Justin Wollin

What makes the ESSS minor at CSB/SJU unique?   

Being able to fit in ESSS while being a global business leadership major was very doable. I was more interested in the coaching aspect of the program and being able to choose the coaching courses specifically made the program very geared toward my areas of interest.

What has your experience with the CSB/SJU ESSS faculty been like?  

The ESSS professors are truly wonderful, and Janna LaFountaine and Don Fischer are stellar instructors. Janna was always there to help me with my coursework or to help guide me through my ESSS path to graduation, and Don led the best lectures. He always had a story or two to go along with each lesson so there was never a boring day in the classroom. The ESSS professors really want their students to excel, and they went the distance to make sure I was prepared for the coursework as well as the real world. 

What has been one of the greatest challenges you have faced?   

Writing the research paper for my introduction to sport and exercise research class was probably the hardest thing for me. However, after completing the course and the research paper — the essays and papers that came up in following courses were quite easy to write.

What advice do you have for students considering minoring in ESSS?  

If you love sports or are looking to coach in the future, I would highly recommend it. The classes teach you how to better yourself as an athlete, and they also show you how to coach the next generation of athletes to reach their full potential. Most of the classes are only half semester courses, so you could try out a few classes here and there to see if you like it. 

How do you anticipate using your degree after graduation?

I am looking to coach either diving or ultimate frisbee right out of college. I hope to use my knowledge to help develop younger athletes' love for sport as my coaches and professors did for me.