Kelsey Milne ’25 is a Project Coordinator with the Independent Health Foundation
“I knew I wanted to be helping people; it was just a matter of where and how I was going to do that.”
For Milne, the Canisius’ Health and Wellness program gave her the opportunity to explore that question from several different angles. As a competitive dancer who became interested in strength training in high school, Milne was fascinated by the connection between the mind and body and wanted to learn more from experts in the field.
At Canisius, she found a broad curriculum that included wellness and fitness, sports psychology and health and wellness administration. By her junior year, Milne had developed an interest in corporate health and health promotion and began steering class projects in that direction, researching topics such as ageism, holistic mental health and healthy habits.
During her senior year, she completed a required internship with the Independent Health Foundation, working on the Healthy Options program and Fitness for Kids Challenge while volunteering at community events throughout Western New York.
The internship opened the door to her first job. As the internship came to an end, the Foundation was looking for a project coordinator to work with the same programs Milne had been supporting. She applied and began working full time immediately after graduating from Canisius.
Even in her new role, her Canisius experience and the Jesuit value of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, helps shape how she thinks about health and wellness today. That perspective is reflected in the work she now does with the Foundation.
“We’re always thinking of more ways to help the participants and families we’re working with. We are never solely focused on one component of health; we’re incorporating multiple components and giving out numerous reasons to help them live a healthier lifestyle.”
Today, she helps coordinate the Fitness for Kids Challenge and Healthy Options at Home, along with the Foundation’s social media, events and other projects. She is particularly proud of a social media campaign she created for the Foundation’s 2026 Kids Run, which helped attract families from across Western New York.
Milne’s advice to current Griffs is to take advantage of opportunities, even when they don’t seem like part of a long-term plan. Before finding her path at the Foundation, she worked as a personal trainer at Pelitera’s Fitness — an experience she knew wasn’t her ultimate career goal but one that taught her valuable lessons about working with clients, running a business and trying something new.
“Even though that was never my dream job, I’m so thankful I took it.”
Some of Milne’s favorite Canisius memories took place outside the classroom — dancing on the court with her teammates while family and friends cheered her on during her final year on the dance team. “There was no better feeling than hitting the court with my family and friends cheering me on!”
