Former Southern Nazarene University football player, Dalen Smith, recently completed his master’s degree in Exercise Science while competing for SNU.

“I completed my undergraduate here at SNU while playing football. My overall goal is to become a physical therapist. Because of COVID and injuries, I still have football eligibility. I had the opportunity because of football to pursue a master’s and decided that the MSES program would benefit me the most as a future clinician,” said Smith.

Currently working for OSSPT, which is a physical therapy clinic in Moore and Northwest OKC, Smith said the degree will help him professionally as a more well-rounded clinician.

While Smith was familiar with SNU and how learning is approached, Smith did say the small class sizes allowed him to connect with the other students.

“The small class sizes and the opportunity to truly connect with people have been enjoyable. Professors, coaches, and administrators have all played a role in my education and my time here at SNU. The opportunity to connect and build relationships with all of these people is a big part of why I chose to stay at SNU for my master’s. Nothing has really surprised me. I was able to get a lot of information on the program while completing my undergraduate work at SNU so pretty well knew what to expect,” said Smith.

As with any degree program, there are requirements and a level of dedication you must have to complete the course. Smith offered some advice to those who are considering SNU as an option to complete one of the master’s degree programs.

“Finding the balance between entering the workforce while continuing with my master’s has been easy with SNU,” said Smith.