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Student Life
Soccer Stars Score with Logan’s MS-SSR Degree
As a prominent health sciences university, many of Logan’s programs attract athletes. Two students currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Sports Science & Rehabilitation (MS-SSR) program have extensive soccer experience, from playing to coaching.
MARAH TAYEH
Marah Tayeh has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old. With some friendly competition from her twin sister, the duo honed their skills as they grew up.
“When it came time to choose a university, we knew we had to find a school that wanted both of us to play soccer since we had never been apart,” Marah said. “Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, offered each of us a scholarship, and it was the best decision we made.”
An avid athlete, Marah chose a course of study she was passionate about. She earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science with the goal of pursuing a master’s degree after graduation.
“I began looking at master’s degree programs in the exercise science field and quickly came across Logan’s website,” said Marah. “I loved that the program was completely online so I could work on my degree around the schedule of my full-time job, and knowing I would be learning from one of the top programs in the country was a huge plus.”
Marah began the MS-SSR program in September 2020 from nearly 5,000 miles away from Logan’s campus.
“I moved to Germany after I graduated from Marshall because I wanted to play in the German women’s soccer league, but unfortunately, things are still on hold because of COVID-19,” Marah said. “I can’t wait to start playing soccer again, but it’s been nice to focus on my master’s degree, my job and exploring a new country.”
With a graduation date in summer 2022, Marah is looking forward to using her degree to achieve her dream of becoming an exercise physiologist for a soccer team.
“Soccer has always been such an important part of my life, and I can’t imagine leaving it behind after my playing career has come to a close,” said Marah. “I’ve had some great trainers throughout the years, and I want to be able to provide that same level of high-quality care to other athletes. What I’m learning in the MS-SSR program will help me do just that.”
JHOJAN OBANDO
Although Jhojan Obando has played soccer since he was a child, he never imagined it would lead to a career in coaching.
“My family moved to the United States from Colombia when I was 4 years old, and I started playing soccer not long after that,” Jhojan said. “It was the only sport I played
After graduating as a student-athlete from Marshall University, Marah Tayeh moved to Germany, where she is currently working toward her Master of Science in Sports Science & Rehabilitation degree from Logan.
growing up because I loved it so much.”
Jhojan continued to play soccer throughout high school and even received an offer to play at Providence College in Rhode Island.
“I absolutely loved playing collegiate soccer, and my coach was incredible,” said Jhojan. “After I graduated, my coach from Providence got a job at the University of Michigan, where he recruited me to work for him as a volunteer coach.”
After two years as a volunteer, Jhojan was promoted to his current position of assistant men’s soccer coach in 2014.
“My former coach, who is now my boss, always told me I would end up coaching one day, but I never believed him because I had other ideas about what I wanted to do,” Jhojan said. “It turns out he was right, and coaching has been one of the best experiences of my life.”
Last year, Jhojan became interested in health care while listening to his wife talk about her experiences in medical school.
“As a coach, I knew I wanted to continue working with athletes, but I had this yearning to learn more about athletes’ physical and psychological makeup,” said Jhojan. “I wanted to understand more about health and nutrition to help my players maintain peak physical fitness and recover properly from injuries.”
A friend recommended Logan’s MS-SSR program to him, and after reviewing the online resources, courses and curriculum, Jhojan felt Logan would be the perfect fit.
“I could tell just from looking online that Logan truly cares about its students and puts their success and well-being before anything else,” Jhojan said. “Now that I’ve started the program, I can see how dedicated the academic success coaches are. They’re always so readily available and communicative. It’s made the transition back into education much easier for me.”
Jhojan is set to graduate in the spring of 2023 and hopes to use his degree to better serve the players he coaches. If his path ever leads him away from coaching, he wants to use what he learned in the MS-SSR program to start his own personal fitness business dedicated to educating kids on developing healthy diet and exercise habits.
As an assistant men’s soccer coach at the University of Michigan, Jhojan Obando practices drills with the team goalie before a game.
