News

By Alex Freeman, MCC Communications Coordinator

Dr. Alex Montoye is preparing for his first full semester as a Centurion after being hired as the new full-time exercise science and biology instructor at Montcalm Community College. 

Montoye spent nine fulfilling years at Alma College, but over time, he felt ready for a new challenge. His long daily commute from Greenville made it difficult to fully immerse himself in campus life, and gradually, he recognized that it was the right time to explore new opportunities. These factors led him to take the next step in his professional journey. 

“I was happy at Alma and was secure in my tenured position, but with 25 to 30 years left until I retire, I didn’t want to close myself off from opportunities should they present themselves.” Montoye said. “A tenured faculty position is one of the most secure roles you can have, so I wasn’t in a rush to leave. But if an opportunity came along within commuting distance of Greenville, I was open to it. I wanted to be in a role where I could do my best work and make the kind of impact I know I’m capable of.” 

During the 2024-2025 school year, Montoye joined MCC’s part-time faculty to teach an exercise science course and quickly became comfortable with the college’s culture. 

The change of scenery was the spark that Montoye needed to become reinvigorated and, through many conversations with Tracy Zamarron, MCC’s Dean of Health and Human Services, he helped to build out the full associate degree program in exercise science, set to launch this fall. When searching for full-time faculty to help lead the exercise science program, Montoye stood out among a pool of strong candidates and quickly rose to the top of Zamarron’s list.  

“Alex stood out for his enthusiasm for teaching, his ability to communicate complex concepts in a clear and engaging way, and his vision for expanding the exercise science program,” Zamarron said. “He presented innovative ideas for course delivery, incorporating both hands-on learning and technology-enhanced instruction. His professional demeanor, student-centered teaching philosophy, and evidence of industry engagement made him a strong candidate. I truly value having him on our team and look forward to continuing to work together as we grow this program.” 

“Having taught the class at MCC and getting to help draft out the Exercise Science associate degree over the last year, I was thrilled to see the full-time position become available. It was a chance for me to put in my full effort into getting the program off the ground and finding ways to build exercise science into a successful program at MCC,” Montoye added. “It’s really exciting to be a part of building something new and trying to leave your mark on an institution. It’ll be cool to look back five years or 25 years from now and be able to say that’s there, in part, because of the contributions I have made.” 

After graduating from Mount Pleasant High School in 2006, Montoye attended Alma College, where he double majored in math and exercise science. He then completed his doctorate in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise physiology at Michigan State University. Montoye taught in an exercise science master’s program at Ball State University for two years before accepting his tenure track position at Alma College. 

Students who take a class with Dr. Montoye can expect a lot of hands-on learning with real-world examples. He tries to vary his teaching methods as he recognizes that everyone has different learning styles. 

“Some students are good quiz takers, some are good writers, some are good at listening and are able to convey information, some students are good speakers,” he said.  

“In almost every class, students will have to be able to present something, they’ll have to analyze data, they’ll take tests and quizzes. They’ll do lots of small homework assignments to keep them engaging frequently with the course content. I’m trying to make things as interesting as possible to students and trying to give them as many different ways to succeed as possible,” he said. 

One element Montoye is excited about is being able to get more involved in community initiatives, including bringing in local volunteers for exercise testing. This element would give students an unparalleled experience in how to administer a test while also providing a service to the community. 

“This offers a real scenario, we’re going to test this person and give them some information that affects what they do next,” Montoye said. “The students get a really powerful educational experience out of that, too. A big part of my work at Alma was setting up and maintaining such initiatives, and I want to do that here at MCC, too.”