BUILT TO SERVE:
Advancing the Future of Kentucky’s Healthcare
A MESSAGE FROM The Dean
Here in the College of Health Sciences we are called to serve, not only as educators and researchers, but as advocates for the health and well-being of our Commonwealth. Recently, the University Board of Trustees issued a powerful challenge to President Capilouto and our entire institution: To accelerate our efforts in addressing Kentucky’s most pressing healthcare needs.
We take that call seriously — and we are answering it with action.
In this issue of Gateway, you’ll see the many ways our College is stepping forward to meet this moment. From the creation of new academic programs like Audiology, to the groundbreaking research being conducted by our faculty (you’ll read about our $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration that will help train PAs in Appalachia), we are building a stronger, healthier Kentucky through innovation, collaboration and commitment.
We’re also expanding our physical footprint, with the soon-to-be-online Michael D. Rankin MD Health Education Building — a vital space that will allow us to train more future healthcare professionals, foster interdisciplinary learning and promote even greater engagement with the communities we serve.
Through deepened partnerships with UK HealthCare and impactful community programs like Active Girls, Healthy Women, our students and faculty are not just studying health — they are practicing it, modeling it and bringing it directly to where it’s needed most. You’ll read about those examples in these pages, too.
In short, this is how we rise to the challenge. This is how we help to build a healthier future for Kentucky. It is, without a doubt, an exciting time to be here in our College and our Commonwealth.
So, to the Trustees, as well as to President Capilouto, who handed down this challenge?
I think I speak for all of us here in the College of Health Sciences, when I say … We Humbly Accept.
With pride and purpose,
Scott M. Lephart, PhD Dean and Professor
Do you think you have a good story to share?
Contact Gateway Editor Ryan Clark with story ideas at ryan.clark@uky.edu
CHS currently has the University’s best four-year graduation rate 222
Over the past 10 years, the College has seen an impressive amount of project grants and awards:
We are educating students by recruiting, keeping and graduating them: We’re planning on occupying
Lead-Off Lead-Off
CHS Remembers Beloved Professor
Dr. Mary Jo Cooley-Hidecker passed away Feb. 11, 2025
On Feb. 11, Dr. Mary Jo Cooley-Hidecker, PhD, MA, MS, CCC-A/SLP, passed away, surrounded by family members at the Baptist Health Hospital in Lexington. She left a legacy, as well as a gaping hole in a department that appreciated her numerous talents and abilities. At just 66 years old, Cooley-Hidecker achieved more than most academics in her field.
An Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) and in the Rehabilitation and Health Sciences Doctoral Program (RHB) in the College of Health Sciences, Cooley-Hidecker received her PhD in Audiology and Speech Sciences with an emphasis in family science from Michigan State University, Lansing. She was an NIH F31 predoctoral fellow and she held an NIH F32 Postdoctoral fellowship in communication disorders epidemiology, resulting in a master’s degree in epidemiology.
At the University of Kentucky, Cooley-Hidecker served as the Director of the All About Communication (AAC) Lab. She also co-founded the UK Rehab Maker Space with physical therapy professor Dr. Patrick Kitzman.
In 2024, she was inducted as a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow at that year’s Forum of the National Academies of Practice (NAP). The honor recognizes Cooley-Hidecker’s scholarship, research and teaching, which supports interprofessional practices.
CHS’ Kercsmar Named AUPHA’s 2025 John D. Thompson Prize Recipient
Sarah Kercsmar, PhD, MHA, Associate Professor and Department Chair for the University of Kentucky’s Department of Health and Clinical Sciences in the College of Health Sciences, has been named the recipient of the John D. Thompson Prize.
The Prize recognizes a faculty member from a Full Member Program of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), based on their overall contributions to the field of health administration education, broadly defined. This includes scholarly and practice-oriented research, teaching accomplishments, and other relevant experiences and achievements in areas such as curriculum and program building; student mentoring; and leadership in the health administration education field.
Mid-career faculty, e.g., those who are at the Associate Professor level and/or have been in an academic position for an appropriate length of time, allowing for the building of a strong, multi-faceted record, are the desired focus for this award.
“I am honored to be selected as this year’s Thompson Prize recipient. Being an educator is a team sport, perhaps now more than ever,” Kercsmar said. “I am grateful to my team at the University of Kentucky who are driven by passion and dedication to serve our students with joy each day. The Clinical Leadership & Management program has experienced a rebirth in the last seven years, and it has been a true labor of love. The AUPHA community has made me a better educator and leader.”
CHS Names Hall of Fame Inductee, Alumni Award Winners
A legendary professor. A director at the Lexington Clinic. A UK clinical audiologist.
They are all immensely successful. Now, they’re also award winners.
This spring, CHS announced David Fahringer, MSPH, PA-C Emeritus, as the latest CHS Hall of Fame inductee. Also, Aaron Sciascia, PhD, LAT, ATC, PES, SMTC, FASSET, was named this year’s Young Alumni Award winner, while Trey Cline, AuD, CCC-A, F-AAA, was the recipient of the second annual CHS Undergraduate Alumni Achievement Award.
A graduate of Mt. Vernon Nazarene University (1973), Southern Nazarene University (1975), UK’s Physician Assistant program (1988), and the College of Public Health (1992), Fahringer said this award announcement came as a surprise.
“I have attended many of these,” Fahringer said of the Hall of Fame ceremonies. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be one of the recipients.”
Sciascia, currently the Clinical Outcomes and Research Director at Lexington Clinic, earned a doctorate from the Rehabilitation and Health Sciences PhD Program, and said “this isn’t about me. It’s about all the (CHS) family. They told me what I needed to hear, and not what I wanted to hear. They excel at that.”
Cline, a clinical audiologist at UK HealthCare for the past 12 years, received his bachelor’s degree from CHS in Communication Sciences and Disorders and his doctorate in audiology from the University of Louisville. He most recently earned his PhD from UK in gerontology with clinical interests in diagnostic audiology, including central auditory processing disorders and appropriate rehabilitation technique.
“It’s really a reflection of the integrity and character of the people of this College,” he said. “They provided guidance to me.”
CHS student 1 of 4 named Excellent Undergraduate Research Ambassadors
Every year, the University of Kentucky’s Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) selects a new cohort of Undergraduate Research Ambassadors — a group of outstanding students who serve as advocates for undergraduate research and creative scholarship at UK.
