When senior exercise science major Kassidy O’Keefe transferred to Waynesburg University from Slippery Rock after her freshman year, she came primarily to play on the women’s basketball team. Three years later, she has done so, and she has also found a path for after graduation. While she has not yet decided whether to attend graduate school or
enter her intended field, she knows where she wants to end up.
“I’ve always played sports and when I went to pick a major I knew I wanted to do something where I could combine sports and fitness,” said O’Keefe. “I want to continue coaching basketball and get into corporate wellness. That would
involve essentially being a personal trainer for a company.”

O’Keefe said the rigorous course work has prepared her to move on successfully, but the people that have helped her along the way have had just as much of an impact. Randy Pettit, who serves as a strength and conditioning coach for most athletic teams at Waynesburg University and director of the fitness center, has been helping to advise and prepare O’Keefe for her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists [CSCS] test, as well as working with her as an athlete for the last three years.

“He’s been there to help me with anything I’ve ever needed,” said O’Keefe. “He’s had a big impact on me, and
it’s awesome how he has relationships with all of the athletes. It’s something I want to do.”

Pettit said O’Keefe has always been driven to succeed and a leader in the weight room for the women’s basketball team, something he thinks will help O’Keefe succeed once sheleaves Waynesburg.

“Kassidy is extremely passionate not only with her athletics here but with what she wants to do,” said Pettit. “The certification she is trying to obtain [is tough to get]. Once she gets there she’ll be fine.”

Pettit said he has learnedhow much of a hard-worker O’Keefe is, to the point where she would do too much because of how selfmotivated she is.

“We’d have a team workout in the morning and then we’d find her down in the gym after,” said Pettit. “She’s just a really good person and has expanded her knowledge.”

Pettit recalled O’Keefe staying late after games to play basketball with Coach Sam Jones, Coach Mark Christner and both of their kids.

“[The kids] absolutely loved that,” said Pettit. “It got my daughter excited for her spring season again.”

Pettit said O’Keefe will be prepared for her career upon graduation, and that it only helps to be the kind of person she is. Her academic advisor, Head Athletic Trainer and Instructor of Athletic Training Andy Palko, noticed early on how ambitious O’Keefe was.

“Being a dual-sport athlete and in an intense academic program shows how ambitious she is, especially given how well she’s done it,” said Palko. “She did two things with her internship, coaching and in fitness. I think she got something out of it. You can’t ask for a better student than Kassidy. We’ve seen the culmination for her of applying
what she’s learned in the classroom, and that is good to see.”

For O’Keefe, the environment at Waynesburg has made all of the difference.

“I’ve had an awesome experience at Waynesburg,” said O’Keefe. “I think Coach Jones has helped me a lot. A lot of people have. I want my eventual [setting] to be like here. It motivates people to work harder when you have
a relationship with everyone and a closer feel. I feel like I’m as prepared as I can be and am excited for the
future.”