Celine Juneau

 Celine Juneau, jersey number 1, is a member of the lacrosse team, substitute teacher, and student-athlete pursuing an online Master of Science in Leadership at Norwich University.

Balancing a rigorous athletic schedule with online graduate coursework is no small feat. What has been your biggest challenge in managing both at the same time?

Time management. Athletics take up a lot of time in the evenings, so I spend a lot of time either in the mornings or early afternoons doing my work because I know after practice, I’ll have less energy.

I also work as a substitute teacher at the Northfield schools, so on the days I work, I get my coursework done in the evenings. Still, on days I have off, I try to get as much done as possible in the mornings before practice so I don't have to worry about it in the evenings.

Has participating in sports throughout high school and college helped you develop the necessary time management?

Most definitely. I've been around sports and played them since I was 3 years old. If I wasn't playing sports, I would have a lot harder time managing my academics. I like to be busy, and having a full academic and sports schedule allows me to excel.

You started your first master's class about a month ago. What has the transition from undergraduate to graduate-level coursework been like?

I have a lot more time to get my master’s classes done because undergrad had set classes that met at the same time every day all week, whereas online, I have a pretty flexible schedule. Even though I'm only taking one class, and I dedicate a lot of time to it, I found that I have more time to do it than during my undergrad. I'm able to make my schedule. My graduate classes are asynchronous and are designed to let students work on assignments when they want to as opposed to set times like my undergrad.

Your eventual goal is to get a graduate degree in education and become a physical education teacher. What inspired you to pursue a leadership degree at Norwich, and how does leadership fit into your overall goal?

I want to be a physical education teacher one day, and I also want to be a coach. Leadership is essential to coaching, as it involves standing in front of a group and taking charge. You need to be able to guide and lead your group to be most successful.

Leadership is also necessary for becoming any type of teacher. Standing in front of a team or a room of students is challenging, and many people don’t understand how difficult that can be.

I chose to do the leadership master’s through Norwich to improve my leadership skills. I only took one or two classes during my undergrad that covered leadership. Still, it didn't dive deep, and I felt like this would be a good opportunity to develop a bit more before getting my master's in education.

Since your graduate degree and lacrosse season started so close together, did you make a plan to handle the new workload?

I was subbing almost every day, but once my class started, I reduced that to a couple of days a week to make sure that I had time to do my class. I planned it that way to ensure I would have the time I needed to be successful.

How have you grown through Norwich over that time?

As a freshman, I didn't know what to expect. I knew Norwich was a structured school, which I was looking for because that's how my high school was. It helped me stay disciplined with both academics and athletics. Norwich helped me with my leadership skills outside of the coursework through the physical education program. We've done a lot of events, such as hosting the Special Olympics Vermont Basketball Tournament, and did many activities with the community. That's helped me as I have had to take on different leadership roles during these events, and I feel that has helped prepare me for the future.

Looking back at your Norwich experience, do you feel it was critical in getting you to your ultimate goal of physical education?

My advisors and professors in the PE program are fantastic.

I’ve learned so much from them and from attending the SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Educators) conference. SHAPE is hosted every March in the Killington Grand Resort Hotel and it’s where all physical educators and health educators in Vermont go for professional learning and development. I was able to attend through Norwich. I have strong relationships with my professors. If I do not understand something in class or just want more information, they're there and have done a good job of helping me understand everything I need to know to be a teacher.

Why is Physical Education vital to you?

Physical education is essential for everyone, regardless of whether you're an athlete or not. PE was my favorite subject growing up, and I looked forward to having that class every day. I know PE wasn't everyone's favorite subject,

However, what I've learned in the program is that the primary goal of physical educators is to promote and encourage students to live a healthy and active lifestyle. PE closely aligns with sports and encourages kids to stay active. It can introduce kids to sports they may not have heard of or seen before. Being active is an essential part of life. I’ve competed in soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, softball, and track, providing a strong foundation in activity that grew into a passion.

I think PE is excellent. I know it's not for everyone, and some kids may not enjoy it, but you do get introduced to several lifelong sports like pickleball! 

What would you say to someone who is considering taking the Master of Science in Leadership degree that you're pursuing online?

Do it. It's possible even if you're working full-time.

I am working part-time, and I know that some people in my class are working full-time and have kids and other prior commitments. The class is designed for flexibility; if you can find time to do it, do it. It's possible, even if it's a couple of hours here and there.

How do you feel about the technical aspects of accessing your coursework?

We used the same program in undergrad at least last semester, so I was familiar with the current program that we're using. I use my computer on the bus with my hot spot when at away games when I need to, but I usually try to complete all my work for the week before gameday.

What is something interesting about your current graduate class?

There are ten of us in my class, and I am the youngest by a good bit. My classmates live all over the world. One classmate lives in Japan, and others live in Europe. We also cover all the different U.S. time zones. Some have kids, a lot are in the military, and then there’s me. There is a vast range of experiences, and we all have something unique to contribute. Even my professor, Jill Long, lives in Germany. Our class shows that learning is possible no matter where you are.

What would you say to someone intimidated by the difficulty of an online graduate degree?

Graduate programs are going to be difficult. I was initially considering getting a master’s in person, but taking it online allows for a lot more flexibility. It sounds intimidating initially, but if you can plan and use your time right, then it's definitely possible. I feel like that's where I'm seeing success [planning]. It's what's worked for me.