Hi! My name is Ariel Blanco. I am enrolled in the Exercise Science program offered by Salisbury University at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG).
When I was about to graduate from high school I started thinking about what I wanted to do after earning my Associates degree at Montgomery College (MC). I was already enrolled in the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program. ACES is the collaborative effort of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), MC and USG, which creates a seamless pathway from high school to college completion.
I enrolled in the Health Fitness program at MC and then decided I wanted to transfer to Salisbury University’s Exercise Science program at USG. I picked my major based on my interest in health, exercise, and sports (I love soccer and hockey).
I began my first semester of my junior year at Salisbury University at USG. I was excited because USG has a great campus: small classes, a state-of-the-art library, amazing ACES coaches, and a fun student life. I decided to join the USG Student Ambassador program and I also took advantage of several other perks such as using the computer labs, renting laptops/ipads, and most importantly, the ping-pong room!
As an Exercise Science major, I have had the opportunity to help individuals from all backgrounds on living a healthy lifestyle from those with high fitness levels to those who are ill and are working hard for a better quality of life. In this major we have classes such as Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, Stress Testing and Health Program Planning courses, etc. all of which enhance the program.
So far, I think the more I learn about how the human body responds to exercise, the more interested I become in how athletes perform with such success. It is amazing that these individuals take their bodies and perform beyond their own expectations. My future plan is to go to graduate school to become an Athletic Trainer.