Strength in Learning, Balance in Practice

As a full-time student at the University of North Dakota and captain of the Cheer Team, Renee Temple has mastered the art of time management.

Balancing academics and athletics requires a good amount of focus, and she’s developed a system that keeps her on track.

“I have a rule for myself that homework gets done on campus, at the Union or other study spots, so my mind stays on school,” she explained.  “Then, when I’m at practice, my mind stays on practice. I group everything so I’m not thinking about everything all at once.” 

Even with those boundaries in place, Renee has found that her academic and athletic lives naturally intersect. What she learns in her Kinesiology courses often shows up at practice, helping her to better understand movement, training and leadership on the cheer team. 

I wanted a smaller school that still felt big.

Born in Grand Forks, N.D., Renee and her family eventually settled in Texas, though she considers Alexandria, Virginia, her hometown. Now living in Grand Forks for school, she credits her upbringing with making the transition from the South to North Dakota feel natural.

“I wanted a smaller school that still felt big,” she said. “Having strong athletics and a cheer team was also really important to me.” 

She also knew she wanted a career in healthcare, though it took some exploration to find the right fit. At first, Renee considered orthopedic surgery, but after realizing it wasn’t the path for her, she enrolled in a physical therapy course and discovered a passion for the field.

UND’s Kinesiology program became the perfect choice, closely aligned with her interests and providing the foundation she needed to pursue her ultimate goal of attaining her doctorate degree in physical therapy. 

From anatomy and physiology labs to lessons taught by the sports scientist for the UND men’s hockey team, she’s been able to connect theory with real-world application.

“When I’m working out, I’ll catch myself thinking, ‘Oh, this is what’s happening inside my muscles right now,’” she said.

That ability to connect classwork to her own training — and even to her leadership as a cheer captain — keeps her motivated.

Looking ahead, she’s eager to take a biomechanics course which will deepen her understanding of how the body moves, heals and returns to peak performance. 

UND has given me the opportunity to do really well in my classes while also staying involved in cheer and volunteering.

The flexibility of the online program is also convenient for Renee as she is active on campus and within the Grand Forks community.

When not studying or cheering, Renee volunteers with the Special Olympics cheer team. Her involvement in the organization began during her freshman year at UND and is something she has grown very fond of over the years.

“It means absolutely everything to me; they are the best group of girls you’ll ever meet,” she said. “They genuinely love to cheer, and we have gotten to perform with them for the past couple of years and it’s been awesome to bond with them over that.”  

As she prepares to graduate a semester early, Renee has been accepted into the physical therapy program at Baylor University in Texas. She hopes to pursue a career in sports therapy, combining her lifelong love of athletics with her desire to help others heal and perform at their best.

As she looks ahead, Renee credits UND — and especially the kinesiology program — for giving her both the academic foundation and the personal support to reach this milestone.

“UND has given me the opportunity to do really well in my classes while also staying involved in cheer and volunteering,” she said. “Those experiences helped me get into my top-choice PT school and even graduate a semester early. It’s just been amazing, UND has really helped me grow as a person.”