檚 Hanner Fieldhouse complex has been renovated into state-of-the-art laboratories that will help athletes, first responders and people with disabilities avoid injuries, strengthen performance and improve their quality of life. 

Georgia Southern鈥檚 new Kinesiology Research Laboratories on the Statesboro Campus is the only facility of its kind in the region, enabling students and faculty to conduct leading human movement research while improving the quality of healthcare in southeast Georgia.

鈥淭he technology available to students in this newly renovated space is second to none in the region, but more importantly, the research being done here is having a significant impact on the field of kinesiology, and on real, everyday people,鈥� said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. 鈥淭his building will expand the facilities and capabilities of Georgia Southern, but it will also expand the firsthand experience of our students.鈥�

University System of Georgia Regents Don Waters and C. Everett Kennedy III, helped cut the ribbon on the new facility in a ceremony on Friday.聽

During the ceremony, Dean of the Waters College of Health Professions Barry Joyner, Ph.D., congratulated and thanked the faculty and students of the health sciences and kinesiology department.

鈥淵ou have demonstrated your capabilities and this new facility is an investment in you,鈥� he said. 

The renovated space boasts four labs 鈥� two biomechanics labs, a motor control lab and a human performance lab. Each lab will provide a space for undergraduate students, graduate students and student interns to have the opportunity to conduct ongoing research, preparing them for an exciting career after graduation.

In the biomechanics labs, students will be able to work alongside world-class faculty as they monitor University athletes at risk for concussion and help others recover. They will also conduct important gait research, monitoring changes in gait over long-distance runs, as well as the effects of different athletic shoe types on gait mechanics.

In the human performance laboratory, faculty and students are conducting tactical assessments on firefighters and law enforcement, helping them avoid injury; and working with players on the professional soccer team, Tormenta.

In the motor control laboratory, faculty and students are working with cerebral palsy patients to combat the painful symptom of spasticity and provide training programs to improve their strength and quality of life.

The facility also includes patient consulting rooms so that area physicians can use the facility for their patients, and to learn from the research.

A desire to continue to learn and improve the quality of life for others drives students like Sarah Creveling, a senior studying exercise science. 

鈥淭hese new Hanner Research Labs are equipped with the technology that I and my peers need in order to seek new ways to improve the lives of people with disabilities,鈥� said Creveling. 鈥淲ith this space, equipment and tools that we now have at our disposal, myself and many other students and faculty members will be able to perform research that will impact not only this field, but also our community.鈥�

She plans to apply to the Master of Science in Kinesiology program with a concentration in exercise science in the hopes of continuing her research in a student-centered environment.

Georgia Southern now represents 20% of all undergraduate healthcare profession graduates in Georgia 鈥� almost one out of every five in the state. The University is committed to meeting Georgia鈥檚 demand for more healthcare professionals, and the Hanner renovation project takes another step in addressing this crucial need.

Approximately 11,000 square feet of space was renovated and life safety issues in the complex were addressed through the $5 million project. Renovating the unused space in Hanner provided the much-needed facility to create custom-designed research labs and returned the retrofitted space that temporarily housed some labs to a gymnasium for University athletic department and instructional use. Funding was provided through the state of Georgia. 

The civil engineering and architectural firm Hussey, Gay and Bell designed and created the most efficient use of the space, and general contractor Sheridan Construction completed the construction.

快猫app短视, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving more than 26,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slK1Dnp5ofU

A long-vacated pool space in the University鈥檚 Hanner Fieldhouse complex has been renovated into state-of-the-art laboratories that will help athletes, first responders and people with disabilities avoid injuries, strengthen performance and improve their quality of life. 

Georgia Southern鈥檚 new Kinesiology Research Laboratories on the Statesboro Campus is the only facility of its kind in the region, enabling students and faculty to conduct leading human movement research while improving the quality of healthcare in southeast Georgia.

