As Sheyla Leon ’26 approaches graduation, her journey is shaped by curiosity and a drive to make a difference in patient’s lives. Through her studies in our Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management, she developed a passion that connects science, research and compassion.

Leon, a kinesiology major with a concentration in motor behavior, focuses on understanding how people move, learn and heal. With her coursework and research experiences, she explores how science can improve health outcomes. Now, as a first-generation student preparing for medical school, she is turning that commitment into a future focused on patient care, education and advocacy.

At first, Leon considered a career in teaching with her love of learning and helping others. She realized medicine offers a way to combine all her interests as she explored kinesiology. “I want to help patients regain the ability to do basic things and feel like themselves,” Leon said. “At the same time, I want to keep learning and I can do so through every patient I meet.”

Her anatomy courses sparked a fascination with the complexity of the human body and her dream of becoming a physician. “Kinesiology taught me that care is never one-dimensional,” Leon notes. “You have to listen, adapt and figure out what works best for each individual, not just apply one fixed approach.” She also values working in a team-based environment and appreciates any chance for collaboration.

Sheyla Leon presents research with Dr. Drew Gonzalez on nutrition and health in ROTC cadets.

After transferring to Texas A&M University, Leon was introduced to research through Dr. Lisa Colvin and later connected her with Dr. Drew Gonzalez. Through this work, she contributed to research focused on tactical populations, including firefighters and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. Her research explored nutrition, supplements, cognitive performance and cardiovascular risk. “A big part of my work has been transforming complex science into digestible segments these communities can actually use,” she explained.

Research became a turning point in Leon’s college experience. Her first-author publication, Navigating ROTC and Corps of Cadets’ Nutrition Knowledge and Perspectives on Dietary Intake and Behavior, analyzed how ROTC cadets understand nutrition and the barriers they face in maintaining healthy habits. The study found that cadets frequently have low overall nutrition knowledge. Despite a willingness to improve their eating habits, they encounter challenges, such as busy schedules and limited access to cooking facilities. “Research taught me that nothing in medicine is one-size-fits-all,” Leon emphasizes. “There are so many variables and each individual is different.”

Behind her growth is a strong network of mentors and systems she has within our College. With support from Kelley O’Neal, Executive Director of our Marilyn Kent Byrne Student Success Center, she navigated opportunities that once felt out of reach. “O’Neal has been a huge support system, especially as a first-generation student,” Leon adds. “He made things that felt overwhelming feel possible.”

Leon earns 2025 Texas Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (TACSM) Major of the Year award.

The Langston Terry-Ammon Underwood College of Education Endowed Scholarship, the Southerland Aggie Leadership Scholarship, the John C. Morgan Endowed Scholarship and the College of Education Student Scholarship opened doors for new opportunities. It allowed Leon to attend conferences, present her research and represent Texas at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conference. “The support allowed me to focus on school, research and grow as a student without finances getting in the way,” Leon explains.

She plans to pursue a career as an Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) or pediatrician, where she hopes to create a space where patients feel supported. “My patients will feel safe enough to ask questions, to be honest and to trust me,” she shares. “If I can make even a small part of someone’s life easier, that’s the kind of impact I want to have.”

This fall, Leon starts medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch, carrying the lessons, mentorship and experiences that shaped her time at Texas A&M. “Everything I’ve accomplished is because someone believed in me,” she said. “I’ll spend my career giving that same impact back to others.”

For media inquiries, contact Ruben Hidalgo.