This year, OUR awarded four students as Excellent Undergraduate Research Ambassadors in recognition of their outstanding contributions, achievements, dedication to promoting undergraduate research and creative opportunities across UK’s campus and fostering community engagement — and one of them is from the College of Health Sciences.
The four award winners were recently announced at OUR’s 19th annual Showcase of Undergraduate Scholars:
Molly Lobel, Animal Sciences Senior, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
Erin Stratton, Biology and Lewis Honors College Senior, College of Arts and Sciences
Connor Stuart, Biology, Neuroscience and Lewis Honors College Senior, College of Arts and Sciences
Madi Wilson, Human Health Sciences Senior, College of Health Sciences
5 CHS Researchers Make List of World’s Most Cited
The University of Kentucky’s College of Health Sciences is well-represented on a list of the most-cited researchers in the world, with five scholars making this year’s review. In a database compiled by Stanford University in a partnership with Elsevier, a total of 136 current UK scientists and scholars appear among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers across 22 disciplines.
Citations are one measure of the impact of academic research. For researchers, publishing work in a peerreviewed, scholarly journal is a key step in sharing research findings and new discoveries.
The following current CHS researchers (in alphabetical order) appeared on Elsevier’s top 2% of world’s most-cited researchers list:
Esther Dupont-Versteegden, Ph.D., professor, Director of the Center for Muscle Biology and Director of the Rehabilitation and Health Sciences PhD Program
Christopher Fry, Ph.D., professor, Center for Muscle Biology Associate Director
Phillip Gribble, Ph.D., professor, Chair of the Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition
Scott Lephart, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Health Sciences, professor, Endowed Chair of Orthopaedic Research, founder of the Sports Medicine Research Institute
Brian Noehren, Ph.D., professor, Associate Dean for Research, Director of the Human Performance and Biomotion Laboratories
UK PA Residency Program Celebrates 5 Years of Training Healthcare Leaders Across Kentucky
The University of Kentucky Physician Assistant Academic Residency Program, housed in the College of Health Sciences, is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year — marking a half-decade of advanced clinical training and workforce development for physician assistants across the Commonwealth.
Launched in 2020 with just four specialties, the program has since doubled in size and geographic reach. Today, it offers eight clinical tracks across both medical and surgical specialties at five medical facilities throughout Kentucky.
Originally developed by David Fahringer, MSPH, PA-C, and Sibu Saha, MD, FACS, the program had a clear mission: To provide specialty training to recently graduated PAs and help meet the growing healthcare workforce needs of Kentucky.
“There’s no doubt we’ve achieved that goal,” said Ryan Hunton, DHSc, PA-C, and director of the PA residency program. “About 70 percent of our residents have stayed in Kentucky after completing the program, and 40 percent are hired at the same site where they trained. We’re contributing to a net increase in well-trained healthcare leaders in Kentucky.”
CHS Announces 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships
The College of Health Sciences proudly announces the recipients of the 2025 CHS Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships. This highly competitive fellowship supports exceptional undergraduate students in conducting independent, student-led research under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
Isabella Bach
Maiya Bhandari
Cooper Handshoe
Abby Hennessey
Brooklyn Leslie
Emma Penewit
Avery Ritchey
Bella Skibba
Ginny Spalding
Gracee Spears
Brady Named 2025 Outstanding Teacher
Christy Brady, Ph.D., associate professor in the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences’ Department of Health and Clinical Sciences, is one of nine winners to receive the University of Kentucky’s 2025 Outstanding Teaching Awards.
These awards identify and recognize individuals who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement and who are successful in their teaching. Recipients were selected via nomination and reviewed by a selection committee based in the UK Provost’s Office for Faculty Advancement and the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT).
“I was so honored that my colleagues, who are all amazing teachers, were willing to take the time to submit a nomination for me,” Brady said. “It’s been such a pleasure to learn from them and grow alongside them in our department.”
Sanders Recipient of APTA’s Award for Leadership in Education
Congratulations go out to alumna Barbara Sanders, PT, PhD, FAPTA, who in late February received the Award for Leadership in Education from the American Physical Therapy Association’s Academy of Education.
Sanders received her BHS in Physical Therapy from the College of Health Sciences in 1972 and is also a member of the College’s Hall of Fame.
In the above photo, another CHS alumna, Chalee Engelhard, PT, EdD (BHS in Physical Therapy from UK in 1990) presented Sanders with the award. Engelhard is also the current president of APTA Academy of Education.
3 CHS Undergraduate Researchers Win Proposal Awards for CCTS Poster Submissions
Congratulations to three outstanding College of Health Sciences undergraduate research students from Dr. Kimberly Tumlin’s lab who won top proposal awards for this year’s CHS Research Day Undergraduate Proposal Competition.
The students presented their work at the Central Bank Center during the college’s research day, which was held in conjunction with the 20th annual Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Spring Conference, entitled “Pioneering Pathways: Innovative Trial and Design in Translational Science.”
The students are:
Neyati Patel (Human Health Sciences, pre-Physical Therapy track) — 1st Place for “Hold Your Horses: Evaluating Visuomotor Reaction Times in Combined Drivers.”
Mazie Knight (Animal Sciences and completing a certificate in Undergraduate Research in Human Health Sciences) — 2nd Place for “Precision Under Pressure: Jockey’s Reaction Accuracy in Competition.”
Anna Kidney (Human Health Sciences, pre-Physical Therapy track) — 3rd Place for “The Asymmetry Factor: Can Combined Driving Sport Help Mitigate AgeRelated Declines in Strength?”
UK Partners with Asbury University for 3+2 Pre-Athletic Training Program
This fall, Asbury will launch the new Pre-Athletic Training concentration within the Exercise Science major, offering Asbury students the 3+2 Program option in partnership with the University of Kentucky’s (UK) Master of Science (M.S.) in Athletic Training program.
“We are excited at the opportunity for Asbury students in the Exercise Science department to now be able to complete a bachelor’s degree from Asbury and M.S. in Athletic Training from UK in as little as five years,” said Associate Professor of Exercise Science Dr. Elise Kearns, who serves as chair for the Department of Exercise Science. “Athletic trainers are needed members of the health care team, and we are pleased to partner with the University of Kentucky to increase the number of highly trained athletic trainers in Kentucky and beyond.”
Undergraduates in the Pre-Athletic Training concentration within the Exercise Science major will study at Asbury University for the equivalent of three years of specific coursework and then will apply to be admitted to U.K’s M.S. in Athletic Training. (Admission to the M.S. in Athletic Training program at UK is not guaranteed.)
“We are very excited to have partnered with Asbury University on this accelerated initiative. Asbury has a very strong Exercise Science department that provides students with a robust undergraduate education to prepare them to pursue their professional education in a variety of healthcare disciplines,” said Dr. Johanna Hoch, the Program Director of the Professional Master of Science in Athletic Training Program at the University of Kentucky.
Heebner named one of 18 2025-26 University Research Professors
A College of Health Sciences professor was one of 18 recognized by the UK Board of Trustees as a University Research Professor for the 2025-26 academic year. Established by the Board of Trustees in 1976, the professorships program recognizes excellence across the full spectrum of research at UK.
“It is our privilege each year to recognize distinguished experts who have made significant contributions across the breadth of research fields at the University of Kentucky,” said Ilhem Messaoudi, UK’s acting vice president for research. “Our next cohort of University Research Professors have demonstrated excellence in fields that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in our region and around the world.”
NIck Heebner, PhD, ATC, joined the University of Kentucky in August 2015 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition. He is currently an Associate Professor and the Executive Associate Director of the University of Kentucky Sports Medicine Research Institute, and now — he is a University Research Professor for 2025-26.
College leadership developed criteria for excellence within their area of expertise and then nominated faculty who excelled at these criteria. Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000 and participates in other events planned around the program.
KENTUCKY’S BUILDING THE FUTURE OF
Audacious, Ambitious, Aspirational …
CHS Answering Trustees’ Call, Positioning
Itself to Help Commonwealth
BY RYAN CLARK CHS Communications Director
In October 2024, the University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees came away from their annual retreat with a goal — that UK must work “with partners to do more for the health of our state than any other institution in the country,” reported UK President Eli Capilouto.
Part of that challenge, and responsibility, is falling on the University’s health colleges
to grow and graduate more healthcare professionals, which the Commonwealth desperately needs.
“It is an audacious and ambitious aspiration,” Capilouto said. “But it is a necessary one.”
This year, Scott Lephart, PhD and Dean of the College of Health Sciences, addressed those topics when he spoke at the College’s
Spring Assembly. And while he acknowledged that 2025 has brought its own set of new challenges, he stated that CHS is positioned to do everything necessary to help meet the Board’s request.
“Every time we’ve been challenged, we’ve met the challenge and continued our trajectory,” the Dean said. “We will continue to do that.”
More specifically, Capilouto explained how the state needs more skilled workers to help improve healthcare. “We need to improve indices of health, such as cancer, heart disease and deaths from drug misuse,” he said. “We need to improve the overall health and well-being of our state.”
In summary, the University was asked to create and implement the Advancing Kentucky Together plan, where the school will work with partners across the Commonwealth to:
Develop a specific growth strategy aimed at responding to the health-related workforce needs and shortages in Kentucky.
Formally launch and expand statewide the Advancing Kentucky Together Network. This is an evolution of the academic health system’s affiliation model, applied not only to providers but to communities — their holistic health, workforce and education needs.
Formalize, launch and expand deeper connections with communities, the University, UK HealthCare and UK’s Cooperative Extension Service.
Develop the plan for a second Healthy Kentucky Research Building facility along with the talent necessary to support it.
“This effort will involve every corner and college of our campus,” Capilouto said. “It will compel us to extend our outreach, listening to — and engaging with — collaborators in hospitals, county courthouses and health departments, K-12 schools and civic organizations.”
Just how is the College of Health Sciences involved? In almost every way, from teaching to research to collaboration in providing healthcare.
Specifically, Lephart said that in order to be successful, the College needs infrastructure and talent. And CHS has both, he said.
Over the past few years, the College has added personnel (30 faculty and 24 staff since 2014), as well as space, as groups have moved into new areas in the Multidisciplinary Science Building, and construction has proceeded on the Michael D. Rankin MD Health Education Building (scheduled to open in 2027).
“We’ve got a great space, and we have the opportunity to grow more talent,” he said. “We’re in a very good place to address these challenges.”
CHS also touts the University’s best four-year graduation rate (85 percent) and one of the best retention rates (93 percent), as well as having increased enrollment (up 5.7 percent overall over the past year) and increased applications (up 3 percent overall over last year).
The Dean also noted the addition of new academic programs, including:
Doctor of Audiology Degree Program
Medical Laboratory Science Undergraduate Certificate
Lastly, the College of Health Sciences is continuing to push its commitment to research, which spans the continuum from basic to clinical science. CHS remains within the top 20 in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for colleges of allied health. In the fiscal year 2025, the College reported 39 active grant accounts totaling more than $13 million.
From the development of a device that will provide actionable information about a neonatal baby’s ability to feed; pilot research that could implement one of the first concussion protocols for jockeys; delving into the science behind the physical and mental fitness of our military elite; or investigating how an interprofessional approach between speech language pathologists and teachers helps students with severe disabilities have a voice, our student and faculty researchers are transforming their knowledge to implement results at the most human level.
It all adds up to the collective good that CHS is already doing to answer the Trustees’ call — and more importantly, to help the Commonwealth.
“And we know we can do more,” Lephart said. “That means an even greater increase in students, research and solutions that will help the people of our Commonwealth.”
A ‘WIN-WIN RELATIONSHIP’
CHS and UKHC Rely on Each Other for Support, and it’s Creating an Exceptional Experience for Both Staff and Students
BY RYAN CLARK CHS Communications Director
It was a normal school day for Caroline Prewitt. She was sitting in class, taking in the lesson — and that’s when it dawned on her. That was the moment she realized just how beneficial it was to have such a gifted professor giving her such relevant information.
“It occurred to me that not every student would have this opportunity,” said Prewitt, who at the time was a junior in the Clinical Leadership and Management (CLM) program in UK’s College of Health Sciences. “Not every student would be able to be taught by someone who has such a unique impact.”
The class was CLM 350: Health Policy, Politics, and Law. The professor? That would be Mark D. Birdwhistell, MPA and current Senior Vice President for Health and Public Policy for the University of Kentucky. Concurrently, he also serves as an adjunct professor in Clinical Leadership and Management. Before that, Birdwhistell held senior
leadership roles in both the private and public sectors, including Secretary for the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Chief Executive Officer for CHA Health. He has more than 40 years of experience in healthcare, with specific expertise in Medicaid policy.
Yet some of his most professional enjoyment, he says, comes from teaching CLM students like Prewitt.
“It’s the light bulb moment when you see students finally connect with what you’re trying to tell them from a curriculum perspective, and then you can see how they parlay that into something they really are passionate about,” Birdwhistell said. “I love to see the times when a guest speaker comes and talks to them about something like health care law, and different students from time to time will gravitate to that person and speak afterwards, and they can see a future career — similar to what they’ve just heard about. That feels pretty good.”
Birdwhistell started teaching in the CLM program in fall 2018, and now, he joins a long list of former and current UK HealthCare (UKHC) leaders who are also teaching classes in the College of Health Sciences.
It is all part of having an academic health system like UKHC, where the University’s health colleges are included in the experience, and students have the chance to learn directly from experts in the field. Even more notable, this kind of knowledge can apply to a myriad of careers.
Both faculty and students say the partnership is a win-win.
“CLM is creating future healthcare leaders and UK HealthCare provides a great training site for hands-on education and growth,” said Melinda Fox, Transplant Administrator, and professor of Human Resources Management in HealthCare. “These students are all future leaders in our field. As a preceptor and adjunct faculty in CLM, my goal is to always pass along the great mentorship, training opportunities, and advice that was relayed to me. What UKHC gets is an opportunity to develop a pipeline of great staff and managers.”
Fox said she hopes every student takes full advantage of the opportunity.
“I hope every student sees this as a huge growth opportunity and approaches it like a sponge, soaking it all up,” she said. “I hope they get some great ‘real work’ projects, interact with experienced managers that can provide advice and mentorship, and become comfortable working within a team in a professional workplace.”
A Direct Correlation
Prewitt knows exactly what Fox means. After taking Birdwhistell’s course, she grew interested in a career in health care. In the summer of her junior year, she applied for, interviewed, and ultimately landed an internship with UKHC (https://chs.uky.edu/about/news/cool-summer-chsstudents-gain-valuable-experience-interns).
“Landing my first internship at UKHC was truly a defining moment,” Prewitt said. “While I was in (Birdwhistell’s) class, I developed a growing interest in the field, but it wasn’t until after his course that I truly understood the depth of his influence, particularly in health policy and government. Mark’s ability to shape the industry is something that became evident only once I had a broader perspective beyond the classroom.
“Another example is Rob Edwards, the VP and Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at UK, who taught Strategic Vision, Mission, and Plan,” she continued. “This class was particularly insightful as it provided a deep dive into the strategic planning processes of a major healthcare institution, offering students a practical understanding of how vision and mission statements translate into actionable plans.”
“As a faculty member in the College of Health Sciences, I so appreciate the opportunity afforded by the College to allow us to give back to the next generation of health care leaders,” Edwards said.
BY THE NUMBERS
CHS Students are perfectly placed to intern, precept and gain employment at some of the best hospitals in the nation — as they are located right in their own backyard.
UK HealthCare is consistently ranked as the No. 1 hospital in Kentucky by U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital is specifically recognized as the No. 1 hospital in Kentucky.
The Markey Cancer Center is ranked among the top 50 cancer centers in the nation.
Some students like Blanca Orozco, who graduated from CLM in 2023, picked the program solely because of the close relationship it had with UKHC.
“CLM/CHS and UKHC have an invaluable relationship that allows students to learn from current UKHC employees what it’s like to be a healthcare administrator, manager, and leader,” said Orozco, who now serves as the Director of Operations at Bluegrass Interpreting and Translation, an agency that provides interpreters for UK HealthCare. “Being a part of, and in such close proximity to, a large health system like UK HealthCare provides CLM students with a solid foundation regarding how things operate and how they must be managed.
“Since this program is designed for people already working in healthcare, our experience directly correlated with what we were learning, so we were able to incorporate the curriculum directly to our work,” she continued. “The relationship between the program, the College, and the enterprise is an integral part of the success I experienced. I immediately implemented the skills I was learning, and it allowed me to receive a promotion while I was still in the program, as well as a promotion after graduating from the program.”
Jessi Tran, who graduated in 2021, became a Hospital Operations Administrative Fellow and now serves as an Operations Manager. She says she was already networking with health care professionals as a student — then she got her first job based on those relationships, and worked in that position for three years.
“This partnership has provided us with numerous opportunities, from having faculty come and guest speak on specific topics in their field, to adjunct professors teaching CLM courses,” Tran said. “These interactions allowed us to network with professionals and gain valuable insights into their career paths. I secured my first job as a patient transporter thanks to a guest speaker from UKHC who visited our CLM class and highlighted the excellent opportunity this role offers.”
Developing the Future
Birdwhistell noted that beyond the real-world learning and networking possibilities, students are also blessed with a diverse mix of peers — including some who are already involved in multiple levels of professional health care.
“We have what I would call the ‘typical’ student in a class alongside somebody in scrubs — who earlier that morning had scrubbed in for somebody’s surgical procedure — and they get to interact with each other,” Birdwhistell said. “I usually have all of the students respond to our topics. I’ll say, ‘Okay, what does this mean to you?’ and we will get many different responses — from students from the pharmacy program, from the lab area, from registration. It really is the ones who are employed and typically older — they kind of step in as surrogate mentors to help the other students and show how it all really works.”
And, on more than one occasion, UKHC has hired those students from practicums and internships. “As part of the program, students complete practicums during their senior year, and more than 60 percent are done at UK HealthCare,” said Karen Clancy, PhD, MBA, BHS and current CLM Program Director. However, in 2022, CLM decided to provide its students with even more access to experiential education in the form of internships. So, they offered their students — and possible employers — an opportunity to get together in a speed-dating style internship interview process.
Between Sarah Kercsmar, PhD, then-program director and director of undergraduate studies in CLM, and her partners at the Stuckert Career Center (namely Rachel Brand and Beth Hanneman) they invited more than 20 students to speak to nine local healthcare employers in a round-robin style fashion, where each got about five minutes with one another before moving to the next (https://chs.uky.edu/ about/news/clm-students-talk-local-employers-speeddating-style).
Of course, UKHC was there.
“When people ask me what sets our program apart, or why would you want to come here, I’m almost always going to say it’s because of the relationship with UK HealthCare and that we sit on an academic medical center campus,” said Kercsmar, who is now the Department Chair for the Department of Health and Clinical Sciences and the Certificate Director for the Clinical Healthcare Certificate program. “This really allows us to let our students engage with leaders in ways that that you wouldn’t get to otherwise.
“If we reverse it, (UKHC) realizes they have these students right in their own backyard,” she continued. “These students are highly trained, who have had real-life practical
experiences that are preparing them to step right into the workforce, ready to go. We know that our students are job ready when they leave here — they are communicators and collaborators and critical thinkers. And they can articulate that, too. When they walk into these places of employment, they’re demonstrating those skills, and the employers can count on them.”
Real-world Expertise
Prewitt, who graduated in 2023 with a Business minor, is now continuing her health care path. After interning in both UK’s main building, and for the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, she is now a Quality Improvement Advisor for UKHC and will be teaching for the CLM program this year as a part-time instructor.
“I cannot emphasize enough how incredibly fortunate CLM and CHS students are to have such a unique partnership,” Prewitt said. “Through this collaboration, we have the rare opportunity to learn directly from executives like Mark Birdwhistell, (Director of Administration) Michael Hatfield, Rob Edwards, and (Chief of Value-based Programs, Public Policy and Community Initiatives) Trudi Matthews — leaders who play a key role in keeping the hospital running smoothly and ensuring patients are well cared for.
“This access to real-world expertise from those at the top of the field is a privilege that not many students get, and it truly sets our program apart,” she continued. “Without their mentorship and support, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today.”
Helping the Commonwealth
Maybe most importantly, students like Prewitt will be able to go on to help improve the health of those in the Commonwealth, which is the exact mission of the College of the Health Sciences, says Scott Lephart, PhD and Dean of the College.
“We thank those affiliated with UK HealthCare for their time and expertise in helping to educate our students,” Lephart said. “Here in the College of Health Sciences we are training the next generation of healthcare leaders, which in turn, helps our College and University fulfill our mission to the Commonwealth. We know with the aid of those in UKHC, we are able to provide the kind of real-world applications that produce the best kinds of healthcare professionals. Their knowledge and skills are invaluable.”
For Prewitt, she now knows her future also includes helping the Commonwealth.
“I have a deep love for the University of Kentucky, and as someone who is proudly from Kentucky — anyone who knows me understands that I never want to leave this state, or more importantly, UK,” she said. “The passion of the people here, all working toward a shared mission, is something I truly want to be a part of for the long term.”
Prewitt said her goal is to continue working in governmental affairs, policy, and quality — areas where she can contribute to meaningful change.
“Ideally within an organization like UKHC or a similar institution,” she said. “Being from Kentucky, I feel a strong connection to this community and its mission, and I hope to give back in a way that supports our local and state needs.” And it all began when she made that striking realization years ago in Mark Birdwhistell’s class.
“Those classes left a lasting impact on us all due to their roles,” Prewitt said. “This relationship with UKHC is a major benefit of a CHS education. It’s rare to find an undergraduate program where healthcare executives are so willing to teach and mentor the future leaders of healthcare. “We’re lucky to have them. This is a great place to be.”
Laura Duncan (DPT ’05) graduated college, moved to a new town, got a job and thought that was going to be her career. Then, life took a turn — her children needed a place to feel comfortable and compete in athletics — which caused her to come up with an idea. Quickly, that idea became a completely new cause, one that she found herself leading. After all, about 15 percent of the world’s population has a disability.
Now, Duncan is a pediatric physical therapist with the Jefferson County Public Schools, but also serves as co-director and founder of the Adapted Sports Program in Louisville, Ky., where 300 children with physical disabilities are able to compete against one another — as well as athletes from other cities — in events like wheelchair basketball, archery and track and field.
And the Adapted Sports Program continues to thrive. It’s where many children are finally … Finding a Place to Play.
Want to listen to more of Laura’s story?
Listen to episode 21 of The Way Podcast, the official podcast of the College of Health Sciences, where we highlight the amazing people that make our college special.
Find it at chs.uky.edu/about/the-way-podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
Photos by Pat McDonogh
A HEALTHIER
$2.2 Million HRSA Grant to Advance
CHS PA Program’s Work in Rural Kentucky
BY RYAN CLARK CHS Communications Director
The University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences’ Physician Assistant Studies Program received a $2.2 million grant last fall from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for integrated behavioral health training.
The grant will fund the Physician Assistant (PA) Rural Training in Behavioral Health program titled, “A Healthier Appalachia through PA training in Primary Care in Mental and Behavioral Health.” Shelley Irving, a certified PA, Morehead campus site director and associate professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, is the grant’s principal investigator.
“The UKPA program is honored to receive this training grant from HRSA to increase access to integrative behavioral health in primary care in our underserved communities,” said Irving. “Our collaborative relationships within the College of Health Sciences, across the university and throughout the Commonwealth uniquely equip us to partner on sustainable solutions to critical health care needs.”
In 2019, the United Health Foundation ranked Kentucky 43 out of 50 states in overall health. In the Appalachia region of Kentucky, mortality from heart disease is 32% higher and mortality from cancer is 18% higher than the national
The number of primary care physicians per 100,000 people in the population is 33% lower in the central region of Appalachian Kentucky than the national average.
The program’s purpose is to develop clinical rotations for primary care physician assistant students in rural areas. The rotations must be at least three months long, and they will integrate behavioral health with primary care services. This program addresses PA training for behavioral health conditions, including prevention, identification, diagnosis, treatment and referral services.
“The goal is to increase the number of PAs trained to deliver these services in rural areas, including medications for opioid use disorder,” said Virginia L. Valentin, D.P.H., a certified PA and department chair of Physician Assistant Studies.
“This is the first HRSA grant for the department in a while, and we are so excited to be funded to do work that clearly aligns with our mission. This project will allow us to increase our focus on integrated behavioral health training and increase the opportunities to train in rural Kentucky, which will allow our students to be prepared to meet the needs of Kentucky,” said Valentin.
“Appalachia has long been recognized by HRSA as a primary and behavioral health care workforce shortage area,” Irving said. “This work supports the development of a highly trained PA workforce to bring these critical services where they are most needed.”
College of Health Sciences Dean Scott Lephart, Ph.D., said he is excited for the college to be training this next generation of providers.
“Our talented PA faculty and staff are helping to step up to train those who will continue to fill the gap and provide health care for the people of the Commonwealth,” said Lephart. “I cannot say enough how proud we are of this group and how they set an example for all of us in the college to follow. Congratulations to them on their continued success.”
This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $309,466 with 0% financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
CHS Active Girls, Healthy Women Program Expands Reach empowering young kentuckians THROUGH MOVEMENT
BY RYAN CLARK CHS Communications Director
When College of Health Sciences student Grace Fannin received a flyer about a new student organization called Movement Mentors, she didn’t know it would become one of the most meaningful parts of her college experience. The 21-year-old Stanton, Ky., native is a Human Health Sciences major on the pre-dental track, and she saw the opportunity as a way to give back.
“I knew working with young girls in sports was rewarding from past experience, so being part of an organization like this felt like the perfect fit,” Fannin said. “When kids remember me and say they had fun being active, it reminds me of why I joined.”
Movement Mentors is a student-led outreach program created in 2023 and supported by the Active Girls, Healthy Women (AGHW) program in CHS at the University of Kentucky. The organization aims to empower girls and women to lead healthy lifestyles through evidence-based research, outreach and educational programs.
Student-Led, Community-Focused
Founded by recent Human Health Sciences graduate Randi Osborne, Movement Mentors has grown into a vibrant
community effort. The program provides UK students with leadership and applied learning opportunities while delivering health-promoting physical activity experiences to youth and families across Lexington.
“Being part of Movement Mentors has allowed me to engage with children in the community and share my passion for balanced living,” said Ella Rosner, a 20-year-old HHS pre-PA student from Appleton, Wisc. “Whether as a mentor or future provider, I want to help others achieve their optimal level of health.”
That sentiment is echoed by Dr. Dee Dlugonski, director of AGHW and co-founder of the Movement Mentors program.
“We created this organization to give college students opportunities to be role models,” Dlugonski said. “They’re bringing evidenceinformed physical activity programs to the community while gaining experiences that support their future careers in healthcare.”
AGHW began expanding its community outreach in 2021-22 after receiving a grant from the College of Health Sciences. Today, the initiative continues to grow under student leadership, with a mission to improve both personal wellness and public health across Kentucky.
From Bingo to Research: The Power of Play
For 18-year-old Bella Skibba, a public health major on the pre-law track, the journey started with a stop at the Movement Mentors booth during K Week (a welcome week for new and returning students). Soon after, Skibba found herself co-leading a six-week “Bingocize” program at the local Tates Creek Community Center — which is a combination of physical activity and health education disguised as a game of bingo.
“Initially, only a few kids participated,” Skibba said. “But each week, more and more came back. Watching their excitement grow made me realize how powerful movement can be in building connection and confidence.”
Skibba’s involvement with Movement Mentors also led to new academic opportunities. She became a research assistant for Families Moving Together, an AGHW-affiliated program focused on helping Lexington-area families incorporate more physical activity into their daily routines. This summer, she will continue her work through a College of Health Sciences Summer Research Fellowship.
“Through Dr. Dlugonski’s mentorship, I’ve discovered a passion for health promotion I didn’t know I had,” Skibba said. “Movement Mentors has shaped my goals and opened doors I never expected.”
Creating a Culture of Wellness
Dr. Mary Lloyd Ireland, who founded AGHW through the College of Health Sciences in 2018, believes the impact of programs like Movement Mentors extends well beyond campus.
“We hope these mentors guide and build relationships that promote activity as a way of life for young Kentuckians,” Ireland said. “When these girls see what the University of Kentucky means to its students, they may be inspired to pursue their own educational goals and maybe even become mentors themselves one day.”
The AGHW program not only prepares students for leadership in healthcare but also brings meaningful service and health education to the Lexington community — directly supporting the College of Health Sciences’ mission “to help the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond attain the highest level of health possible.”
“In its first six years under the outstanding direction of Dr. Dee Dlugonski, (the AGHW) program has reached countless girls and women across the lifespan in a variety of settings using strategies to develop physical activity habits that are known to promote healthy lifestyles,” said Scott Lephart, PhD and Dean of the College of Health Sciences. “On a personal level, I have taken joy in watching our leaders travel to local elementary schools and teach lessons by jumping rope with the students.
“Simply, this research and programming improves the lives of children, teenagers and adults, as well as people in every profession — such as soldiers, healthcare workers, athletes and teachers,” he continued. “This program has become a leader in helping to transform the health of our community and region.”
For Fannin, the experience has been transformational for her as well.
“Coming from a small town, I never imagined I could make an impact on so many people,” she said. “Being part of Movement Mentors has reminded me of the kind of difference I want to make, both in college and in my future as a healthcare provider.”
To learn more about Movement Mentors and Active Girls Healthy Women, visit chs.uky.edu/aghw.
The Active Girls Healthy Women program has:
Reached 783 adults & 1,115 children within the past year
Attended 65 community events to promote family movement within the past year
Garnered $1,227,956 in gifts, planned giving, grants and contracts from 2019-2024
Are you interested in making a gift to AGHW?
Contact Loralyn Cecil, the CHS Director of Philanthropy, at Laceci2@uky.edu.
ADDRESSING A NEED: THE ADDITION OF Audiology
BY HAYDEN GOODING
CHS Contributor
The University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences is adding a new audiology doctoral degree program beginning in Summer of 2026.
The three-year program is being organized by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) in collaboration with the Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery in the College of Medicine. Faculty position searches are scheduled to begin in Fall 2025, with student enrollment planned for Summer 2026.
