On Thursday, May 2, 2024 we celebrated our 2024 graduates from our Doctor of Physical Therapy and Professional Athletic Training programs and their accomplishments they achieved while here at USF Health. We welcomed 43 DPT graduates and 16 Professional Athletic Training.
The graduation celebration is an annual school event in which faculty and staff can personally celebrate the programs along with a small group of family and friends. Each graduate was individually recognized by their faculty and presented with a medallion specific to their profession and to the Morsani College of Medicine. During the ceremony we also awarded our various program awards and athletic training presented their program scholarships.
Doctor of Physical Therapy Awards:
2024 Laura Lee “Dolly” Swisher Ethical and Professional Leadership Award – Nicole Lukinbeal
This award is named after Dr. Dolly Swisher, a founding faculty member, our third School Director, and now Professor Emerita. This award recognizes a graduate who illustrates strong professional and ethical behavior, displays effective confidence, engenders trust with patients and colleagues, high academic achievement, actively participated throughout the program, and demonstrates clinical acumen.
2024 Catherine Page Clinical Excellence Award – Daniel Boehmert
This award is named after Catherine Page who was the first Director of Clinical Education. This award recognizes a graduate who has demonstrated exceptional clinical skills and is awarded based on feedback from clinical instructors and the Director of Clinical Education. The aware is based on clinical education feedback from clinical instructors, nominations from co-directors of clinical education, and final decision by the SPTRS scholarship and awards committee.
2024 Outstanding Research Project:
"The Feasbility of High-Intensity Gait Training Using Asymmetrical Auditory Rhythms for Stroke Rehabilitation." By Alyssa Quixley, Kevin Abdelnour, Madison Moore, and their faculty mentor Huny Seok Kim. This award recogonizes an oustanding capstone research project, which all third year students are required to complete. The nominations come from the course director, and final decision is made by our Assistant School Director of Research.
ACAPT National Honor Society
This years inductees to the ACAPT National Honor Society are Nicole Lukinbeal and Jamie Pergolizzi. This organization aims to recognize graduating Doctor of Physical Therapy students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, service and/or research, and demonstrate strong moral character, ethics and the core values of the PT profession.
Athletic Training Awards
Student Service Award – Lauren Richardson
This award goes to a student that has gone above and beyond to demonstrate service to both the program and profession of athletic training. This basically translates to never saying “no” when opportunities are presented!
Athletic Training Student Leadership Award – Yusuke Okada
This award is given to an AT student who is voted by their peers as an outstanding student-leader.
Athletic Training Director’s Award – Rebecca Minter
The faculty select this award. The award is based on academic performance, service to the program and/or the profession, leadership, professionalism and commitment to excellence. Identifying this winner is always very hard – it’s hard to excel in ALL of those areas!
Jhanae Ingraham Memorial Perseverance Award – Jarvis Kellogg
Last year we created an award to honor the lasting impact a member of the Class of 2021 had on the USF Athletic Training Program. Jhanae Ingraham was a shining beacon of positive change who’s smile would literally change the mood of a room. The program has not been the same since she passed away in a car accident in June 2020, and we will forever be changed for the better by having her as a member of the Bulls family. We wanted the accolade to highlight her passion and commitment to a better world, and to recognize a student that exemplifies these qualities through their interactions with colleagues, patients, and the world around them. Someone who may face challenges, but continues to show up every day with a determined attitude to make each experience beneficial and to do it with a smile.
USF Health Student Leader of the Year – Ryelle Cox (AT) and Cassidy Davis (DPT)
This award recognizes a graduating students from each academic program for their outstanding leadership skills. Examples of student leadership include
USF Health Spirit Award – Katelyn Parks (AT) and Nick Areceneaux (DPT)
The USF Health Spirit Award recognizes a graduating student from each academic program that best exemplifies the USF Health values we embrace as a community in support of our mission to “Make Life Better” in the communities we serve: interprofessionalism, compassion and passion, accountability, respect and inclusion, courage and resiliency, optimism, integrity and excellence.
USF Health Service Award – Lance Velasco (DPT)
Athletic Training Scholarships
Jhanae Sunflower Scholarship – Rya Epps
The Jhanae Sunflower Scholarship was established in 2022 thanks to support of Jhanae’s family and the Jhanae Sunflower Foundation. The scholarship fund continues to be supported by faculty, staff, and alumni; and it our hope to soon grow the scholarship to endowed status to honor Jhanae’s legacy in perpetuity. The scholarship is awarded to a rising 2nd year athletic training student that displays academic integrity, exemplary leadership, and a commitment to giving back to the community.
“Doc” Leffers Scholarship – Valentina De Figueredo, Eiley Maginness, Rya Epps
Awarded to a rising 2nd year enrolled in the athletic training program who exemplifies the characteristics and greatest potential to succeed in the profession. This scholarship is named for the former department chair of the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine and honorary NATA member Doc Leffers.
Kennedy Family Scholarship – Rebekah Minter, Lauren Richardson, Madison Mai, Rachel Carter
Awarded to an athletic training student who has demonstrated leadership and service initiatives and accomplishments related to and that has benefitted the athletic training program at the University of South Florida and positively promoted the profession of athletic training.
Class Gifts
Each graduating class of our programs leaves a gift with the program to leave their mark here at USF. This year the DPT Class of 2024 donated a class image that they all left their signature on. The Athletic Training Class of 2024 donated a class composite and also a unique USF Athletics jersey with their signatures on it.