鈥淭he technology available to students in this newly renovated space is second to none in the region, but more importantly, the research being done here is having a significant impact on the field of kinesiology, and on real, everyday people,鈥� said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. 鈥淭his building will expand the facilities and capabilities of Georgia Southern, but it will also expand the firsthand experience of our students.鈥�

University System of Georgia Regents Don Waters and C. Everett Kennedy III, helped cut the ribbon on the new facility in a ceremony on Friday.聽

During the ceremony, Dean of the Waters College of Health Professions Barry Joyner, Ph.D., congratulated and thanked the faculty and students of the health sciences and kinesiology department.

鈥淵ou have demonstrated your capabilities and this new facility is an investment in you,鈥� he said. 

The renovated space boasts four labs 鈥� two biomechanics labs, a motor control lab and a human performance lab. Each lab will provide a space for undergraduate students, graduate students and student interns to have the opportunity to conduct ongoing research, preparing them for an exciting career after graduation.

In the biomechanics labs, students will be able to work alongside world-class faculty as they monitor University athletes at risk for concussion and help others recover. They will also conduct important gait research, monitoring changes in gait over long-distance runs, as well as the effects of different athletic shoe types on gait mechanics.

In the human performance laboratory, faculty and students are conducting tactical assessments on firefighters and law enforcement, helping them avoid injury; and working with players on the professional soccer team, Tormenta.

In the motor control laboratory, faculty and students are working with cerebral palsy patients to combat the painful symptom of spasticity and provide training programs to improve their strength and quality of life.

The facility also includes patient consulting rooms so that area physicians can use the facility for their patients, and to learn from the research.

A desire to continue to learn and improve the quality of life for others drives students like Sarah Creveling, a senior studying exercise science. 

鈥淭hese new Hanner Research Labs are equipped with the technology that I and my peers need in order to seek new ways to improve the lives of people with disabilities,鈥� said Creveling. 鈥淲ith this space, equipment and tools that we now have at our disposal, myself and many other students and faculty members will be able to perform research that will impact not only this field, but also our community.鈥�

She plans to apply to the Master of Science in Kinesiology program with a concentration in exercise science in the hopes of continuing her research in a student-centered environment.

Georgia Southern now represents 20% of all undergraduate healthcare profession graduates in Georgia 鈥� almost one out of every five in the state. The University is committed to meeting Georgia鈥檚 demand for more healthcare professionals, and the Hanner renovation project takes another step in addressing this crucial need.

Approximately 11,000 square feet of space was renovated and life safety issues in the complex were addressed through the $5 million project. Renovating the unused space in Hanner provided the much-needed facility to create custom-designed research labs and returned the retrofitted space that temporarily housed some labs to a gymnasium for University athletic department and instructional use. Funding was provided through the state of Georgia. 

The civil engineering and architectural firm Hussey, Gay and Bell designed and created the most efficient use of the space, and general contractor Sheridan Construction completed the construction.

快猫app短视, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving more than 26,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit .

Individuals working toward a Master of Science in Sport Management online at 快猫app短视 are in one of the nation鈥檚 top programs, according to . The website has the program listed as the 16th best in the country. College Affordability Guide examined every university in the nation with online degrees in sport management or a related discipline while making the list. Program coordinator for the graduate sport management program, Christina Gipson, Ph.D., said she is proud of the program鈥檚 balance of quality and affordability. 鈥淎s graduate degrees become a common requirement for employment in the sports industry, Georgia Southern is excited that we can offer a quality program that is both challenging and affordable,鈥� Gipson said. 鈥淲e are happy that CollegeAffordabilityGuide.org recognized our value for students interested in furthering their knowledge.鈥� To be included in the ranking, universities had to have a not-for-profit status and a minimum enrollment of 500 students. The rankings also examined the financial cost of the universities as well as how the workload is distributed once students are enrolled in the program. The 36-credit hour program, housed in the Waters College of Health Professions, is designed to provide academic preparation and practical experience in the skills and techniques necessary to be successful in the sport business and leisure field. Students are able to earn their degree in as little as 24 months or as their schedule permits. 快猫app短视, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving more than 27,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit .