Sister, Sister : VanDerwerker Duo Ignites a Spark on Campus

As happens annually at graduation, talented and motivated students head out to the “real world.”

In May, when Kenzie and Audra VanDerwerker graduated, the campus lost a couple of superstars.

The sisters from Bedford — Kenzie, who got her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders in 2015 and her master’s in 2017, and Audra, who graduated with a B.S. in psychology in 2017 — set unique and high levels for achievement — and multitasking — while at Radford University.

In November, Kenzie was named National Student Speech-LanguageHearing Association (NSSHLA) student state officer, representing Virginia’s students as part of the organization’s leadership councils. She has also presented research on the university, state and national level. At the ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) national convention, the second-year graduate student made a solo poster presentation, titled “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Enhancing the understanding of ADHD on executive functioning in school-age students.”

Early in her time at Radford University, Kenzie worked as a resident assistant and most recently served as president of the University’s chapter of the NSSHLA. Audra, who minored in exercise, sport and health education, also presented research at the university and regional levels and tutored at the Learning Assistance and Resource Center.

In their “spare” time, the sisters teamed up to win two world championships at the Odyssey of the Mind (OOTM) competition. The sisters also embraced the organization’s service ethic and served as Odyssey Angels. They annually prepare Halloween costumes for children with disabilities from the Bedford and Lynchburg areas.

Not just cute mask and glitter costumes, either. But mechanical structures that enable children in wheelchairs to trick-or-treat in style with their ambulatory classmates.

“The kids get noticed for the costumes, not their wheelchairs,” said Audra, who estimated that the sisters spend 100 hours each Halloween to design, build, paint and deliver the distinctively decorated costumes made of PVC pipe, cardboard and whatever else can be scrounged.

“Our apartment here spills over with the production, and as we get closer to delivery, our parents’ front room looks like a workshop.”

Both VanDerwerker sisters competed successfully in the Southern and Northern Atlantic Forensic Union (SNAFU). Both continued their interest in history that began in high school with the annual National History Day competitions.

Audra annually produces a new video exploring aspects of the Holocaust. At the 2016 SNAFU championships, the aspiring Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) candidate’s seriocomic forensic presentation about chronic traumatic encephalopathy and strategies to protect children from sports-related head injuries earned her fifth- and sixth-place finishes.

“I think staying busy makes everything easier. You just flow along from one interesting thing to another,” said Audra of her formula to fill a 24hour day with 36 hours of activity.

Kenzie, who completed her fulltime practicum to check off one more requirement of professional licensure as a speech-language pathologist, called it a mindset, and one that has flourished at Radford University.

“I found a place where I could do so many things — research, volunteer, service and work. Radford gave me an open field in which to develop my leadership skills and gain confidence … one thing led to another,” said Kenzie.

A gateway for the VanDerwerkers to their high-achieving Radford University experience was the Honors Academy. Both sisters are proud alumni of the academy that defines itself by intellectual curiosity and active engagement in the educational process.

“They do things just because they are passionate about learning,” said Honors Academy Director Niels Christensen. “Each is different and has her own vibe. Together, though, they are a whirlwind — energetic, enthusiastic and curious.”

Kenzie came to Radford University in 2011 and Audra joined her in 2014. Both entered as juniors, as they had earned enough credits from an early college program at Liberty High School that enables motivated students to supplement their high school curriculum with community college credits.

Curiosity steered Kenzie to inquire about continuing her History Day interest at Radford University. Christensen put her in touch with Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Director Joe Wirgau.

At the 2011 Undergraduate Research Forum, VanDerwerker produced and performed a 10-minute living history presentation on the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, a deadly industrial fire in New York that killed 146 garment workers, mostly women. Kenzie has since focused on research in her field, doing a pilot study on therapy approaches to selective mutism and studying double-meaning work jokes in autism.

Audra has racked up her own field-specific research portfolio. Her honors capstone project is about corticotropin-releasing hormones in the hypothalamuses of rats.

“For me, it comes down to the professors and their impact. That is what has made my Radford experience so memorable,” said Audra. “They go far beyond the classroom to meet and continue teaching. Whatever my future holds, I will always consider them invaluable to my successes.”

Kenzie has seen Radford University from both the undergraduate and graduate perspectives.

“Radford prepared me for the workload as an undergraduate and then taught me as a graduate student what I need to know as a professional,” she said. “The other experiences have really helped me become comfortable leading and managing multiple tasks and passions.”

As sisters, the pair shares a bond. After rooming together and collaborating as OOTM teammates, they say they still like each other.

“I had a bumpy first semester when I first came to Radford,” said Audra. “I saw how engaged Kenzie was, and that encouraged me to get involved and do my thing.” ■