Arkansas Tech alumna Elizabeth Bowles Sharp recently received her Ph.D. in human performance and has accepted a position at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Sharp was hired as an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Mesa State where she will begin in August. She will be teaching physical education and health education pedagogy courses and supervising student teachers.
Sharp graduated from Arkansas Tech in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and received a master’s degree in physical education in 2005, also from Arkansas Tech.
Originally pursuing a basketball coaching career, Sharp discovered her love of physical education and preparing physical education teachers.
“In my position, I am able to help college students pursue their dreams and watch them discover the amazing opportunities there are in physical education. I am also able to be a part of the public schools and work with local teachers and kids to help create new ways of moving and improve education techniques,” Sharp said.
After leaving Arkansas Tech, Sharp moved to China to teach. When she returned, she became a visiting instructor at Arkansas Tech in the Department of Health and Physical Education for four semesters.
Sharp credits working with the physical education majors as a motivating factor in her decision to pursue a Ph.D. in human performance with an emphasis in physical education pedagogy from Middle Tennessee State University.
“While at Tech, I was very involved in various organizations and activities. I am very thankful for the great start that I got from Tech. I not only received an excellent education, but I also gained some incredible mentors who have encouraged me as I pursued my Ph.D.,” Sharp said.
“I am able to stay active and yet am challenged with new things at every turn. For me I feel like this job is the perfect fit.”