Swirling Worlds: EP.4 - Ileyna Brooks

On the fourth episode of Swirling Worlds: Inside the Mind of a Student-Athlete, I sat down with Junior athletic training major Ileyna Brooks. During the episode, Brooks mentioned that she was primarily at Piedmont University because of her mother and the family's lack of funds at the time. "I wanted to go to this school in Illinois," said Brooks. "When I got my offer from Piedmont, my mom told me to take the visit but to keep in mind that she didn't have enough money to send me that far."

For most people who don't know Ileyna, she has a fascinating backstory, as not many know that she wasn't born in the United States. Ileyna was born in Stuttgart, Germany, to an Air Force mother and a father who eventually stopped coming around. When she was three, her family moved across the Atlantic to Valdosta, Georgia, due to her mother’s deployment and reassignment. “I don’t remember much from those early years,” Ileyna says, “but I do remember always feeling like we were on the move. We never stayed in one place for very long.”

Like everyone else, Brooks mentioned that Piedmont was an excellent academic school and loved that the teachers were all about the students. "Being part of the 3+2 program here sets you up for life after college," said Brooks. She also talked about her favorite Professor, Dr. McKinney, who no longer teaches at the University. "She was willing to take time with me," said Brooks. "My freshman year, when we were making my schedule, I came in with other credits from dual enrollment, so Dr. McKinney went ahead and planned out my entire 4-5 years of college." Ileyna also stated that she would tell incoming first-year students that Piedmont is the type of school that is going to set them up for success in the future.

Is there a professor in your major, that would be willing to help you plan out your entire college career in one sitting? If so, who would that professor be and do you think it would help or hurt you as a student?