Emily Samuel
Emily Samuel is a sixth-year undergraduate student pursuing a combined degree in a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Education at the University of Lethbridge. She is passionate about creating inclusive and welcoming environments where individuals feel a sense of belonging, while exploring the connections between physical activity, education, leadership, and human development. Following her graduation in the spring of 2027, Emily hopes to pursue graduate studies and further explore her interests in leadership and coaching or aging and physical activity.
Throughout her time at the UofL, Emily has been heavily involved in extracurricular activities and student leadership. She served as President of the KinPhyEd Club for three years and was a member of the UofL Kin Games team before serving as team captain for three years. During her time with the KinPhyEd Club, Emily helped establish the annual Student vs Faculty Game, an event that has continued to bring students and faculty together for the past three years. These experiences have strengthened her passion for leadership, community building, and creating opportunities for students to connect and feel at home at the UofL. In March 2027, Emily will also host Kinesiology Games as head coordinator at the UofL, bringing together approximately 500 students from across Canada for one of the largest undergraduate student-led conferences in the country.
Academically, Emily has earned a place on the Dean's Honour List for multiple semesters. She has also pursued opportunities to explore emerging areas of research. Through an independent study under Dr. Scott Rathwell, Emily examined the potential role of artificial intelligence in coding coaching behaviours. She is currently conducting research with Dr. Simon Scharez exploring executive function affordances across different activity types in children and will present her research at the CSEP conference in Edmonton in October 2026. Emily credits many of these opportunities to the supportive and connected community at the UofL. The University's smaller class sizes have allowed her to build meaningful relationships with faculty members, which have opened the door to unique research, leadership, and learning opportunities throughout her undergraduate degree.
Emily is currently completing her final teaching internship, where she is teaching grades 7-9 and coaching the grade 8 girls volleyball team. Her experiences in the classroom have allowed her to combine her backgrounds in kinesiology and education while developing her passion for creating inclusive, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences.
Outside of school, Emily enjoys being outside, travelling, hanging out with friends, and indulging in her love of trashy reality television.