KIN Senior Orientation Leader: Priya Dhaliwal

Priya is a third-year student in the neuromechanical and physiology sciences stream. She plans to pursue a career in health care after she graduates and says “I think it’s best to follow my heart and see where my studies take me. My advice for all students out there is to be yourself and let your passions guide your career.”

Priya will be a KIN Orientation Leader this September 2021, where she will be able to “help support new students to UBC and make their transition into university as smooth as possible. Entering a new school is always a big nerve racker, and especially if it is such a renowned school like UBC. The idea of being able to provide a safe and welcoming environment for new UBC students enlightened me to becoming a Senior Orientation Leader.”

Priya reflects on her decision to join UBC KIN, “What makes kin a unique program is that it is a field of study where there’s a very hands-on approach to learning about the body and we can apply that knowledge to our everyday lives. This creates more engagement in the field, as we can connect what we are learning to our personal lives.” Priya has also played field hockey for the past 13 years, playing up to the provincial level, and was a member of the UBC women’s junior varsity hockey team for the last 1.5 years. She has been coaching field hockey and supports initiatives for the students against covid club.

When asked about the most important thing she has learned in KIN, Priya says “KIN has taught me that as a person, you are like no other. You are unique and that means that you can do things at your own pace. Life is not a race unless we make it one. Be yourself and if you need more time, take it.”

Mohammed, Paula

Paula completed her undergraduate degree through the BHK Sport Management program with the goal to have a career that combined business and sport. Paula had always dreamed of being in the Olympics or running the Olympics. As her dream evolved, she says, “by my realizing that what I love is creating experiences for people, experiences that move people and can cause a shift in how they think or feel resulting in lifelong memories.”

Paula reflects, “I have some great memories of UBC. I was involved in Intramurals and had a great time working on the events and doing the PR. Nestor Korchinsky was a visionary who inspired me and helped me launch my career. I was a member of the UBC track team and belonged to a sorority.” Paula believes that her time in Kinesiology taught her time management, to be curious and open doors to new opportunities, and to to get involved in community. For example she says, “I spent 6 months backing in Europe between 3rd and 4th year and ended up with credits for a full-year course and a $5,000 grant to attend a conference at Cambridge university. A big part of what helped grow my career were the people I met.”

Upon graduating, Paula says, “In the 90’s, event management barely existed as a career and there were very few opportunities in Vancouver to work in the field of sports marketing. I was lucky to secure a job with the one sport marketing company in the city at that time.” She continued to work as an independent contractor and on numerous projects as an Event Producer, Event Director, Event Manager and more over the next seven years. Some highlights of her career at that time include working on the Freestyle skiing world cups, culminating in the Freestyle World Championships, producing the first Big Air and ¼ Pipe shows in Whistler, being a part of the Vancouver Sun Run team, holding contracts with the PNE Entertainment department, and traveling to Portugal to work at the Expo in Lisbon in 1998. Paula became a business owner upon accepting the position of Director of Event Marketing for Tourism Whistler, and gained experience working in the non-profit organization, Arts Umbrella. “This led to 10 years of being the Event Director for numerous not-for-profit galas and events in the city.”

Paula founded In My Kitchen Inc, three years ago and reflects, “Growing up in a culturally diverse household with many passionate cooks, I came to cherish the experiences I had around the kitchen table, and that is how In My Kitchen was born. Pre-COVID, people would sign up at inmykitchen.ca with one of our passionate and knowledgeable home cooks. Everyone would cook a menu together and then sit down and share the meal, share stories, and learn about another culture.” Through these experiences, Paula and her team hope to create meaningful cross-cultural engagement.
She states, “The learning curve was very steep as I learned how to operate and run an e-commerce business. We had 5 hosts and we were about to launch 7 more hosts when COVID hit. After 2 months, we jumped off the cliff into the world of online zooms. Another steep learning curve, but we kept putting one foot in front of the other and overcame our fears. We are now expanding our team and growing our business. The online element has proven to be quite a successful business model and has opened up more doors for us to pursue more opportunities.”

Paula has even larger goals for her business. “I want to take In My Kitchen global, so no matter where you travel, you can sign up for an In My Kitchen experience and cook with a passionate and knowledgeable home cook who will share their heritage recipes and culture.”

KIN Senior Orientation Leader: Naina Dhiman

Naina is a fourth-year student in the interdisciplinary stream. After she graduates, Naina hopes to pursue a Masters of physiotherapy

Naina will be a KIN Orientation Leader this September 2021, where she will be “working alongside other KIN orientation leaders to help facilitate a positive, welcoming, and impactful start for the incoming students at UBC!” She says she was drawn to apply to be a senior OL due to her own experience participating in virtual imagine day last year. “Being a transfer student at UBC during a pandemic was a nervous adjustment; however, Imagine Day was such a great start and allowed me to meet people who were experiencing things just like me!”

