Name: Kate McLellan
BYUH employee since: 2018
BYUH alum: class of 2001
My job at BYUH is… assistant professor of health and human science in the Faculty of Sciences.
I grew up in… Newport Beach, California
I’m currently working on… mental and physical health in students, specifically Polynesian and Asian students.
My favorite thing about teaching… are the students. They all have such cool backgrounds and experiences, and you’re getting such a variety of all these ideas on morality and physical and mental health that bringing them all together to pool discussions is amazing.
Advice I’ve would give about teaching… is to pray a lot. I keep a photo of all my students on my wall. This helps me tailor my class preparation to ensure I'm delivering content that resonates with them. Each semester, I adapt my material to better meet their evolving needs.
What sparked my interest in my field… is helping people become better. I'm passionate about problem-solving, which is why I pursued a PhD in research. My goal is to enhance people’s happiness and happiness is closely linked to one’s emotional well-being. How you feel is deeply influenced by your lifestyle and the choices you make. I strive to assist individuals in improving their decision-making and overall quality of life.
On Saturday mornings you’ll find me… sleeping in and then coming to the gym. For me, it’s extra-credit leg day.
When I have 30 minutes of free time… I eat a lot. Sometimes I’ll ‘doom scroll’ on Instagram, most of the time I like to find good memes to show my class, or I’ll be working on side projects.
My favorite hike on the island… was back in the day when we did the front side of the Stairway to Heaven.
During the summer months… I go freediving. My kids and I go to the beach and spend a lot of time there. It’s all about getting in the water.
If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be… sushi. In a post-apocalyptic world, I’d find someone to make sushi for me.
I’m currently listening to… the GrowthDay podcast by high performance coach Brendon Burchard.
The last TV show I binge-watched was… a sitcom titled Ghosts on Paramount+.
The next big trip I’m interested in… is anywhere in Polynesia. I haven’t planned them yet but any country that’s part of Polynesia or Oceania is game.
The title of my autobiography would be… “Isn’t It Awesome?” because I say the word ‘awesome’ all the time.