Friday, May 22, 2015

Congratulations to Our Graduates! Class of 2015 and Class of 2017 Awards and Photos!


SLU PT faculty gear up for graduation! 

Class of 2017 Awards

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
Anna Di Staulo 

EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMICS
Emma Bowen
Taylor Coit
Anna Di Staulo
Susan Dote
Noelle Ekonomou
Amanda Fear
Anne Fordonski
Sarah Mass
Kathryn Miller
Michelle Nogalski
Jessica Pickering
Laken Raithel
Ellen Sieben
Margaret Veale
Catherine Whetsel

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE
Julianne Adams
Joseph Bergen
Emma Bowen
Noelle Ekonomou
Emily Fogler
Anne Fordonski
McKenzie Heise
Sean Kennedy
Carolyn Montgomery
Lauren O'Lannerghty
Jessica Pickering
Gretchen Schneider
Rebecca Schoepke
Julia Schroeder
Dharti Shah
Alexandra Tepoorten
Margaret Veale
Michele Waggoner
Catherine Whetsel
Grace Yao
Catherine Zaegel






Class of 2015 Awards

The DPT Class of 2015 at their pre-commencement awards ceremony



DPT Class of 2015 graduate Lauren Ladd and Department in Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Chairman and Program in Physical Therapy Director Mark Reinking
DPT Class of 2015 graduates Elizabeth Lambert and Lauren Ladd




EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE
Nina Cheong
Amanda DiGangi
Patrick Donovan
Mallory Eggert
Elena Gray
Mary Laethem
Molly Lebert
Sean McInerney
Hilary Obert
Allison Usher

EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Martha Barker
Jacquelyn Church
Jennifer Drennan
Elena Gray
Juliana Holwey
Taylor Howeth
Laura Kelly
Lauren Ladd
Sean McInerney
Maggie Null
Aaron Perez
Kelly Schoen
Margaret Watson
Kathryn Wenberg

EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL PERFORMANCE
Amanda DiGangi
Jennifer Drennan
Mallory Eggert
Elena Gray
Juliana Holwey
Katelynn Rusnak
Allison Usher



Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Greetings From Alaska!

Valarie Gang (DPT Class of 2014) is working in Alaska! 
Read Valarie's shout out to SLU PT below!




I was able to go to Health Fairs in two of our villages, White Mountain and Golovin.  I screened the elders with 30 sit <>stand, TUG, and 4-stage balance test and was then able to educate them using a whole bunch of free handouts from the National Institute on Aging. I hesitated to order the DVDs that have sample exercise programs on them, but the elders in the villages loved them! (and have access to either computers or DVD players to watch them). Anyways, it was a huge success in the small villages and now I have some statistics if any of the elders are referred to PT in Nome in the future. I have attached a picture of me at the fair in White Mountain.  I’m wearing a traditional kuspuk that one of my former patients had made for me.  It was such a wonderful treat to pick up when I made the return trip to Golovin.

-Valarie Gang

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Congratulations to SLU PT Students Honored at the SLU Straight A Student-Athlete Luncheon!

Congratulations to SLU PT students honored at the SLU Straight A Student-Athlete Luncheon!

Katie Anderson
Kacey Bright
Jackie Bynes
Kirsten Gobell
Whitney Gould
Corinne Holtmann 
Faith Mackin
Brea Masching
Shaney Sakamoto

SLU PT Faculty Guests included Ginge Kettenbach, Kelly Hawthorne, Barb Yemm, Mary Jo Davenport

Martha Barker Cycling for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults

SLU PT student Martha Barker (DPT Class of 2015) is cycling for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults! 
Read about Martha's journey below: 




With my graduation in May, I found a wonderful opportunity that combines raising funds for a wonderful cause as well as 10 days worth of service to communities throughout the United States.
A bit about the program: The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults is a non-profit organization that works to form a community of support for young adults battling cancer as well as navigating survivorship. The 4K for Cancer is a section of this non-profit that offers cross country cycling and running journeys to create the supportive network across the more than 200 communities we visit. Groups of college-age students ride across America with the goal of offering hope, inspiration and support to their peers who are fighting cancer. The ride is a 70 day long event including 10 days of community service. Each rider is to raise $4500 in order to participate. The funds go to the support of the young adults who are battling cancer. More directly it goes to scholarships, support groups, and fertility preservation. 



Why I got involved: As I mentioned before, school has really been the center of my world for the past 6 years and has not allowed me a great deal of time to be involved in working with other and for others outside of my physical therapy studies and practice. When I found out about this wonderful opportunity, interviewed and was accepted, I could not have been more excited! I am about to start a very long career in the health care world. As a future physical therapist, my role is always to support the patient after their injury, diagnosis or surgery. I strongly believe that we all are given talents and it is up to us to use them creatively to support our neighbors. Because I am an active young adult who is passionate about comforting, supporting, and giving hope to those who have had big life changes, the 4K for Cancer was absolutely a perfect fit.
Why donate? Why Join: We have all had cancer touch our lives. For me, I have had family members and friends who have been diagnosed and who battled cancer. As a friend and family support, often times we feel overwhelmed and almost useless because there is so little you can do. We can't cure it, we can't make it go away. When fights seems big it is easy to feel invisible and intimidated. What I have come to realize, is that even small differences are differences. I am an active, young soon to be health professional who is passionate about providing a supportive network for my patients. I got involved because I am able to make a difference this way! I am physically able to ride my bike for 4,000 miles and I have to 70 days to do it because I am graduating. I have the passion and compassion to carry me through the journey. But just as I am trekking across the states to provide support, I too need the support from my neighbors. Every last penny goes to helping those young adults, our friends, our family members, who battle one of the toughest fights out there and need our help! No we can't change their diagnosis but we can change their fight by providing a community of hope and support!
Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read through all of this.  I will attach the links to my page and the overall foundation page!

Links: 
about the Fund: http://www.ulmanfund.org/
info on the 4k: http://4kforcancer.org/
my personal page/donation page: http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/martha-barker/

SLU PT Students Featured in SLU Department of Fine and Performing Arts Piano Ensemble Spring Concert

Congratulations to the talented 
Bonnie Buena (DPT Class of 2019) 
and Amanda Fear (DPT Class of 2017), 
who were featured in Saint Louis University's 
Department of Fine and Performing Arts 
Piano Ensemble Spring Concert!



Monday, May 4, 2015

Clinical Education Kitty Gears Up for Summer Fun

Clinical Education Kitty is dressed and ready for some summer fun! Can't wait for Memorial Day and July 4th!