Gender Female Also Known As Pre-PA Health and Exercise Science Major at Wake Forest University
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Taite Heller is a student at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she is majoring in Health and Exercise Science and minoring in Biology and Psychology. She has maintained a 3.97 GPA and is expected to graduate in 2027. Currently on the Pre-Physician Assistant track, she plans to attend PA school after completing her
undergraduate studies. Her academic success reflects a strong commitment to both personal growth and professional preparation.
Alongside her studies, Taite is a Division I student-athlete on the Wake Forest University Dance Team. Balancing demanding coursework with intensive training and performances has helped her develop discipline, organization, and leadership skills. Her dedication to the team was recognized during the 2025-2026 season when she received the MVP Award for her commitment and performance.
For three years, Heller has trained and performed more than 15 hours each week while maintaining a full academic workload. Through game-day performances, she helps create an engaging atmosphere for fans and supports university spirit. She also contributes to community outreach through junior spirit programs that encourage and mentor young dancers. In addition, she represents the university and athletic department at alumni and donor events. Each year, she competes with her team at the Universal Dance Association National Championship in the Division IA category. During the 2025-2026 season, the team achieved a historic milestone by winning its first national championship in the DIA Gameday Live category.
Her leadership extends beyond athletics. As a representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, she helps strengthen communication between student-athletes and the athletic department. In this role, Taite supports leadership initiatives, campus engagement, and student advocacy efforts. In 2025, she was selected as the student-athlete representative at the Faculty Advisory Committee meeting for Wake Forest Athletics, becoming the first member of the Spirit Program to serve in that position. She also represented the athletic department at a Leadership & Character Development Program event, where she discussed values, positivity, identity, and team culture.
Valuable research and clinical experiences support her interest in healthcare. As a Research Assistant for IGROOVE-POWER, Heller assisted graduate students with collecting and organizing muscle power measurements using standardized testing procedures. This experience provided exposure to geriatric research, functional movement assessment, and cognitive aging studies. She also served as a clinical research intern for The Osteoarthritis Prevention Study during the Spring 2026 semester, contributing to a large research trial focused on preventing knee osteoarthritis in women at risk for the condition.
In 2024, Taite worked as a virtual tutor through Wake Forest University. During weekly one-on-one sessions, she supported a sixth-grade student by creating personalized lesson plans and engaging learning activities. Through consistent communication and encouragement, she helped foster academic development in a virtual environment.
Service to the community remains an important part of her journey. Heller volunteers at Junior Spirit Clinics and participates in Victory Day, an event that provides individuals with Down syndrome an opportunity to experience a football game-day environment. During the Spring 2026 semester, she launched “Dancing With the Deacs,” a dance class developed in partnership with the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Winston-Salem. The program focuses on movement, learning, and the connection between mind and body. She also volunteers as a dance instructor at GiGi’s Playhouse, working with both children and adults through educational and developmental programs.
Looking ahead, Taite Heller has been selected to serve as a Teaching Assistant in Human Gross Anatomy, where she will assist faculty members, support laboratory activities, and mentor students. She is also pursuing her Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification and actively seeking opportunities to gain direct patient care experience as she prepares for a future career focused on patient-centered healthcare.
Taite Heller is a Health and Exercise Science major with minors in Biology and Psychology, maintaining a 3.97 GPA and preparing for PA school. She is a Division I student-athlete, MVP award winner, researcher, tutor, and student leader. She supports community programs, mentors young dancers, works in clinical research, and will serve as a Human Gross Anatomy Teaching Assistant while pursuing CCMA certification. She graduated in 2027 with honors.
