Dr. Amber (Forrest) Chelette (’08) came to the Hill where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training. Following her time here, she would go on to complete a Master’s Degree from Teachers College and a Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology from the University of Houston. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor in Kinesiology at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. She teaches courses in Exercise Physiology, Movement Analysis, and Biomechanics. Dr. Chelette was recently awarded a Rising Stars grant from the University of Texas System for $160,000 to create a mobile biomechanics lab that is used to facilitate Course Embedded Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) as well as conduct research in Rodeo and Timbersport. In 2024, she and her colleagues were awarded the Wolter's Kluwer Innovation in Teaching Award through the American College of Sports Medicine for the work they have done with CURE. Amber and her husband, Adam, a pastor at Carpenter’s Way Church, have two children and stay busy with soccer, baseball, and swim practices.
I chose ETBU for three basic reasons: I wanted to be far from home but not too far. The two-hour drive was just far enough for me to feel independent but close enough that my parents could get there quickly if I did need help or a hug. I was interested in Athletic Training, and ETBU was one of the few schools that had an accredited program at the time. Finally, the ability to be taught and encouraged by fellow Christians was appealing to me.
Dr. Dave Collins, an instructor in the athletic training program, made the program feel like family at a time when my own family was falling apart. Mr. Randy Pringle, the old wise owl, always had the best nuggets of wisdom, a push when I needed, and grace when I fell short. I will forthrightly and forever contribute my current career choices to Dr. Will Walker. I figured out by my senior year that I did not have the stomach for standing on the sideline waiting for an injury to happen. I was still interested in the field of kinesiology broadly, but I had no idea what to do next. I took his pedagogy class as an elective, and one of the assignments was to teach the class. His comments on my assignment were something along the lines of "You are good at this. Have you thought about being a professor?" The rest was history.
Some of my best memories at ETBU were at Merle Bruce and Lineberry Hall. We studied together, played together, cried together, and laughed together. I will never forget those days. Your influence is burned deep into my roots, and you are the reason I am the woman I am today. The athletic training crew of 2004 can't be stopped. Our freshman class was the largest class the program had ever had, and we were the workhorse of the program for the next four years. I am so proud of everyone who made it through and the work they continue to do in our field.
Trying to figure out how to thwart the chapel and curfew swipers, oops, uhh, I mean, how amazing all the chapel speakers were. We hosted Jeremy Camp and Bethany Dillon as new artists, and look at them now. I still talk about the cats from Anatomy Lab, Dr. Essary's infamous True or False tests, the anxiety of trying to make it to the cafe on time after Football practice, traveling to games, working at the Healthplex, playing mud football in the rain, the summer of Rec Team, mattress sliding in Merle Bruce, working football tickets with Sharon Hall, the winter formals, and Delta Pi Theta.
I had excellent examples of what a professor should be at ETBU. I left ETBU to pursue a Master's degree at Teachers College, Columbia University. My studies at ETBU more than prepared me for the challenge of my graduate work. Not only did I enter the graduate program with a mastery of the fundamental concepts, but due to the rigor of the Athletic Training and Kinesiology programs, I was well-practiced in study methods, project management, and research skills.
If I could give a piece of advice to current or future Tigers, it would be: Go talk to your professors. Sit in their office and glean their wisdom, not just on academics but on life, and especially life with Christ. Your Christian education is a privilege; take advantage of every opportunity that is in front of you to grow and develop. Get involved. Go to the mixers. Don't hide in your room. Everyone feels as awkward as you, and if you embarrass yourself, it will just be a good story later. The friendships developed in college create a bond that lasts a lifetime. It's worth the risk.