For UWM senior Angelica Refinski, sports have always been a huge part of her life — and now they’re helping shape her future career, too.
This May, Angelica will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a minor in Nutrition. Even more exciting? She already has a full-time job lined up in orthopedic medical device sales specializing in hip and knee joint reconstruction.
As a lifelong athlete and track and field competitor, Angelica says studying Kinesiology at UWM just made sense.
“Being a high-level athlete for most of my life, human movement, anatomy and all things exercise-related have always interested me,” she said. “Growing up in sports made me curious about how the body moves, adapts and improves through training.”
That curiosity eventually grew into a passion for understanding the science behind athletic performance — from strength and endurance to injury prevention and recovery.
“I became interested not only in performing at a high level in track and field, but also in understanding the science behind strength, endurance, injury prevention and recovery,” she explained.
At UWM, Angelica found the perfect place to combine her love of athletics with her interest in science and health. Through classes in biomechanics, anatomy, exercise physiology and nutrition, she gained hands-on knowledge about how movement and exercise impact the body.
“Studying Kinesiology allows me to explore the biological and mechanical aspects of movement while applying that knowledge to real-world situations in athletics, fitness and health,” she said. “I’m especially interested in how training techniques, biomechanics and conditioning programs can improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.”
Now, as graduation approaches, Angelica is excited to take everything she’s learned into the healthcare world and help improve patients’ quality of life through orthopedic care.
“Ultimately, pursuing Kinesiology combines my passion for sports with my interest in science and human performance,” she said. “It gives me the opportunity to turn my lifelong involvement in athletics into a meaningful career where I can help others improve their health, performance and quality of life.”
With a career already underway before graduation, Angelica’s story is a great example of how UWM Kinesiology students turn their passions into real-world opportunities.