Q&A: A Conversation with Dr. Tara-Leigh McHugh

A former first-gen student herself, Dr. Tara describes her teaching style as “firm but compassionate” (as described by her students), and how she’s in a very “Bruno-centric” period of her life right now.

This balance, shaped by navigating university firsthand and how unfamiliar academic spaces can feel. 

That commitment to advocating for the first-gen student experience extends beyond the classroom. As a member of last years’ First-Generation Networking Panel and as a researcher dedicated to springing theory into action, Dr. Tara’s philosophy transcends the classrooms, and goes to both the local and international policy-making levels. 

What’s the most exciting part of being a professor for you? 

T: What other job could I think of that’s so exciting? [To] develop a body of research that’s grounded in the voices of women and girls and then use this evidence to change national-level policies, international-level policies, I don’t think it can get any better than that. 

When asked about her space, Dr. Tara invites us into her world of plants, as a plant mom, she fights the aloe hate and defends her plant babies. 

You have three plants in your office, which one’s your favourite? 

T: You know I love aloe, I know it gets a little bit of hate, but I think it’s fun. And, it has healing properties! 

What’s your favourite lazy exercise?  

T: Walking my dog! I have a senior-citizen Saint-Bernard dog named Bruno, he’s almost 10 years old and he’s very slow. So, when I’m feeling lazy but still need to be active, I’m taking Bruno for a walk. 

Favourite artist at the moment? 

T: I have three teenage children, and two of them were really keen on getting Bruno Mars tickets. So, for the last week, we've been listening to Bruno Mars nonstop on every device in the house. 

What’s the beef between chiropractors and kinesiologists? 

T: (chuckles) That’s a great question, I don’t know of any beef, I don’t know of any drama between the two. I’ve actually never been to the chiropractor, nor do I know any, but I’m sure they’re lovely! 

We’ve heard that after age 23, you can’t build new muscle, only maintain or lose it. Is that actually true? 

T: I haven’t taken exercise physiology or anatomy in close to 30 years (chuckles), I study the body and our understanding and the experiences, so more sports psychology.  So, I’m going to leave that to my colleagues Dr. Matt Jordan or Dr. Doyle-Baker who are exercise physiologists.   

Anything people will be surprised to know about sports psychology? 

T: Sports psychology is [finally] getting the attention it deserves now. Especially, when looking at high-performance sports, athletes are saying it’s not just the physical, it’s the mental. I think sports psychologists have known this forever but really, over the last decade, we’ve seen a focus not just on strong bodies but also strong minds in sport. 

What would people be most surprised to learn about your research? 

T: I’m motivated to engage in research that can be put into action. I believe sports psychology is an area where we can make some change: at policy levels and in practice, to support gender equity in sports. 

Moreover, I think people would be surprised to learn how many inequities still exist in sport. For example, it was only in the Winter 2020 Olympics that women were allowed to participate in canoe for the first time in the Olympics. 

Speaking of the Olympics, do you have any standout athletes you’re rooting for? 

T: I'm especially excited about the Winter Olympics! I’ve got my eye particularly on the alpine racers.  
We have some local athletes: Britt Richardson, Cassidy Gray and para-alpine racer Mollie Jepsen, who I’ve been watching throughout her career. 

Do you have a catchprase? 

T:  I say “outstanding” a lot, which I didn't realize until one of my colleagues told me, “you use ‘outstanding’ in everything.” I take that as a compliment because I'm a pretty optimistic person. I think a lot of things are outstanding, including the First-Generation program. 

What was your experience as a first-gen student? 

T: My experience was challenging when I was in my undergraduate degree. I think some of the biggest challenges arose because everything was just so new. I didn't know the language, I didn't understand what a bachelor's meant, I didn't understand the difference between an undergraduate and a graduate degree. 

How does being a former first-gen student impact your teaching style as a professor?  

T: I think the background that I bring and that all professors bring bleed into their teaching style. My background as a first-gen student provided that understanding that some of the students coming in might have very little knowledge [of the University].  

[For] some of them it’s the very first time they’re stepping foot on a campus.  

For me, its about recognizing that the experiences students bring with them can be really challenging, and I can help by showing compassion, being understanding and firm, outlining expectations and showing where resources on campus are. 

Have you ever felt imposters syndrome? 

T: Certainly, sometimes it still sneaks in, from the very time when I was an undergraduate until now.  

However, I think it’s important for me and students to do that positive self-talk, maybe it’s the sports psychology background in me. 

It’s [reminding myself] that I worked hard to get here, that I deserve to be here, that my expertise and what I can bring to the university community can be valued.  

Any advice or words of encouragrement for students? 

T: My biggest piece of advice: connect, make yourself a network and access those wonderful resources that we have here on campus. You belong here, and we need you. To make the impacts that we want to make, we need these diverse knowledges, perspectives and backgrounds.  

Do you have any hidden talents, can you show us? 

I can talk very fast. I don’t know where you would need to talk fast—but if there was a competition —I think I could potentially win. 

Dr. Tara took on the challenge of explaining her research in 15 seconds. 

Watch Dr. Tara speed-talk on @myucalgary—did she succeed?