An outstanding young woman

Madden earns Spitaleri nomination

Crystal R. Albers
Posted 5/4/18

Nominees for the University of Wyoming’s Rosemarie Martha Spitaleri Award must be outstanding graduating women, who “exhibit the finest leadership, academic integrity and citizenship qualities,” according to the UW website (uwyo.edu).

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An outstanding young woman

Madden earns Spitaleri nomination

Posted

LARAMIE – Nominees for the University of Wyoming’s Rosemarie Martha Spitaleri Award must be outstanding graduating women, who “exhibit the finest leadership, academic integrity and citizenship qualities,” according to the UW website (uwyo.edu).

Torrington native Avery Madden, daughter of Lex and Jamie Madden, is one of a handful of students who received the nomination, an annual school tradition since 1964.

Madden graduated from Torrington High School in 2014 and will walk across the stage at UW next week with her degree in kinesiology and health promotion, with a minor in the UW Honors Program.

“My goal is to pursue a master’s degree in exercise physiology and work in a cardiac rehab facility,” Madden said. “I wanted to do something that would really make a difference in people’s lives – I think I finally found my niche.”

Madden, who has maintained a 3.6 grade-point average throughout her coursework, said she credits her success to the kinesiology department at UW.

“I’ve never had such great professors and mentors as I’ve had with those in that department,” she said. “They have fueled my desire to work in the health department and work in physical activity. It made my decision easy as to … what path I want to take in life.

“My junior year, I had the opportunity to work with a professor on his research study that’s in process of being published,” Madden continued. “We did an exercise intervention for older adults using high intensity interval training … it fueled my love for exercise intervention … what an incredible opportunity – it really helped me grow as a student.”

Madden added her parents, Lex and Jamie, have supported her every step of the way.

“They came to all my banquets last week – all three of them – and then stayed to watch me present my undergraduate thesis on the study I had done with my professor last year,” she said. “They have been incredible to say the least. They’ll be back for graduation. It’s lots of driving – they’re great fans.”

While earning a degree, Madden has been involved with several extracurricular activities at UW, including intramural basketball and volleyball; Mortar Board – a national honor society for seniors; Cardinal Key – an honor society for juniors; Exercise is Medicine – On Campus; Phi Epsilon Kappa – a national fraternity for individuals pursuing careers in health, of which Madden also served as president. She’s also volunteered as a coach for She’s a Runner Girl, which helps second- through sixth-grade girls with goal setting and body image; Walk with A Doc; and serves as a certified group fitness instructor at Half Acre Gymnasium on campus

“My mom tells me I have problem saying no,” Madden said, laughing. “But it’s great – I like to stay busy.”

With her undergraduate career at UW nearly behind her, Madden has her sights set on the east coast moving forward.

“I’ve always been in Wyoming,” she said. “I would love to go to the east coast for school, as I plan to come back to Wyoming. I’m looking at a program at Wake Forest (in North Carolina) – it’s one of the best programs in the nation for exercise physiology. Also, I’d love to go to South Carolina, just explore the United States a little bit more.”

For those who may be enrolling in college for the first time this year, Torrington’s own Spitaleri nominee offered a bit of guidance.

“Two pieces of advice: the first one would be, don’t pick a major until after your first year in college because your interests and you will change,” she said. “Second would be to break out of your shell as much as possible. Join groups, talk to people who you wouldn’t normally talk to, step out of your comfort zone – because that’s where you grow the most.”