Kean Graduate Turns Research into Career in Healthcare

Just months after completing her master’s degree in exercise science at Kean University, Michelle Manochio ‘22, ‘26 M.S. is helping cardiac and pulmonary patients rebuild their strength using skills she developed through hands-on research at Kean.

Manochio, who completed her master’s degree this January, now works as an exercise physiologist at Hackensack Meridian Health’s JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison, where she develops rehabilitation exercise programs for patients.

As a graduate student, Manochio worked in Kean’s Exercise Physiology Lab, contributing to research projects focused on improving health outcomes through exercise and lifestyle interventions. Her work gave her experience designing exercise protocols, monitoring participants and working directly with patients, responsibilities that closely mirror her current role in healthcare.

“I always knew Kean had great programs, and my experiences and research prepared me for the job I have now,” Manochio said. “When you’re doing research, you’re working with real human beings. You have to design exercise protocols, take blood pressures and work directly with participants. It taught me a lot of what I’m doing in my role now.”

One of the projects Manochio contributed to, Lifestyle Intervention Among Pediatric Obese Children and Caregivers: A Pilot Study, was presented at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Scientific Meeting in November 2024.

The study examined how exercise classes, nutrition guidance and behavioral support affected pediatric obesity among children and caregivers enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare programs. 

“We analyzed blood sugar, cholesterol, BMI and other health indicators before and after the intervention to see if there were improvements,” Manochio said.

Results showed promising trends, including slight decreases in BMI percentile among participants. The study concluded that environmental and lifestyle factors play a significant role in long-term health outcomes and that multidisciplinary interventions can help support healthier lifestyles for families.

“Michelle’s academic journey has been marked by innovation, passion and excellence in the field of exercise science,” said Assistant Professor Pragya Sharma Ghimire, Ph.D. “Her contributions to multiple research projects and presentations at regional and national ACSM conferences reflect her strong commitment to this field.” 

In addition to her pediatric obesity research, Manochio contributed to a study examining sex differences and predictors of injury risk, which was selected for presentation at the ACSM Annual Meeting in June 2025. She also completed her thesis, The Effects of Circuit Training and Traditional Resistance Exercise on Exerkines in Young Adults, in 2025.

Beyond the lab, Manochio also served as a graduate research assistant in Kean’s Department of Health and Human Performance and participated in a workshop on brain injury care in partnership with the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey. In 2025, she received the department’s Graduate Student of the Year Award.

“I am incredibly proud of Michelle and all that she has accomplished throughout her graduate journey,” Sharma said. “Her hard work, dedication and passion for research truly set her apart.”