We Are Harper: Cynthia Burrows

Name: Cynthia Burrows

Nickname: CB

Program: Kinesiology, Personal Training Certificate

One Word That Describes You: Passionate

Hobbies: Theatre, dancing (ballet, modern jazz, tap), physical fitness, reading, cooking

What drew you to the Personal Training program?

My 33 years of teaching theatre at Stevenson High School along with my nearly life-long study of dance has revealed to me the power of movement as a means of communication, making internal connections between one's body, mind and emotions, as well as making external connections between people.

What inspired your decision to come to Harper College?

My decision was inspired by speaking with Jonathan Loos last spring about the program he developed at Harper. We discussed his background and philosophy about exercise science, my background and philosophy about theatre education along with my ideas about the possibility of integrating acting skill sets with exercise science skill sets as a means to enhance personal well-being. It sounded intriguing as well as possible, so here I am.

What has your experience at Harper been like thus far? 

Eye opening for sure. There are many ideas about fitness that have been revealed and many misconceptions that have been debunked via the classes I have taken and the work I have completed thus far.

What are your hopes and goals after Harper and beyond?

I would love to combine my many years of training and practice as a high school acting teacher and director with my new and developing knowledge and practice of exercise/fitness science to develop programming that focuses on enhancing physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It would be for anyone who desires to live more functionally, more comfortably, but in particular senior citizens. The truth is, many more of us are living longer, but not necessarily better. So, I would like to use my expertise in theatre and teaching along with my love and life-long practice of dance with my emerging knowledge of exercise/fitness to help guide people along a path of living well, not just longer.

What advice do you have for future students who are considering studying this subject? 

Keep an open mind and attend class regularly. You don’t want to miss the important exchange of ideas between the professor and your fellow students. Often we allow what we think we know to prevent us from seeing, hearing and thinking with new perspectives--and new perspectives are necessary for learning.

Shout-out to:

First, Jonathan Loos for helping see and believe in the potential for new approaches and my brothers Jim, Dan and John for their encouragement to continue to learn and teach.

Let's get started.

Learn more about Harper College’s  Personal Training program. Have questions about registration, financial aid or advising? Contact Harper College's One Stop – your one stop source for information.