Encouraged as a youth to be as active as possible, a career in health education and health promotion seemed inevitable for Karl Larson. As a Professor and Program Director of Public Health at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, he teaches his students about the health education profession and helps them think about why people behave and make healthy choices.

Before teaching future professionals, Larson was learning about health education himself. He completed a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from Minnesota State University-Mankato, followed by a master’s degree in higher education administration and then a doctorate in community health education from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. After graduation, he found his way into higher education and eventually returned home to teach in Minnesota.