Sade's Story

Sade Arce | Crew Chief, WET instructor
December 2017: Dietetics major, Psychology minor

As the saying goes, “home is where the heart is;” for Northwest Ohio native Sade Arce, her heart has always brought her back to the pool. “Since I was a little kid, I would go to the pool every single day,” she shared, reminiscing about childhood summers with her family. Sade grew up in Archbold, Ohio—45 minutes west of BGSU. She is majoring in dietetics, minoring in psychology, and graduating this December. Sade joined the Aquatics staff in summer 2016, making herself and her family very happy. She says working in Recreation and Wellness has been great for her emotional wellbeing; when she goes home, her family says, “You look so happy!” to which she replies, “Yes… because I actually like my job!”

After attending a group fitness cycle class during her junior year, Sade saw an advertisement about working at the Rec, and she felt like the pool was calling her home. In Aquatics, she feels valued by her fellow lifeguards, has great conversations with her supervisor, and has authentic interactions daily with patrons who make her smile.

As Crew Chief, Sade manages the pool, monitoring and assisting two lifeguards while acting as first responder to emergencies. In this role, Sade has learned skills that translate into her professional career, such as attention to detail, leadership, communication, and appreciation for diversity. “We have a whole bunch of students out here,” she commented, comparing our midsized campus to her rural hometown, “You deal with a lot of people, different religions, different genders.” Sade’s experience in Recreation and Wellness has taught her the importance of respecting differences, for people of all types like to visit the pool.

 As a Water Exercise Training (WET) Instructor, Sade teaches water aerobics to older adults, which is her favorite part of working in Aquatics. From a young age, Sade has been sharing her love of the water, offering her family lessons: “I taught my brothers how to swim, [but] my mother doesn’t know how to swim… So I’m like, ‘When you are ready to learn, I will teach you how.’” Her WET class participants are always ready to learn, making Sade’s job fun and worthwhile. People come to the pool because they want to, not because they have to, which makes every day a good day.

After graduation, Sade plans to move to Columbus to become a credentialed Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. “I want to start out small,” she said, not wanting to rush back into school. “I want to get my Dietetic license, but… still help with lessons and teaching water aerobics classes.” Other than teaching and planning for her future, Sade is looking forward to investing time in her other hobbies—baking, reading celebrity gossip magazines, and hanging out with friends.

Recreation and Wellness wishes you the best, Sade, and hopes you never stray too far from home.