John McBain
Exercise Science & Psychology Background Help Senior Soar
John McBain is a current senior at Merrimack College. On track to graduate in May with his bachelor of science degree in Exercise Science, John also held an internship position with Impact Sports Lab. John is a double major, combining his love of exercise science with his passion for psychology. As John puts it, “both pieces of knowledge proved to be crucial toward my success at Impact Sports Lab. “Through this internship, I was able to continue to develop professionalism, improve upon communication skills, expand upon both my exercise science and psychology degrees, as well as better understand the responsibilities of a sports psychologist.” The combination of majors means that not only can John excel in the exercise science field working with athletes and injuries, but he can also provide his patients with the best approach possible and understand their behavior patterns better.
“My education at Merrimack was able to lay the groundwork and provide me a basic understanding of psychological theories, as well as fundamental human anatomy and physiology.”
McBain feels that the education he received at Merrimack has greatly prepared him for his future career path, partly due to his experience working with Dr. SantaBarbara. “Professor Nicholas Santa-Barbara was able to instill the lessons of patience and resilience, both of which I have learned through serving as a research assistant on his Work Wellness Program research study.” When asked how John would describe this internship experience to other students pursuing the same pathways, McBain said that “I would highly recommend engaging with an opportunity similar to mine, as I found the on-site experience where I was able to apply myself invaluable.”
When John is not studying or assisting on research, he serves as a First Year Experience mentor, an intramural sports advisor, & part of the Merrimack Honors Program.
