Zoey Proper

Zoey Proper is a health sciences major from Belvidere, IL

Hometown: Belvidere, IL

High School: Belvidere High School

Year: Expected graduation: Spring 2027

Minor: Family and child studies

What scholarships did you receive and why did you receive them? How has the financial support impacted your experience at NIU?
I am grateful to have received an NIU merit scholarship. This has allowed me to have less of a financial burden while pursuing a college education.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
When growing up, I wanted to be a dancer and/or a circus performer. Dance and cheerleading were a huge part of my childhood, and that is why I thought that would be my career. My path shifted, and I decided I wanted to pursue a college education. Due to my athletic background, I heard about physical therapy often and decided to learn more. I love that physical therapists get to spend one-on-one time with patients and work alongside other health professionals.

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
My major is health sciences with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. I am also pursuing a minor in family and child studies. I chose this major because it prepares me with the required prerequisites for a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. It also prepares me for working in a health care field. I chose my minor because I am interested in working with children and it provides me with courses to gain an understanding of child development.

Have you conducted your own research through Research Rookies, Honors capstones or theses or any other faculty-guided research opportunity?
Yes

Tell us about the research you are doing and why it interests you.
Research has been a huge part of academic journey. I was a Research Rookie my freshman year and was matched with Dr. Allison Gladfelter. I worked alongside her and Dr. Douglas Wallace in exploring speech and bimanual coordination in autistic and non-autistic children while performing a string-pulling task. With Research Rookies, I had the opportunity to present at the Conference on Undergraduate Research and Engagement (CURE), which was very rewarding. For my sophomore year, I became a McKearn Fellow, which is a part of the Honors Program. I continued to work on the same project and had the opportunity to present at NIU’s Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference (PURC), at Neuroscience 2024 in Chicago and again at CURE. During my junior year, I am continuing to work on the string-pulling project and have had the opportunity to join the iGait Research Team. Both research projects have given me amazing opportunities to be part of interdisciplinary teams and gain important research skills. I am interested in working with children in the future, and these projects have allowed me to continue to learn more about development, movement and neurodiversity.

How has conducting research strengthened your education and experience at NIU?
Being a part of research has strengthened my determination and motivation to pursue a career in physical therapy. Both projects I work on involve movement and coordination, which are essential. When working on these projects, I have been able to connect with and learn from amazing professors, graduate students and undergraduate students. These experiences allowed me to gain skills in research, public speaking and collaboration. Additionally, it has shown me that the research process is not linear, and you often have to adapt to unexpected changes. This has strengthened my education and given me the ability to be more versatile and adaptable.

How will your research experience help you in the future?
Physical therapists often work as part of an interdisciplinary team. My research experience has provided me with the opportunity to feel what that is like. I have gained necessary skills in public speaking and communication, which are important for my career as well as daily life. I also feel that I am more organized and have better critical-thinking skills.

Who at NIU has been important to your success doing research and why?
Both Dr. Gladfelter and Dr. Wallace are extremely important to my success as a researcher. They were both very open to having me join the research project, even with no prior experience or knowledge of the topic. They have provided me with rewarding opportunities to continue and grow as a researcher. I have always felt that they are people that I can go to with any questions I may have. I am grateful I have had the opportunity to part of their research groups. Additionally, Connie Storey, who oversees the McKearn Fellows, and Emily Reilly, who oversees Research Rookies, have supported me throughout my academic and research careers.

What advice would you give to an incoming student as it relates to research at NIU?
My advice would be not to be afraid to try research. I know that is easier said than done. But being a part of research will teach you about yourself and help you gain important skills for your future career, even if that doesn’t involve research. If you are nervous that you do not know enough yet or are afraid of being overwhelmed, it is okay. It is never too early to start your research journey!

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
I have enjoyed the respect and helpfulness the professors and staff have provided. Everyone I have been in contact with wants you to succeed, and that makes me feel better as a student. I enjoy the NIU campus and the surrounding DeKalb area.

How have you connected with other students to study for classes, meet new people or form new friendships?
By making sure I attend class regularly, I have been able to make connections with people who are in my major. With the more classes I have taken at NIU, I have been able to meet people who I have shared many of the same classes with. I think a great place to connect with other students who share similar interests are lab courses. I have met many students this way, and it allows you to have someone to talk to about the course. I have connected with other students who are interested in research from being part of Research Rookies and a McKearn Fellow.

Are you involved in any student organizations, mentoring programs or extra-curricular activities? If so, which ones? How have they added to your experience as a Huskie?
This year I am an undergraduate research ambassador, which is part of the Office of Student Engagement and Experiential Learning (OSEEL). In this role, I mentor a small group of Research Rookies throughout their research journey. I also promote the importance of undergraduate research across campus. My research experience has been very important to my academic journey. It allows me to give back and share my positive experience with other new researchers.

What NIU offices, departments or resources have helped you feel safe, supported and successful? And how?
The University Honors Program has been pivotal to my success at NIU. All the staff are very friendly and want to see you succeed. OSEEL has also made me feel supported throughout my research experiences.

What Honors Program opportunities or support have helped you get closer to your academic or career goals so far?
The honors courses have given me opportunities to expand my knowledge and connect with other honors students. I have been a McKearn Fellow since my sophomore year, which has provided me with continued research and professional development opportunities. There are also many great honors events and engaged experiences that have been enjoyable.

What do you enjoy the most about the Honors Program?
I have enjoyed all the honors courses I have taken and the professors who taught them. They make sure to push you to succeed. The honors staff and students I had the chance to connect with were great.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
My favorite instructor was Jeanne Padilla, who taught MATH 110 and 155. She was very kind and made math fun. You can sense her genuine passion for math, and it motivated me to continue working hard in the courses.

How have you benefited by attending class regularly?
Attending class regularly has allowed me to stay on top of classes and upcoming assignments. Going to class is important because it helps you hear the information in a different way than just reading the textbook on your own.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
My favorite spot is Founders Memorial Library. I find it very relaxing and quiet, which helps me stay focused on studying.

What advice would you give to a student who is researching colleges to apply to?
When searching for colleges, spend a lot of time researching the different schools you are interested in. If you have questions, make sure to reach out. If you have an idea of a major or program you are looking for, make sure to find out if those schools will have that. Lastly, check out the scholarships offered by each school.

Why is a college education important to you?
A college education is important to me to pursue a career as a physical therapist. It’s also important because it allows me to grow as an individual and develop the critical-thinking skills needed for my career.

What strategies do you use to manage your time between the responsibilities of school, work, friends and family?
Managing time can be a challenging adjustment when coming to college. I make sure to color-code and organize all my assignments the day before classes start. This allows me to know each week which courses I will have to spend more time working on. This also allows me to plan when I am working on research, tutoring and activities outside of academics. I make sure to take time for myself to spend time with friends and family.

How do you stay informed about events and services that are available on campus?
I find out about most events through the email that NIU sends to us. Also, apps like Suitable and Huskie Hub show all of the honors and organization events around campus.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
Listening to music, watching TV and playing with my dogs are my ways of recharging.

Please tell us about your job and hobbies.
I am a tutor at the Huskie Academic Success Center in the library. I tutor for a variety of science, psychology, math and statistics courses.