Kennesaw, Georgia | February 22, 2024
For Lacey Harper, a graduate student at Kennesaw State University, one message reset the trajectory of her life.
Two years after earning his bachelor’s degree in exercise science with honors from KSU, Harper was working as a manager at a sporting goods store when one of his former professors, Garrett Hester, messaged him via LinkedIn. I received it.
“It’s like a movie,” Harper said. “I was pursuing the business side of life when I received a message from KSU, among others. He asked me if I was interested in an open graduate research assistant position. One message turned everything around.”
Harper, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science, has found success in the Hester Research Group. In addition to her important mission of improving the health of older women, she channeled her inner geek and used her various projects to analyze data and study the effects of exercise. I was immersed in the practical aspects of doing so. She presented one of her projects at the Spring 2023 WellStar University Research and Engagement Day, earning honors among student presenters.
While her award-winning project was on the risk of falls in middle-aged women due to muscle fatigue, her master’s thesis focused on strength training using elastic bands to improve the health of older women. Strength training is effective for increasing muscle strength, but few people, especially older women, engage in such exercise. Ease of use and comfort are important with rubber bands, and further evidence is needed regarding their effectiveness in improving muscle health. Harper seeks to quantify these improvements in bodily functions and learn more about the physiological mechanisms behind them.
“We’ve created a home-based, ultra-practical rubber band training program that we ask women between the ages of 65 and 79 to perform at home, so it’s very accessible to them. ” she said. “We’ll look at how a shorter program impacts their muscle health, muscle quality, and physical function. We’ll look at how shorter programs affect their muscle health, muscle quality, and physical function. We do all kinds of tests on how it affects your functioning and quality of life.”
Hester researches aging and neuromuscular function, with a recent focus on women’s health. She said Harper expressed interest in graduate school during her senior year in 2020, but her name didn’t come up until she found an opening for a graduate research assistant position. His hunch came true, and Harper did a great job in the lab.
“She is an outstanding graduate student and her accolades reflect that,” Hester said. “She is seriously committed to older women’s health and is passionate about research and analysis. She is also passionate about mentoring undergraduate students, which is especially important to her KSU students. This is important at a university that focuses on departments like this.”
Apart from his master’s thesis, Harper has consistently been active in pursuing research and professional development. She has so far published two research papers, one of which is published in her Journal of Physiology, a highly influential journal in the field. Harper also earned her exercise physiologist certification this summer. Recently, she was selected to present her research on aging and muscle function in the “New Insights in Aging” session at the Society of Sports Medicine’s annual conference.
After graduating in May, Harper plans to pursue a doctorate in exercise science to further study the health of older women. The lessons she learned in Prillaman Hall’s labs and classrooms, she said, she plans to carry with her wherever she goes.
“Thanks to Dr. Hester, the faculty at Kennesaw State University, and the support of WellStar University, I was given this opportunity to return to school,” she said. “I know it’s a cliché, but the truest thing I can say about this movie is that it changed my life. Two years ago this time, we I never thought I would have the opportunity to focus on the important research I am currently conducting, and I am so grateful to be able to contribute to the field of muscle health and aging.”
– Written by Dave Shells
Photo by Matt Yong
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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State University is a member of the University System of Georgia, which has 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong international connections, and entrepreneurial spirit attracts students from across the country and around the world. Kennesaw State University is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), one of an elite group of only 7% of U.S. universities with her R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
