Dr. Jennifer Brown’s office is strategically located around the corner from the Wellness Center, inside the R.L. Vaughan Center. It’s from this office that the new Assistant Professor of Physical Education and Health goes about the business of planning her day, mapping out a strategy that will educate students who have declared majors in one of Elizabeth City State University’s newest degree programs, Kinesiology.

“I’m here to prepare students to take the next step towards their career goals,” says Brown, “I offer my students 20 years of experience.”

Brown’s background in fitness, exercise science, and research extending into type 2 diabetes prevention, and diabetic neuropathy, as well as her work as a fitness trainer, and in the physical therapy industry, affords students the opportunity to tap into a font of knowledge which has been cultivated through hands-on activity, and research.

Brown earned her doctorate in Applied Kinesiology from Old Dominion University in 2016. Prior to her doctoral work, Brown earned a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science and Wellness from ODU. Over the past 11 years, she has taught not only at ODU, Tidewater Community College Portsmouth and Chesapeake locations, and Bethel Bible College.

And while studying and teaching are the foundations upon which an educator lays her work, for Brown applied experience adds elements of practical knowledge and understanding which she plans to impart upon her students.

Aside from teaching at the three institutions, and now ECSU, Brown has owned her own fitness training business, is a certified personal trainer, a healthy movement specialist, and has worked in a physical therapy clinic designing land and water based post rehabilitation programs.

She holds certifications in a number of fitness-related specialties, and Brown says she is a “life-long learner.”

Brown says that she has a personal interest in fitness training. However, being an avid learner, she says she wanted to be as effective as possible in her area of expertise, so she learns as much as possible.

That spirit of learning led Brown to expand her understanding of a topic of great importance today, diabetes. Her doctoral dissertation focused on research into the early detection prevention of diabetic neuropathy – which essentially relates to the loss of function in certain essential body systems or losing feeling in your extremities, such as your feet.

Brown says she saw so many of her students with diabetes and understood that this was a serious issue.

“I thought, somebody has to do something about this,” said Brown.

Brown says with her background, and the new Kinesiology program at ECSU, she’s found a home. The Hampton Roads, Virginia native is excited to be teaching in Elizabeth City, and she’s excited to be working with a group of students who, she says, are clearly interested and motivated to learn.

Brown says her approach to teaching is student-centered, wants to take a “holistic approach” with students.

“We have nothing but good things to look forward to,” says Brown.

For more information about the Kinesiology degree program, click here .