Alton B. Kirksey’s goal was to graduate in four years.
During those four years, he also became a coach and personal trainer, started a nonprofit, helped found a student group for minorities and worked for the MSU women’s basketball team.
Now Kirksey, a Kinesiology major, is representing the Class of 2020 as one of two students selected as commencement speakers for the College of Education. Though he’s disappointed about not giving his live speech—a moment he would consider one of his best achievements at MSU—due to COVID-19, he is not deterred.
“Being a Spartan means to work hard and input your will into shaping the future,” he said. “This will guide me going forward by keeping me hopeful and having faith that I will be able to one day impact the world.”
Making the path
The Detroiter has already made the quite the impact.
A 2016 graduate of Renaissance High School, he joined his older brother Anton by attending MSU. He quickly learned that he would be immersed in cultures different from his own and that Kinesiology is a program that can prepare you for a wide array of experiences.
He explored athletic training and strength and conditioning before realizing that supporting athletes, through both fitness training and coaching, is where he excels.
“I fell in love with the Kinesiology program,” said Kirksey, who especially credits two of his instructors, Andre Bateman and Alex Brunfeldt, for helping him understand the physics of the human body.
“It was really helpful to see professors who were passionate about what they were teaching. I have to say, the knowledge from them has definitely helped me in the career path I have chosen.”
Coach in training
Outside the classroom, Kirksey became involved in founding Minorities Ma’KIN’ Moves, the first student group in Kinesiology dedicated to supporting underrepresented students and establishing an inclusive community.
He also joined Men of E.L.I.T.E., an MSU student group focused on “Exceeding Leadership and Innovating True Excellence.” When they took their message into his hometown, Kirksey found himself helping male high schools seniors who hoped to become college athletes find alternate routes.
It’s a story he can understand, having once dreamed of playing basketball for MSU. His school playing career ended after 9th grade, but he has continued playing his favorite sport ever since.
“We work with them all year, working to create their five-year plans, narrow what they want to go into and get on the right track when they get into college,” he said of the nonprofit, called E.L.I.T.E. Urban Innovations Group as an extension of Men of E.L.I.T.E.
Kirksey also worked with local high school students as the skills development coach for the East Lansing varsity women’s basketball team. They went to the semi-finals for their region his first year.
“That was what really sparked my interest in working in athletics,” he said.
Kirksey was especially thrilled when got the chance to intern for MSU Athletics, as a student engagement liaison for the women’s basketball team. His job was to increase student participation for home games, and he did. The team won first place for attendance in the Big Ten last year.
The connections he made—meeting many of the staff and coaches, including Tom Izzo—helped him land another position, as a personal trainer at IM Sports East.
He worked with one campuswide student group in particular, Black Girl Fitness, which rents the studio multiple times a week. Attendance in the sessions grew from 10 women to more than 30.
“I was able to incorporate a lot of my teaching by training them,” said Kirksey. “We ended up using a lot of techniques we use for basketball, and they really liked it.”
Goal-getter
From Detroit to East Lansing and back, Kirksey has developed the skills to help individuals achieve their goals, whether that means getting fit, winning games or succeeding in college.
He has achieved nearly all of his own goals, and he is ready for what’s next. Kirksey was recently admitted into the Sports Administration master’s program at Wayne State University
While pursuing his degree, he plans to train at a local gym and learn what it would take to run his own.
Eventually, Kirksey says, the dream is to work for the Detroit Pistons.
Considering how much he accomplished in the last four years, it’s clear that Kirksey is just getting started.
Julia Alvarez was the other outstanding senior chosen to be a student speaker for the Class of 2020. Learn more about her story in the 2019-20 New Educator.