Growing up as a multi-sport athlete, Nastassia Harrison '28 is blending her lifelong love of dance with a drive to heal, pursuing Elon's dance science major, an EMT certification and hands-on clinical experience to chart her own path toward sports physical therapy.
Although she grew up playing nearly every sport in Warren County, North Carolina, Nastassia Harrison ’28 has loved dancing since she was three years old.
“My dad would put me in any recreational sport that was happening in our town. I played softball, basketball, and even track. But I’ve always loved to dance,” Harrison said.
In the summer of her junior year of high school, Harrison attended a summer dance program at Radford University, where she met Elon West African Dance professor Keshia Gee.
“She told me about Elon’s dance science program, and I did my research and decided to apply,” she said. “I cried tears of joy when I got admitted.”
Combining her passions for dance and physical therapy, Harrison decided to enroll at Elon for the opportunities that come with the dance science major.
“I saw that the dance science program was a way for me to open the door for physical therapy. I found that there was more opportunity in this major rather than a typical path,” she said. “This major gives me the background to solidify trust with a patient because I know the body and know how to alleviate the pain they may feel, so they can get back to playing a sport or doing their art.”
Harrison is also pursuing minors in exercise science, African studies and dance. Later in her Elon career, she aspires to conduct undergraduate research involving West African dance with Assistant Professor of Dance Keshia Gee. She has also had her sights set on planning a Winter Term study abroad program to broaden her studies on a global scale.
One of Elon’s opportunities she is using to her advantage is the EMT-Basic certification course done in collaboration with Alamance Community College. Aligned with her physical therapy aspirations, Harrison is excited to complete the course and take the final exam to earn her official EMT certification.
“The aspect of helping people is why I want to do sports physical therapy. I get to incorporate that into my EMT work,” she said. “I’m already getting more confident with labs and learning skills from the practice.”
Eager to learn more and advance her career as much as possible, Harrison has connected with Elon’s athletic trainer for club sports and performing arts, Christina Yanakis. Harrison recently attended a club hockey game alongside Yanakis, where she saw a professional in action.
“I was able to observe her scope of practice and see the different dynamics of hockey players and their pain points. It helped me realize that I want to do both sports and performing arts, which is why I think physical therapy is my correct path,” said Harrison.
When asked about what she is most proud of, Harrison replied, “I’m proud of how committed I am to the career path I’m on. I’ve stayed with it, and there have been times where I’ve debated changing, but as I advance, I realize more and more that this is what I want to do.”
Harrison’s F.W. Beazley Leadership Scholarship has strengthened her resilience in pursuing her passions.
“With any experience, you get what you put into it, so I am giving it all my might, and I hope I get that in return,” she said.
This mindset has led to sustained motivation and incredible progress within her studies.
She notes that the support through scholarships has given her motivation, adding, “The donors believe in me so much that they will spend their resources and time to make sure that I succeed in my education and career. I am striving for greatness, and I promise to make you proud, and I will always be grateful for the financial help from Elon donors.”