Heather Gulgin

When in college I began to really struggle with life and questioned what is the meaning of life, what is my purpose. Up to that point in my life my identify was tied up in golf. I was known as the good golfer and played well enough to earn a college scholarship. When I played well, life was good, when I played poor, life wasn't so great. But I wondered, do you just go to college, get a job, get married, have kids, retire, and die? I became very depressed in college and developed an unhealthy coping mechanism (binge eating disorder) by trying to use food to drown out my feelings. I tried setting goals and reading self-help books and that didn't help. Then, I met someone who told me how God helped her in difficult times. I never thought about God. But, one night after binge eating and feeling hopeless about my life, I cried out "God if you are real, I need you. I can't go on living like this!" Shortly after that I began to seek out churches to see what God is all about and came across a church that has a course on Basic Christianity. I learned who Jesus is, why he died, how to read the bible, pray, etc. God used the eating disorder and my hopelessness in life to bring me to the end of myself and see that I am in need of a Savior. No matter what I do in this life I can't earn my way to heaven. And for someone who is so achievement oriented, that was good news to me! I was loved by God even when at my worst. That's amazing love! God is the lover of our souls and pursues us with a jealous love, even when we are not pursuing him. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"

My Life

Favorite Quote

Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. -Lou Houltz

Friends describe me

Energetic, disciplined, organized, loves to travel, always doing something

My hobbies

Photography (wildlife), golf, pickle ball

Fantasy dinner guests

Anyone who has overcome significant adversity and obstacles in life - to hear their story

Best advice I ever received

Love people more than things

My undergrad alma mater

UAB (Undergrad & Master's), University of Toledo (PhD)

My worst subject in school

Calculus

In college I drove

Plymouth Reliant (can't remember year)

If I weren't a professor, I would

Be a Life Coach

Favorite books

Bible, God is Able, Experiencing God, Don't waste your life

Favorite movies

Greatest Showman (story line), Spiderman 2 (4K special effects), War Room (most influentual), End of the Spear (inspirational), Bella (God used to change my life)

Favorite city

London to visit or Clearwater, FL to live (for year round sunshine and warmth!)

Favorite coffee

Not a coffee drinker:)

Nobody knows I

I wanted to be an NFL scout in high-school. I loved watching football and thought it would be a great job to get paid to watch football.

My latest accomplishment

Survive parenting a teenager and see her earn high-school diploma!

Current Research

Past Research: 1. Weight-bearing hip rotation range of motion 2. Orthopedic walking boots Future Research: 1. Biomechanics of Photography 2. Influence of Coaching Model in Leadership Effectiveness