“We are thrilled to launch the Audiology Doctorate program within the College of Health Sciences,” said Scott Lephart, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Sciences. “The addition of this program marks a pivotal advancement for our college and the University of Kentucky. We are training the next generation of audiologists through a collaborative, interdisciplinary model, addressing a critical need in our healthcare system and reaffirming our commitment to advancing the health and well-being of Kentuckians across the state.”
The Department of CSD currently administers a graduate program in speech-language pathology (Master of Science) and a pre-professional undergraduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
“The addition of audiology will help our department address the full spectrum human communication and its disorders including speech, language, swallowing, hearing and balance,” said Anne Olson, Ph.D., CSD department chair in the College of Health Sciences.
“Housing both degrees within the same department will foster opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, promote collaboration and prepare graduates to better understand and support individuals with a variety of communication deficits.
This is also an important program for our state because Kentucky has a high prevalence of persons with hearing loss that ranks us third per capita nationally. Kentucky also has a shortage of audiologists, particularly in rural areas. I’m excited for the opportunity to address that labor shortage and increase the access to much needed audiology services in our state.”
The UK HealthCare’s Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic provides hearing care services with a faculty of 19 otolaryngologists, 6 advanced practice providers and 14 doctoral level audiologists. This clinic will provide one of the clinical teaching environments for the academic program with additional local and regional clinical sites added as the program evolves. In addition to program faculty within CSD, physicians and audiologists in the Department of Otolaryngology will also provide didactic and practical instruction as part of the Doctorate in Audiology (AuD) degree program.
“A significant strength of this program is the inclusion of UK HealthCare and Department of Otolaryngology as a primary clinical teaching environment,” said Jennifer Shinn, Ph.D., chief of audiology in the College of Medicine. “This will allow students to engage directly with patients in a real-world setting, honing their skills under the guidance of experienced clinicians. It also facilitates seamless collaboration between audiologists and otolaryngologists, enhancing patient outcomes through a multidisciplinary approach. Through a strong partnership between the College of Health Sciences and the Department of Otolaryngology, we are combining academic excellence with exceptional clinical expertise to prepare the next generation of audiologists who will make a lasting impact on the health of Kentuckians.”
The AuD program will be housed in both the current Charles T. Wethington Jr. Building (for clinical services) as well as the new Michael D. Rankin M.D. Health Education Building (currently under construction) for academic and clinical training.
The Rankin Health Education Building (RHEB) will have dedicated audiology classroom and lab space/equipment for teaching clinical audiologic concepts.
BY THE NUMBERS
Prevalence:
20.5% of Kentuckians experience hearing loss, according to the Kentucky Academy of Audiology.
Age Demographics:
30% of those 65-74 and 47% of those 75+ experience hearing loss, according to the Kentucky Academy of Audiology.
Impact on Employment: National Ranking:
Kentucky ranks third nationally in the per capita number of deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals.
Deaf individuals in Kentucky face unemployment rates nearly double that of their hearing peers.
To learn more about this program for students or future audiology faculty positions, please reach out to the CSD Department Chair Dr. Anne Olson at aolso2@uky.edu.
A CLASS OF ONE:
First PA Graduate was able to Help Patients for Nearly 50 Years
BY LORALYN CECIL CHS Philanthropy Director
In 1965, Dr. Eugene Stead, who is considered the first person with the idea to train “physician assistants,” opened the first academic PA program at Duke University. Two years later, the first PAs graduated from that program. Only one year after that, Thomas Kotheimer graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Clinical Associate certificate —he was the first person trained as a physician assistant here at UK.
And he was from a class of one.
Starting the Journey
Joseph Hamburg, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, met the young Kotheimer at a bar in an airport in Evansville, Ind. After the meeting, Hamburg sent him a letter inviting him to enroll, and Kotheimer accepted the offer, although he had no idea of the challenges ahead.
“I was the only one,” Kotheimer said. “I had no classmates.”
And if that wasn’t challenging enough, as an undergraduate, he had to take four medical school classes. His medical school classmates had not only earned college degrees already, but each had succeeded at a high enough level to be admitted to medical school.
Portrait Photo by Jeff Jolly
“The med students had the advantage of having completed core curriculum,” Kotheimer said. “I was taking the core curriculum at the same time as I was taking medical school courses. It was a very difficult time.”
In 1968, Kotheimer took the Kentucky State Medical Exam. He passed just weeks after having completed his undergraduate degree in just two years.
Fast-Paced Career
Kotheimer’s career began moving quickly. Newly armed with his degree and a Clinical Associate certificate from the College, Kotheimer and his wife moved to Galveston, Texas.
He worked in internal medicine for the Department of Medicine at the University of Texas while his wife worked writing grants for the neurosurgery program. They enjoyed their work at UT but felt a passion for rural health, so Kotheimer and his wife moved back to Kentucky. In the western Kentucky town of Cadiz, he worked for a doctor with a small practice. The doctor, though, decided after a couple of years, that he wanted to move to Iowa. He asked Kotheimer to join him, but Kotheimer wasn’t interested.
Instead, he accepted an invitation to work at a veteran’s hospital in Muskegee, Okla. While there, he was asked by the University of Oklahoma to join three of the early graduates of the Duke University physician assistant program, as instructors in a newly created PA program. Through the program, Kotheimer and his colleagues focused on helping to train servicemen and women who had worked as physicians in Vietnam. Kotheimer and his colleagues also worked with both the PA and medical residents as they went through clinical rotations.
“Our program at the VA was progressive — especially in post-graduation training,” he said. “We provided rotations in many specialty areas.”
The Veteran’s Administration supported the PA profession, he said.
“When they saw that they did not have enough medical support in their hospitals, they very quietly supported the development of the PA concept,” he said. “It turned out to be very successful. The VA does a lot of really nice work.”
Kotheimer and his wife adopted a child while living in Oklahoma. Naturally, this changed their lives, and they wanted to move closer to family. And while his work was ever important, Kotheimer decided to put down roots. In 1972, he and his wife moved to Orlando — and they’ve been in Florida ever since.
Kotheimer worked in pulmonary critical care in Jacksonville before studying hematology/oncology and working in that specialty for many years.
“It was a good time to be a PA,” said Kotheimer, who used his degree to build a career with many interesting facets and was able to help many people.
