Defining Her Career Path – Katie Burnet

Katie Burnet, ’16, transferred to Meredith to play lacrosse. Her athletic achievements exceeded even her high expectations: she went on to become team captain for two years, Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and led the team in points, goals, and assists. The lacrosse team has been equally successful, winning the USA South conference three times.

“Coach Scott has helped me grow as a lacrosse player and an individual and I cannot thank her enough for recruiting me to play at Meredith.”

But Katie’s Meredith experience has been much bigger than being part of a champion lacrosse team. She arrived at college unsure of what she wanted to do with her life – and graduated with a clear path to her future career, thanks to the hands-on guidance she received from her faculty and coaches.

“After an assignment requiring me to state my professional philosophy, my professor returned my grade with a comment: ‘Come by my office hours and let’s chat!’ The next day, I went to my professor’s office and we talked about my academic goals for over an hour.”

Eventually, Katie declared her major in Exercise & Sports Science (ESS) and that professor became her advisor.

“[Dr. Campbell] has encouraged me to pursue my goals throughout my four years here, and although I have strayed a bit from the typical ESS path, she has supported me every step of the way.”

Katie’s involvement in the Meredith Autism Program (MAP) has also helped shape her career interests.

“MAP provided me with a ton of hands-on experience working with preschool children one-on-one and the supervision required to become a Registered Behavior Technician.”

During the summer Katie continued to gain professional experience by interning at Camp Royall, which is affiliated with the Autism Society of North Carolina.

Following her graduation Katie will work at Camp Royall for the summer, after which she plans to work as a behavior technician before attending graduate school for applied behavior analysis or occupational therapy. Her ultimate goal is to work with individuals on the autism spectrum.

“I am truly grateful for the Meredith experience. The opportunities and Meredith’s hands-on approach have prepared me for my future career.”

Learn more about majoring in Exercise and Sports Science