Antonio Squillante powers through the early years of parenthood and his PhD studies at USC.

BY DANIEL P. SMITH

IN THE WORLD OF HIGHER EDUCATION, earning a PhD is a complex and challenging endeavor, an intellectually strenuous, time-gobbling effort involving rigorous research demands and high standards.

For Antonio Squillante MS ’20, PhD ’25, it proved doubly so.

In 2023, four days after he finished his Part B exam in USC’s biokinesiology PhD program, Squillante and his wife, Christine, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Julia. A year later, one month before Squillante defended his dissertation, the couple embraced their second daughter, Elena.

Amid nighttime feedings and diaper changes, Squillante endured the frenzied mix of PhD candidate responsibilities.

“But this is what I always wanted, so the motivation, passion and drive was there, and I kept pushing ahead,” says Squillante, who was admittedly blessed with dedicated family support.

A Time of Considerable Growth

An Italian native, Squillante first applied to USC’s biokinesiology PhD program a decade ago when he was in his mid-20s working as a strength and conditioning coach in collegiate athletics. While he didn’t earn entry into the competitive program then, he was encouraged to apply to USC’s master’s degree program in biokinesiology — and he leaped at that opportunity.

“I knew exactly what I wanted to do and where I wanted to do it,” says Squillante, who was attracted to the ambitious work of USC’s Clinical Exercise Research Center, in particular.

Squillante’s experience at USC spurred considerable growth, enthusiastic science and a deeper commitment to the field.

During his first year as a graduate student, for instance, Squillante completed a capstone research project examining resistance training and Olympic weightlifting with assistance from Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy Susan Sigward, director of USC’s Human Performance Laboratory. Sigward provided Squillante access to force plates, which fueled four months of intense data collection enabling Squillante to complete his project.

Impressed by Squillante’s work, Australia-based VALD Performance later hired Squillante to represent the human-measurement technology company at conferences, clinics and workshops around the world.

Inspiring the Next Generation

After thriving in his master’s degree studies, Squillante earned a spot in USC’s PhD program, drawn to a career in academia after serving as an instructor with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

His doctoral thesis examined the effects of high-force eccentric training on vertical jump height. His interest in the scientific principles and physiology behind eccentric training — an advanced method of strength training to improve lower body strength and power — started a decade prior while working with collegiate track and field athletes.

“It was energizing to deeply explore something I was so curious about,” he says.

Squillante appreciated the instructional quality he encountered at USC, saying faculty consistently exposed him to innovative ideas and rich perspectives, including how evidence-based practice applies to different areas of the healthcare space.

“That was a massive game changer for me,” Squillante says.

Next, the 37-year-old is penning his professional career’s next chapter as an assistant professor of kinesiology at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego.

“Much as my USC instructors inspired me, I hope to motivate and impact the next generation of practitioners moving the field forward,” Squillante says.