Reflections on a Career
“I was so fortunate to begin in the ‘60s before CT (computed tomography) scans and the rise of technology,” he said. “At that time the physical examination and medical history were essential for the practice of medicine and essential to making a diagnosis. It was the very basis for the practice of medicine.
“My patients taught me about their needs and how to care for them,” Kotheimer said. “I learned that instead of telling them what to do, I should ask how we could help them. My heart is full from the people I have helped care.”
Kotheimer retired in 2017 after working almost 50 years as a PA.
“It was a wonderful career,” he said. “You couldn’t ask for more.”
UK Alumnus
After Kotheimer graduated, UK did not graduate another student with the education and training to be a physician assistant until 1975.
And while the program was incredibly arduous for the class of one in 1968, Kotheimer is proud of the department which was recently ranked in the top 20 nationally by U.S. News and World Report. This year, 56 students will graduate from the UK Physician Assistant Studies program.
As the first graduate to become a PA, he said with humility, “Every time a new class graduates, I feel honored.”
Alumni, if you want to contribute to the history archive, contact us. And please plan to join us for the 50th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 25, 2025. Want to help make a difference? Consider donating to our student scholarship funds.
chs.uky.edu/physician-assistant-studies/50-years
CHS OFFICE OF
RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP
FACULTY AWARDS RECEIVED
11.15.2024 - 6.15.2025
Christopher Fry, PhD
Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition, Rehabilitation and Health Sciences Doctoral Program
University of California Davis
$49,790
Michaela Keener, PhD
Sports Medicine Research Institute
University of Louisville on behalf of MidSouth
$41,750
Brandi White, PhD, MPH
Clinical Leadership and Management, Human Health Sciences, Rehabilitation and Health Sciences Doctoral Program
American Heart Association
$360,241
Joshua Winters, PhD, CSCS
Athletic Training, Clinical Nutrition, Rehabilitation and Health Sciences Doctoral Program, Sports Medicine Research Institute
Office of Naval Research
$3,861,394
THANK YOU to our Donors
Active Girls Healthy Women Administrative Support Fund
Dr. Mary Lloyd Ireland
Active Girls Healthy Women Gift Fund
Mrs. Roi-Ann Bettez '74
Ms. Brigid L. DeVries '75
Mary Lloyd Ireland Charitable Fund
Ms. Erica A. Radhakrishnan '98 State Farm Companies Foundation
Amy M. Waugh Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund
Ms. Kristen L. Brown
Ms. Sharon M. Frank '14
Taryn Leigh Gamble
Jenny L. Kezele
Dr. Scott D. Mair
Ms. Sheri K. McNew
Mrs. Elizabeth W. Robin '99
Ms. Peggy L. Rose
Mrs. Judy A. Waugh
Mr. Keith J. Webster '78
Ms. Laura J. Williams
Athletic Training Jim Madaleno Fund
Dr. Phillip A. Gribble
Dr. Johanna M. Hoch '12
Christopher Fry Lab Support Palo Alto Networks
Clinical Laboratory Sciences Development Alumni Fund
Mr. Chad Guilliams
College of Health Sciences Gift Holding Fund
Mr. Daniel Wohlgemuth
College of Health Sciences Graduate Student Relief Endowed Fund
Mrs. Carol A. Collier '59
Ms. Brenda B. Gosney '70
Dr. Paul Wilder Kline '16
Dr. Steve S. Kraman
Dr. Janice M. Kuperstein '08
Ms. Stephanie Lanham '02
Mrs. Susan B. Skaggs '71
College of Health Sciences Rankin Health Education Building Fund
Ms. Catherine C. Cooper-Weidner '72
Mrs. Catherine R. Elliott '82
Mr. Benjamin D. Gecewich '03
Ms. Phyllis J. Goodrich '98
Mrs. Trudi Lynn Matthews '20
Mrs. Jennifer K. Necessary '90
Dr. Denise O'Dell
Mr. Kenneth Perdue
Dr. Ronald L. Richardson '72
College of Health Sciences Samaritan's Touch Clinic Fund
Marcia B. Huffman
Andrew C. Bernard '95
Gorman Family Medical Laboratory Sciences
S. Gorman '96
Health Sciences Academic Fund for Excellence
Mrs. Frank J. Block III '77 Mrs. Debra A. Brackett '89
Dr. Randa Remer-Eskridge '08
Mr. Barret Lanham May '06
Mrs. Denise N. McCarthy '05
Mrs. Katherine Wolnitzek '72
Health Sciences Development Scholarship Fund
Mrs. Kandi Bickett '85
Jacqueline K. Resinger Fellowship in Medical Laboratory Science
Mrs. Jackie Resinger '62
Jewish Student Life Program Gift Fund
Dr. Janice M. Kuperstein '08
Ms. Ellen J. Nathan
Ms. Lisa Wright
Madison Becknell Clinical Leadership & Management Memorial Scholarship Gift Fund
Ms. Carol A. Becknell
Ms. Jessica Jordan Andrew R. Stottmann
Mary Lloyd Ireland Active Girls and Healthy Women Endowed Fund
Mary Lloyd Ireland Charitable Fund
McDougall Student Endowed Scholarship Fund
Mr. William H. Tharp '84
Medical Laboratory Science Scholarship Fund
Mrs. Beth B. Cooper '81
Ms. Amy Leeann Hardison Juandalynn A. Heslop
Ms. Mimi Loan '83
Patricia "Pat" Motley Waggener Scholarship Fund
Mrs. Patricia M. Waggener '61
Physical Therapy Development Alumni Fund
Ms. Karen E. Benson '93
Ms. Phyllis J. Kiefer
Mr. Herschel J. Meador
Mr. Jim L. Taylor '96
Physical Therapy Program Scholarship Fund
Dr. Lori A. Bolgla '06
Physician Assistant Leadership Excellence Scholarship Gift Fund
Allan R. Riggs
Mr. Robert J. Wildman
Physician Assistant Studies Leadership Scholarship Fund
Mr. Robert J. Wildman
Physician Assistant Studies Development Alumni Fund
Dr. Kevin M. Schuer '98
Sports Medicine Research Institute
Discretionary Gift Account
Dean Scott M. Lephart
Sports Medicine Research Institute Gift Fund
Ms. Ke'La Hailey Porter '21
Charles
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