Naina volunteers at Neuromotion, a neurological physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinic. She says, “volunteering here has been a really great experience and allowed me to learn lots about traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injury and strokes.” One of her jobs outside volunteering here includes working as a community support worker.

When asked about the most important thing she learned in KIN, she reflects, “I think the most important thing I have learned while in KIN is the importance of taking care of your body, mind, and overall health.” Naina says, “my goal for the last year of my degree is to find new ways to get involved on campus and enjoy in person classes again.”

In Memoriam – Donald J. Arnold, BPE ’62, 1935 – 2021

Donald J. Arnold, BPE ’62.
July 14, 1935 – June 27, 2021.

We are saddened to say that Donald J. Arnold, BPE 62 passed away on June 27, 2021. Don received Canada’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in rowing for the coxless fours at the 1956 Summer Olympics n Melbourne, together with Archibald MacKinnon, Lorne Loomer and Walter D’Hondt. At the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Arnold received a gold medal in eights, and a silver medal in coxed fours. He received a silver medal in eights at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, as a member of the Canadian team. He was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in 1958 as well as the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 1966, and the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

Upon graduating from UBC in 1962, Arnold was presented the Bobby Gaul Award, the highest honour a UBC graduating athlete can achieve. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Outdoor Recreation and Resource Management from Indiana University Bloomington in 1970 where he was named the most outstanding graduating athlete. He went on to co-found the post-secondary degree program in Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo.

Read about how Donald won Canada’s first Olympic gold in rowing: Click Here.

After retiring from rowing, he later taught at the University of Waterloo, managed Canadian international rowing crews and co-founded Rowing BC. He remained a steadfast supporter of the Vancouver Rowing Club and UBC rowing his entire life. He also maintained strong roots in Winfield, BC, where he grew up on an apple farm and in West Vancouver where he lived the last portion of his life.
Our condolences go out to Don Arnold’s family and friends.

Professor Michael Koehle working with Athletics Canada for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

School of Kinesiology Professor Michael Koehle is among several KIN faculty members working with Athletics Canada for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

Mike’s role at the Games is as a physician for Canada’s Track & Field athletes based in Sapporo, the site of the race walk and marathon events, to help the athletes achieve their maximal performance by managing and mitigating any injuries or illnesses that occur leading up to and during the competition. He will be working with a large team of physical therapists, physiologists, mental performance consultants, coaches, chiropractors and logisticians, and is most looking forward to “getting into that team environment and working together to help the athletes as best as possible.”

With regard to other Olympic experience as medical support staff, Mike also played a key role at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver as the Venue Medical Officer for Whistler Olympic Park. This year, there is an added challenge for both the teams and the medical staff at the Olympics. Amidst preparations for the Games, all participants have had to keep in mind concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. With Tokyo under a state of emergency, the Japanese authorities have devised a comprehensive strategy to reduce risks of transmission among both athletes and the Japanese population.

During his time as a student at both the University of Toronto and UBC, Mike competed in varsity rowing and Nordic skiing. He has also participated in other sports, competing in triathlons and extensive cycling races including 800 km, 20,000m elevation, and the Haute Route bike race in the Alps. Amidst his other duties teaching, supervising, conducting research, and writing in the School of Kinesiology, Mike works at the Allan McGavin Sport and Exercise Medicine Centre one day per week as a physician and states that he “loves to keep people moving.”

“All my work is about trying to remove barriers to physical activity. To practice sports medicine, you need to know a thing or two about every single sport.”

KIN Senior Orientation Leader: Rebecca Tsow

Rebecca is a fourth-year student in the interdisciplinary stream. After she graduates, Rebecca hopes to continue her education to pursue a Master’s of Physical Therapy and eventually work towards a career in physiotherapy. She would also love to travel abroad and spend time living in another country.

Rebecca will be a KIN Orientation Leader this September, 2021, where she will be helping facilitate Imagine Day activities. “I applied to be a senior OL because I know firsthand how impactful one’s first week can be in shaping their time at university. I feel passionate about using my ideas, skills and past experiences (especially as a transfer student) to foster engaging orientation activities for others in the KIN community. I’m excited to work with the team to create an orientation season like no other!”

She is also an executive member of the InterVarsity Undergraduate (IVU) Christian club at UBC and has previously been involved in KUS roles for KIN camp, Kinterested, Kinder, and more. “I also volunteer with the UBC BodyWorks program to help deliver community exercise classes. Pre-COVID, I enjoyed being a member of the UBC Boxing club – it was a great way to get workouts in during the week while having fun with my friends!”

