Kelsey Parks Smith is the Coordinator of Programs for Student Athlete Development and Enhancement at Smith College. In this role, Kelsey develops, plans, and facilitates programming for student athletes in the areas of diversity and inclusion, mental health and wellbeing, and student leadership. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Smith College and her master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Loughborough University. Kelsey is also a former competitive equestrian and has been riding for over 22 years.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Kelsey Parks Smith explains how she developed a passion for horse riding from a young age
- Why Kelsey chose to attend Smith College and the key differences between being a student and working on the faculty
- A typical day at Kelsey’s job as the Coordinator of Programs for Student Athlete Development and Enhancement
- How Kelsey empowers female athletes through her current position
- Kelsey’s mentors and where she sees herself in the future
In this episode…
What role does psychology play in sports? How does a person’s gender, race, or sexuality impact their experience as an athlete? These are the questions on Kelsey Parks Smith’s mind.
Kelsey is the Coordinator of Programs for Student Athlete Development and Enhancement at Smith College. As a former equestrian, she translated her love of riding horses into her passion for helping college athletes gain confidence and improve their performance. With a master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Kelsey is interested in how gender, race, and sexuality impact athletes — and what she can do to empower the next generation.
On this exciting episode of the Sports Up Podcast, Meredith Syms talks with Kelsey Parks Smith, a former competitive equestrian and the current Coordinator of Programs for Student Athlete Development and Enhancement at Smith College. Kelsey discusses her background in sports psychology, the role that gender, race, and sexuality play in athletics, and how she is working to empower female and minority college athletes. Stay tuned!
Resources Mentioned in this episode
- Meredith Syms on LinkedIn
- Sports Up Podcast
- Kelsey Parks Smith on LinkedIn
- Smith College
- Kristin Hughes on LinkedIn
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by me, Meredith Syms.
My biggest personal and professional passion is to be one of the top female leaders in sports broadcasting—a typically male-dominated industry.
Communications, interviewing, and broadcasting are some of my biggest skills and interests, and I want to develop this podcast as a way of sharing my passions with you, the listener.
I am currently working toward my goal of interning for a professional sports team. If you know someone I should connect with, please send me an email at meredith@sportsuppodcast.com. I am willing to work my butt off!
I am always looking for more great guests to feature on the Sports Up Podcast. If you or someone you know is an inspiring female leader, I would love to hear from you.
To learn more about me and what I do, visit sportsuppodcast.com today!