May 9, 2025 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu

Moving 15 hours from her hometown in Wisconsin was a tough decision, but USC’s beautiful campus and weather and wealth of opportunities ultimately won Hailey Karns over. The exercise science major found her home away from home in the Honors College (No. 1 in the nation among public universities) and completes her tenure at USC this month with Graduation with Leadership Distinction and a 4.0 GPA.

At her Health Science Charter School back home, Karns had already developed a passion for promoting health and serving in clinical settings. Her love of golf and lacrosse made exercise science the perfect blend of her interests and her desire to help others prevent and treat injuries and health conditions.

“Preventative care is crucial because it allows patients to have autonomy and take charge of their health and well-being,” Karns says. “This proactive approach not only leads to better outcomes but can also reduce health care costs and improves quality of life.”

During her program, the Outstanding Exercise Science Student Award winner gained research experience in assistant professor Katie Hirsch’s Sustain Lab. Over the past three years (Karns is graduating a year early), they examined the effects of exercise and nutrition on sex differences and women’s health across the lifespan. 

“Dr. Hirsch’s mentorship has been nothing like I have ever received before, as she pushes me beyond my doubts and second-guessing to encourage me to reach the heights she knows I am capable of reaching,” says Karns, who was awarded an Honors College Research Grant and became a published author as a result of this work. “Her connections to the field of exercise science research, industry and clinical settings have contributed significantly to my network and opened my eyes to the countless opportunities I can pursue within the field.”

Building on these interests, Karns took a course in women’s health and physical activity led by associate professor Xuewen Wang. She plans to use this knowledge in her future work as a clinician to help women harness the benefits of exercise on pregnancy, menopause, and other areas unique to their health and quality of life.

“Dr. Wang’s profound knowledge in the field of women’s physiology and health has taught me invaluable information that will undoubtedly be significant in my own life and the well-being of my future patients,” Karns says. “Her ability to connect and provide research results related to exercise and women’s health across life stages has brought awareness to the quickly developing field of women’s health and highlights the importance of staying up-to-date with the published literature to provide the best care.”

Bridget Miller, associate dean for undergraduate affairs, also played an important role in Karns’ undergraduate experience. Long after Miller taught Karns’ Introduction to Public Health course, she continued uplift and inspire Karns at every interaction. She also helped her understand the complementary nature of exercise science and public health as interrelated fields.

Outside of the Arnold School, Karns participated in a national pre-health honors society, various mentorship programs and lab training certifications, and led the USC Women’s Club Golf team as vice president. Her service activities included mentoring other exercise science major through the Honors College, joining the Student Rural Interest Group, and volunteering at the local food bank, Harvest Hope.

“Getting involved with any of the countless on-campus organizations related to the field of exercise science or public health is critical in applying and solidifying newly learned information to beyond the classroom experiences,” Karns says. “This realization has allowed me to think deeper about classroom material and ultimately connect information between classes, allowing me to study efficiently and develop problem solving skills that have allowed me to achieve high grades in difficult classes.”

This summer, Karns will complete her practicum in a cardiac rehabilitation clinic at Lexington Medical Center under the supervision of a fellow exercise science alumnus. She spent her summers and spare time shadowing various clinical specialties and working as a phlebotomist – skills she was able to bring back to her role in the research lab and that will serve her well as a future clinician.

Karns will use the extra year she gained from graduating early to amass additional clinical experience as a medical assistant before applying to physician assistant school. Her goal is to provide health care services in the Southeast, while hopefully staying involved in research and eventually teaching courses so she can employ the mentorship and leadership skills she has gained at USC.

“One of the things that I wish I had learned earlier is that the professors in the Arnold School of Public Health are not just professors, but influential researchers in their field that have connections and knowledge far beyond the classroom,” Karns points out to future students. “Going to office hours and inquiring about their journeys and involvements will provide you with critical insight of the field that you may not get otherwise. I would advise students to take advantage of the opportunity to create a network with so many influential and inspiring stakeholders who are all in the same place while they can.”

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