Rebecca works with Dr. Jula Schmidt as a Work Learn Research Assistant in the GF Strong Rehabilitation Research Program, where she focuses on brain injury recovery, with emphasis on altered self-awareness and changes in roles and self-identity. “Currently, I’m leading a project to understand the barriers and facilitators to using clinical self-awareness assessment tools under the UBC Summer Student Research Program.”

When asked about the most important thing she learned in KIN, Rebecca says “I’ve learned that there is really no need to compare myself with my classmates because there is no singular, correct way to go about your uni experience. It’s okay to not be involved in every club or position or sport, and it’s cool to have interests outside of the typical ‘Kinner’ activities!”

Shayan Badiei

Shayan Badiei is a third year student in the neuromechanical and physiological sciences stream. After completing his undergraduate degree, he plans on pursuing a Master’s in physical therapy at UBC and hopes to have a career as a physiotherapist.

Shayan is a member of the UBC Red Cross club and says it has allowed him “to become more involved in the UBC and healthcare community and have a new perspective on the healthcare industry.” He is also a club ambassador and coordinator for the UBC Blood for Life Club. “I am very fortunate to be involved in creating awareness for blood and stem cell donations.” During the pandemic, Shayan has been volunteering at Lions Gate Hospital as a COVID-19 screener, where he has learned more about working in a medical environment. He also wishes to volunteer for a research lab that focuses on physiology and psychology after he graduates. Shayan’s top three favourite courses in KIN have been KIN 110 (Human Anatomy), KIN 216 (Biomechanics I), and KIN 232 (Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Health). He says, “these courses provided me with intriguing new concepts and assisted me in developing a new perspective of human health and movement.”

When asked what drew him to the KIN program, Shayan states, “the average class size gives the possibility for a greater cohesive relationship with peers and professors, creating a more enjoyable experience for all students. The KIN faculty also offers many unique events, with the help of KUS, which allow us to create new connections with our peers. Overall, I would say the diverse career path options that KIN offers made me choose the program.”

Shayan reflects on what he has learned in KIN, “I believe the most important concept that I learned is having an individualized perception. I was first exposed to this idea in KIN 120 with Dr. Maria Gallo, and ever since, I try to have an individualized perception in my academic and personal life. I believe the diverse application of the concept is the cause of its importance.”

Katie Clark, Fourth Year Interdisciplinary Student

Katie is a fourth year student in the interdisciplinary stream. She recently returned from the U23 World Rowing Championship in Račice, Czech Republic, where she raced in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls and placed 11th. “This regatta was a learning experience for our crew, as we had not been on a start line in 18 months due to the pandemic. Leaving this regatta, we are eager to train hard to improve on this result.” After she graduates in Fall 2021, Katie hopes to train full-time with the Canadian National Rowing Team and represent Canada at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Katie is on the varsity rowing team at UBC and coaches with the community rowing program run by UBC Athletics and Recreation. “When I came to UBC, the varsity rowing team immediately provided me with a surrogate family. I am beyond grateful for the teammates that I have become so close with over the last four years. Honestly, I couldn’t have done it without them.”

When asked what drew her to KIN, Katie says “Sports have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I knew that I wanted to study sport and exercise after high school. Between UBC KIN’s fantastic interdisciplinary degree program and exemplary varsity rowing program, I knew that this was where I wanted to attend university. I am immensely appreciative of the interdisciplinary nature in KIN. Because of it, I was exposed to Sport Sociology, which is something that I didn’t know existed but have become really passionate about.”

Katie says, “the most important thing that I have learned while in KIN is the need for balance in my life. Even when I have a busy week full of assignments and midterms, I have found that it is important to make time to move and make sure that I sleep enough.” Some of Katie’s favourite classes include KIN 460 (Aging and Society) with Dr. Laura Hurd, KIN 464 (Health Promotion and Physical Activity) with Dr. Andrea Bundon, and KIN 103 (Active Health) with Dr. Maria Gallo. Katie says “I grew up with my mom living with a mobility disability, and because of her I have been exposed to para-sport for my whole childhood” and she would love to complete a research-based Masters of Kinesiology, looking into sport inclusion policies, after she is finished pursuing sport.

MSc and PhD opportunities in exercise physiology at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at St. Paul’s Hospital

The Cardiopulmonary Exercise Physiology (CPEP) Laboratory is recruiting new students interested in pursuing graduate studies in human exercise physiology. The CPEP laboratory is located within the world renowned UBC Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at St. Paul’s Hospital. The lab studies the physiological mechanisms and management of exercise limitation and breathlessness across the full spectrum of health and fitness, including elite athletes to those suffering from chronic cardiorespiratory diseases. Students will work under the mentorship of Dr. Jordan Guenette and will collaborate with physicians, scientists, and graduate students from multiple institutions around the world. The following links provide more details about these exciting opportunities:

MSc position: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/ad/55184
PhD position: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/ad/55188