Honors in Action: APSU dance team members shine on and off field

By: Ethan Steinquest November 4, 2024

Sophomore education major Madelyn Steele and senior agriculture major Grace Henderson perform as part of APSU’s dance team.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Grace Henderson and Madelyn Steele, members of Austin Peay State University’s dance team, are choreographing a blend of athletic and academic success through their involvement in the Honors Program.

These dedicated dancers exemplify Austin Peay’s commitment to fostering well-rounded student-athletes, and their stories highlight the university’s diverse opportunities.

From campus to clinic: Grace Henderson pursues veterinary goals

Senior agriculture and biology major Grace Henderson hypes up the crowd at Fortera Stadium.

Grace Henderson’s path to becoming a veterinarian has been marked by passion and perseverance, from treating stuffed animals as a child to vaccinating live cows at APSU’s Farm and Environmental Education Center.

The senior agriculture and biology major is preparing to apply for graduate school and will soon begin shadowing at the Country Veterinary Clinic to learn about treating farm animals. Her long-term goal is to start her own veterinary practice.

“I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian since childhood, and I’ve never changed my decision,” she said. “But shadowing at the North Clarksville Animal Clinic solidified it. I got hands-on experience watching and helping with surgeries, and my interactions with the vets and their clients were so impactful.”

Henderson is also a member of APSU’s Pre-Veterinary Club and Pre-Professional Health Society, which connected her with other professionals and helped her prepare for her next steps.

While veterinary medicine is Henderson’s lifelong career goal, dance is an equally important passion. She started at age 3 and eventually joined the pom squad and dance team at Northwest High School.

“I’ve always seen dance as a way to express my feelings without talking,” she said. “I’ve had emotional dances where I ended up crying, and I feel like you make such a deep connection with the audience. Sometimes it’s hard to tell people what I’m going through, but I’ve been able to express all of that by moving my body.”

Henderson decided to continue dancing in college, inspired in part by APSU dance team members who led her high school summer training camps. Since she graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic, her first year in college was unique.

“Our dance team tryouts were virtual, and we had to wear masks during practices,” she said. “We couldn’t perform on the floor during the first football season I was here. They rescheduled those games to the spring, and we had to take videos of our dances for them to put on the screen.”

By her sophomore year, things became more traditional, but Henderson said those experiences helped her become more adaptable. Being part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Baptist Collegiate Ministries also gave her a strong support system.

Henderson’s involvement in the Honors Program and the President’s Emerging Leaders Program further helped her to hone crucial research and leadership skills.

“I’ve always seen myself as a quiet servant leader, but PELP has helped me step out and develop my leadership style for my career,” she said. “I want to lead by example, not just in what I say, but what I do.”

As part of an Honors Contract project, Henderson also worked with Dr. Sergei Markov, professor of biology, on published research about growing microbacterium phages.

“That made me feel more involved in the importance of research,” she said. “I’d never done research with a professor here, so being able to help and see what the process looks like was amazing.”

Henderson’s campus activities are wide-ranging, but they all share one thing: APSU’s supportive and engaging community.

“My experience here has been unique and uplifting, and I’ll remember it for the rest of my life,” she said. “I’m really glad I chose Austin Peay because it’s one of the most caring and passionate colleges around.”

Stepping into leadership: Madelyn Steele’s dance-driven journey

Sophomore education major Madelyn Steele shows her school spirit at Fortera Stadium.

Attending a local college opened up a world of opportunities for sophomore education major Madelyn Steele. As a member of both the Honors Program and the President’s Emerging Leaders Program, she balances her academic pursuits with her athletic passions.

“I originally didn’t want to stay close to home, but after I came to a preview day and a dance team clinic, I knew this was where I needed to be,” she said. “I love it here, and I wouldn’t change a thing about my decision.”

Steele’s APSU experience and her dance journey are closely tied. She picked up the sport at age 10 and first visited campus to take lessons from a graduate instructor.

“I took a lot of dance classes when I was 10 and 11, but it went on hold when I started high school because they didn’t have a team at first,” she said. “I didn’t dance again until junior year, so I picked up soccer, track, cross country, tennis, and flag football - all these other things to keep me busy.”

Steele enjoyed trying out different activities, but there was no substitute for dance. As soon as Montgomery Central High School added a team, she got involved, and footage of professionals inspired her to continue dancing in college.

“This keeps me motivated and fit, but it’s also been such a fun experience,” she said. “There’s no feeling like game day. I still remember last year at my first football game of the season when we beat ETSU by 60 points, and the energy was incredible.”

One of Steele’s most memorable experiences came in January when the dance team competed at the UDA Nationals in Orlando, Florida.

“We were around teams like LSU, Memphis, and UT Knoxville,” she said. “It was a crazy experience to be around such talented people and compete with my team. It brought us all together because you have to pick each other up and be supportive in that environment.”

Dance is a significant part of Steele’s life, but her academic pursuits are equally important. Her goal after graduation is to become a high school anatomy or biology teacher.

“Biology has always been what I was most interested in at school,” she said. “It was fascinating to learn how everything worked. There’s always more to learn and deeper places to dive into.”

Steele credits her mother, a teacher herself, for inspiring her career path.

“I wanted to do something in science, but I didn’t want to work in a lab or be a doctor,” she said. “When I talked to my mom about teaching, she pointed out that it’s such a good career option because people will always need teachers.”

As part of the Honors Program and PELP, Steele has access to unique opportunities to prepare her for her career. One especially memorable experience was a PELP-sponsored service trip to the Dominican Republic during spring break.

“We spent the week interacting with kids at a community for children without parents or with difficult home situations,” she said. “It was probably the most eye-opening experience I’ve had. We came back with an incentive to really want to help people and realized how grateful we were for everything we have.”

Looking ahead, Steele aims to maintain a 4.0 GPA while staying involved on campus. She is considering adding another minor and exploring study-abroad options that fit with her dance commitments.

“I’d rather be busy all day than at home,” she said. “School and dance take up all my time, but I love it. I don’t know where I’d be right now if I wasn’t at Austin Peay, but I don’t think I’d be this happy and involved.”