Georgia Guinan ’23, M.S. ’24, competes for Loyola Marymount University’s women’s rowing team and is pursuing her master’s degree in healthcare systems engineering. Guinan, who is originally from San Antonio TX, decided to pursue this program after earning her bachelor’s degree at LMU in health and human sciences.
Tell us more about your journey with rowing.
I have only been rowing for the past 4 years throughout my time at LMU. Prior to college, I swam competitively for seven years. As a senior, I was looking at schools to swim at and I was recruited by LMU to begin rowing. The coaches offered me a spot on the team and I was able to walk on as a freshman. Since then, I have learned to row, competed in numerous races in various boats, and was elected to serve my team as captain. Rowing at LMU has given me the chance to be a Division I athlete while earning two degrees that have set me up for a successful career.
How has your experience as a student athlete been?
Being a student athlete at LMU has challenged me and given me such great experiences. As a freshman, I had to learn how to balance academics and athletics. I was enrolled in 18 units for both fall and spring, as well as training twice a day, which was incredibly difficult. Being thrown into the fire set me up for success throughout the rest of my career. Moving through the rest of my studies, I was able to figure out how to schedule my classes and take the courses that would be challenging and fill my degree requirements while also training and competing at a high level. While there were some academic experiences I gave up due to my training or racing schedule, I loved my time as health and human sciences student and I am so excited to be back at LMU for my M.S. I know LMU allowed me to have so many experiences as a student that I would not have had anywhere else and I know the connections I have made as a student and athlete here will be a part of my support system for my future career.
What do you enjoy the most about competing for an LMU team?
I love the built-in family that comes with my team. As someone from out of state, it was daunting to come to LMU without knowing anyone or knowing what the adjustment to being a collegiate student athlete would bring. Coming here and immediately having 30 strong, driven women to connect with made my journey at LMU so special. Being a part of such a strong athletic community, but also being able to be so invested in my studies has allowed me to excel as a student and an athlete, which is exactly what I wanted in my college experience.
Why did you choose to pursue a master’s in healthcare systems engineering?
I was introduced to athletic training in high school and I was looking for universities that had a strong pre-AT program. The health and human sciences program at LMU was previously athletic training, so I knew it would prepare me for a graduate degree. The courses at LMU align incredibly with MSAT programs and allow students to be ready for their future endeavors. For me, the courses, background, small classes, and professors in HHSC made it the perfect degree for me.
As a junior in HHSC, one of my teammates told me about the healthcare systems engineering program. Though I knew I still wanted to do athletic training, the HSE program appealed to me due to the importance of systems engineering in all fields, but especially in healthcare. After speaking to those in the program, I knew that this degree would allow me to have an impact wherever I end up working and gives me the knowledge on how to make the exploding field of athletic training better for those who work in it. ATCs are so important and are certainly not limited to athletics, but there are numerous issues that challenge passionate ATCs and lead to high turnover and burnout, which is something I would love to combat.
This is a part of a series highlighting the students athletes in Seaver College.
Edited by Noémie Boucher
