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When I think of exercise physiology as a respected profession like so many other professional academic programs, I think long and hard about why I decided to put myself on the line. To argue that exercise physiology is not where is should be is one thing, but to suggest that academic PhDs have contributed to the problem is another. As an educator, I must confess that exercise physiologists have achieved a lot with relatively little. By this I mean (and to my surprise after so many years in the field), exercise physiologists have been able to achieve many laudable goals through their research efforts. This is probably one area non-PhD exercise physiologists fail to understand. Exercise physiology is entrenched in the practice of research. However, the practicing professionals have failed to think in the present moment. They have been instead consumed by the past. As a result, they continue to perpetuate fragmentation (characterized as academic specialization) at a time when we need unity.

While I also treasure our heritage, it is time for new visions. Academic exercise physiologists who do not, cannot or will not move their attention to their students and the issues they face at graduation today should not be college professors. I appreciate that giving advice in this area is questionable except for the fact that the tendency is to continue as we have for years if someone doesn't introduce a vastly different idea. The bottom line is simple. If our programs in higher education don't move towards accreditation, we should stop preparing students to assume "tentative" career positions. On the other hand, with advancements in course offerings and academic consistency from one college to the next, I believe our profession will be vastly strengthened. Achieving this goal will take time. We must remember that it is the commitment to the goal that is important and, in so doing, it should qualify the academic exercise physiologist as a teacher.

My individual hope and the collective hopes of ASEP members are founded in the unwavering belief in the Society. I have never before place such trust as I have in a collective body of professionals. In other words, I have come to understand and believe that we have shared ideas and dreams. For this, I dedicate my work to all of ASEP members. Through our dialogue and dedication, I believe the community of exercise physiologists will become one; a transformation if you will that gives power to the emerging professionals.

Heritage is important just as memory is important. Responsibility to those who paved the way is good to remember, but so is the ongoing battles teachers today are challenged to cope with. Somewhere in all of this attempt to think critically (with feeling) there is the respect that should be acknowledge for all of the college and university teachers who work hard to construct (if not maintain) the exercise physiology identify. With these brief reflections, despite risk and vulnerability, I believe in our common struggles although we must try harder.

What does all of this mean for me personally? I am thankful to be an integral part of the contemporary linkage between the past and the present rethinking (if not restructuring) of exercise physiology. I have come to recognize the importance of pushing forward to instill in our students pride, confidence, and self-esteem. Eventually, all exercise physiologists will reinforce this point as they must share the responsibility of changing "what is" for what "should be" (regardless of the risk).