Hielscher Scholar bonds with PE class of ’75

With a newly created scholarship, she’s on her way to fulfilling her dreams.    

Janiah Lindsey ’24 is the inaugural Hielscher Scholar, receiving a scholarship funded by the Physical Education Class of 1975 to support students committed to obtaining a BS in kinesiology. The scholarship honors the P.E. Class of ’75’s lifelong bond and their beloved advisor, Pat Hielscher.  

And they are excited about their first scholarship recipient.

Class of ’75 graduate Deborah “D.J.” Jones joined Janiah for lunch in September 2021. Says D.J., “The members were thrilled Janiah received this award, and we all wanted to reach out to her. My purpose in meeting her was to make that connection and give her some history about ‘The Class’ and how much this scholarship means to us.”

Janiah, who has spent time with several of its members, hopes they recognize in her a like-minded person with a passion for physical fitness. She explains that she believes sports training can heal not only the body, but also the spirit.

In high school, Janiah – a serious soccer player for 13 years – injured her hamstring. At that point, she met Miss Rae, a sports trainer who helped her believe she could regain her pre-injury body, as well as her confidence. “A lot of sports therapy is about encouraging people – making them believe they can succeed,” Janiah says. Miss Rae became her role model for a major in kinesiology and a future career in sports therapy.

Janiah was accepted by several schools. But once she “stepped on the campus” during her high school senior year, she knew exactly where she wanted to study. The pandemic protocols of 2020 made finding community a real challenge for many incoming freshmen, including Janiah.

But like the P.E. Class of 1975, Janiah found a community on campus that helped her excel. Her job with Outdoor Adventures at UNCG’s Kaplan Center for Wellness introduced her to a supportive group of friends, who also share her enthusiasm for taking on the center’s popular climbing wall.

Just as Janiah’s role model in high school inspired her future, the P.E. Class of ’75’s mentor, Pat Hielscher, made an indelible mark on their choices in life: She challenged them to dare to be different, to follow their own star. 

In Janiah Lindsey, D.J. Jones ’75 sees a quiet and humble person whose determined spirit and close family ties mirror the values held by “The Class.” 

“She sets high expectations for herself just like we did,” D.J. says. “She wants to serve, and we all want to see her graduate and continue her dream.”

Classes will start in mid-August, and Janiah is eager. She has spent the summer at home in Lilesville, N.C., to be with her family, help with younger siblings, and study for her fall semester anatomy class. Anatomy is a challenging class for every aspiring kinesiology major, she explains. Fortunately for Janiah, she has three in-house tutors: Her sister and brother have both passed college anatomy classes, and her mother is a registered nurse.

She is ready for her junior year. And, as a Hielscher Scholar, preparing for a career that will help others build healthy minds and bodies.

The Physical Education Class of 1975 Scholarship is part of UNCG’s Light the Way: The Campaign for Earned Achievement. This comprehensive fundraising campaign seeks to raise $200 million to increase access, elevate academic excellence, and enhance the tremendous impact of UNCG’s programs. For additional information, visit lighttheway.uncg.edu.

By Chris Garton and Lollie White
Photograph of Janiah Lindsey by Martin W. Kane. Courtesy photo of PE Class of 1975 members taken in 1971, their freshman year.