Evan McBride '23, Exercise Science
Evan McBride ‘23 is already ahead of the game in the pursuit of his pre-physical therapy track exercise science major. His years of learning from home provided him with the time to follow his interest in the human body and become a licensed massage therapist to help others.
For McBride, Malone was an easy choice.
“Malone had a friendly and accepting atmosphere for someone who was undecided and homeschooled,” he said. “I also had a lifelong friend that went here, who graduated in 2020, so I figured my freshman year would be easier with someone I knew.”
Initially, McBride struggled with the increased workload and tasks that he had rarely encountered as a homeschooler, such as essays. However, with the help of his friends and understanding professors, he soon found how to best tackle these new challenges.
A defining experience for McBride was the acquisition of his massage therapy license. He attended the Orion Institute for a year to do so, completing the state-required 750 hours of education and practice without missing a single class. This experience was a major reason why he chose exercise science.
“I enjoy helping people,” McBride said. “With already being a massage therapist, I thought that learning more about physical bodywork and health-promoting modalities through physical therapy would be beneficial for my education and working experience.”
Though he is in pursuit of a degree, McBride is still undecided about his future. He is, however, confident that in his remaining time at Malone, he will receive all of the help and knowledge that he will need to have a successful career in whatever field he chooses.
“I’ve already learned a lot about myself and self-sufficiency through my Malone education and the community here,” McBride said. “I am very thankful for the people and the opportunities I’ve had because I chose to come to this school. I have just started my journey and I know that no matter what happens, Malone and its community will be there to help guide me along my adventures.”