Senior graphic design student Noelle Jones discovered her purpose while attending St. Edward’s University. This discovery has allowed her to meet people who have pushed her to succeed. Now, she wants to help others stay healthy and meet their goals.
Currently, Jones works as a fitness coordinator and instructor for the Recreation and Athletic Center at St. Edward’s. Through becoming a fitness coordinator earlier this year, Jones found that she loves to help people find a healthier lifestyle.
Growing up in Grapevine, Texas in a family of six. Her passion for art and graphic design started around elementary school. Jones recalls working on projects where she would create poster boards and infographics for school assignments, something that sparked her interest in learning about shapes, colors and graphics.
“Yearbook in high school was the perfect vehicle because it was a design and poster boards in a book,” Jones said. “It was all for people who I loved in school.”
Jones is studying graphic design because of her love for shapes and colors. She believes graphic design and teaching fitness are similar because both can help improve people’s lives. In business, a graphic designer can improve the overall brand; and in fitness, she is improving people’s overall health and well-being.
“Both fitness and graphic design are important to me because they allow me to connect with people,” Jones said. “And both allow me to help other people grow and enjoy life.”
For Jones teaching a spin class is also a creative process. When planning a spin class, she needs to listen to the different tempos of a song to plan the breaks, high points and low points. It’s all a challenge to make something students will enjoy, similar to graphic designers, who must think about how the audience will react to a structure.
“I teach because it reminds me of my fitness journey,” Jones said. “I was obese in high school, and I lost a lot of weight, and fitness was a way for me to connect with myself in a healthy way.”
On Tuesdays, Jones teaches a free spin class open to all students. Spin class is an indoor cardio class that focuses on sprints and interval training. Students train on a stationary bike and pedal to music for 45 minutes.
“You get to connect with other students and have a mental break from a stressful day,” Jones said. “You get to move your body.”
The Recreation and Athletic Center offers other free spin classes all through the week. Students interested in joining Group X spin classes can sign up on Imleagues.com.