Perspectives Winter/Spring-2017

COLLEGE OF HEALTH CARE SCIENCES • 33 Internship Leads to Job for Disabled Veteran and Alumnus BY MONIQUE MOKHA, PH.D., ATC, CSCS, PROFESSOR AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR Class of 2016 alumnus Miguel Mercado-Betancourt, B.S., a certified personal trainer and disabled veteran, works full time for Onnit, which is one of the fastest-growing fitness companies in the world. Mercado-Betancourt first earned an intern- ship at the Austin, Texas, site while completing his exercise and sport science degree requirements. The company embraces total human optimization, which is a concept fitting of Mercado-Betancourt, who spent six years on active duty under the Department of Defense as part of a maritime antiterrorism force protection unit serving the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Navy. Mercado-Betancourt was drawn to exercise and sport science after he completed his military service and reflected on how so many illnesses could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. While attending a personal training institute in Winter Park, Florida, in 2013, an instructor encouraged Mercado-Betancourt to pursue a degree in exercise and sport science. Not long after he began his degree pursuit at NSU, Mercado-Betancourt forged a relation- ship with Corey Peacock, Ph.D., CSCS, CISSN, CPT, and Tobin Silver, Ph.D., CSCS—the profes- sors who facilitated the Onnit internship that led to a job. “Not bad for a 41-year-old disabled vet with learning disabilities,” Mercado- Betancourt proclaimed. n Miguel Mercado-Betancourt, right, conducts a personal training session during his internship.