Faculty profile: Dr. Robyn Anderson
Robyn Anderson grew up surrounded by athletics. Her father was a physical education teacher and owned a gymnastics club.
“Teaching and coaching was part of my life from the beginning as the entire family became involved with the business in one capacity or another,” the professor of exercise and health science says. “I love to teach, coach and learn, so these areas became my passion.”
The focus of her research is physical activity epidemiology in children and older adults. She studied to be a K-12 physical education teacher as an undergraduate, and coached gymnastics after receiving her master’s degree in sport science.
“Although my graduate training was adequate, none of the professors were interested in teaching,” she says. “From my undergraduate years, I was most interested in teaching. I applied to Alma because the job description matched my profile very closely.”
Anderson came to Alma in 1993 after completing her doctorate at the University of Pittsburg.
“I love to see students arrive at Alma their first year with so little experience and then watch the transformation that takes place in their lives over the next four years,” she says. “As seniors, most of the students have found their niches, and it’s always difficult to see them leave.”
