Alexis Sanders ’20 first discovered LVC in her junior year of high school while researching exercise science programs. Intrigued by LVC’s offerings, Sanders completed a campus tour and then an overnight visit where she spent a day with current students.

“The overnight visit is what solidified my decision to choose LVC,” said Sanders, an exercise science graduate. “It made me realize how much LVC felt like my home away from home between the engaged faculty, enthusiastic student body, and advanced education.”

Sanders, who has long had an interest in science, said that one of her favorite LVC courses was Fundamentals of Anatomy. The class covered every bone, muscle, tendon, ligament, and nerve. Sanders and her classmates even learned some of the material on cadavers.

Physical (In)Activity in Health and Disease is another class that played a pivotal role in her career preparation.

“I chose to do a research paper on the effects of physical activity on individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This research is what really sparked my interest in working with the specials needs population because of the wide range of benefits exercise is found to have on them physically, mentally, and socially,” she said.

Along with her classes, Sanders completed two internships as part of her curriculum, one working in cardiac rehab and the other for Fitness 4 Focus (F4F), a gym that emphasizes helping those in the special needs community.

“After completing my internships, I found that I enjoyed my time with F4F so much more than with cardiac rehab,” said Sanders. “The trainers at F4F are so dedicated and do all they can for the athlete’s benefit. I knew upon completing my internship that I wanted to join the F4F team.”

Impressed with her motivation and enthusiasm, F4F agreed that she would make an excellent team member and hired her after her internship. Sanders currently holds two positions: head fitness coach at the Lancaster location and director of athlete services.

As a coach, Sanders works to improve her athletes’ independence, confidence, coordination, and strength through individual and group exercise programs.

“My responsibilities as the director of athlete services are primarily outside the gym walls,” said Sanders. “I communicate with prospective parents and athletes, schedule free sessions, work with the Mind-Body software that we use, and manage marketing through F4F’s social media pages.”

Although Sanders’ future goals are still coming together, she’s holding tight to her dream of opening her own gym with accommodations for the special needs community in the forefront of her vision.

— Parker Gallagher, Marketing & Communications Student Assistant