Category: Students of Kinesiology

Hali Evans, a participant in Michigan Tech’s Athletic Training Internship Program treats a student-athlete. Evans, an exercise science major, is one of five recipients of the Portage Health Foundation/Randy Owsley Memorial Scholarship.

Five undergraduate students at Michigan Technological University have been selected to receive inaugural Portage Health Foundation/Randy Owsley Memorial Scholarships.

Randy Owsley made an impact that would last a lifetime, in fact, beyond his lifetime. During the 18 years he was the Head Athletic Trainer for Michigan Tech, he worked with a group of student trainers who bonded with him and with each other. Even after Randy left Tech in 1988, he continued to influence them and their careers. That cadre of former student trainers have remained close today.

Owsley died on Thanksgiving morning, 2015. Although his former students are a living legacy of his impact, these former students wanted to establish a lasting tribute here at Michigan Tech. Working in partnership with Portage Health Foundation, these alumni have created and funded the Randy Owsley Memorial – Portage Health Foundation Scholarship. Every dollar the alumni gave, the campus-wide Portage Health Foundation grant matched to help them reach their initial goal of providing five, $1,000 scholarships this year to five student athletic trainers. The long-term goal is to endow the scholarship fund as a lasting tribute to Randy and his influence.

The scholarships are designed to create opportunities for students participating in Michigan Tech’s Athletic Training Internship Program, for those enter health science and engineering professions.

The $500 scholarships, which are renewable for an additional semester, are named after the late Randy Owsley, who spent 18 years as the Huskies’ head athletic trainer and passed away in 2015. Former student athletic trainers who worked with Owsley worked in launching the scholarship as a means of keeping his name associated with Michigan Tech and to show gratitude for the service he provided athletes and life lessons he taught student trainers.

The scholarships were presented at a ceremony this past fall.

This year’s scholarship winners are:

• Marissa Kinney, Berkley, Michigan, a fourth-year medical laboratory science major now in her second year as a student athletic trainer.
• Kelsey Saladin, Maple Grove, Minnesota, a third-year exercise science major in her second year as a student athletic trainer.
• Emily Gilkes, Edgewood, Kentucky, a fourth-year biological sciences/pre-med major in her third year as a student athletic trainer.
• Sydney Smuck, Traverse City, Michigan, a second-year exercise science major in her second year as a student athletic trainer.
• Hali Evans, Lake Isabella, California, a third-year (transfer) exercise science major in her second year as a student athletic trainer.

In addition to submitting their resume, applicants were required to submit a 300-word written response or one-to-three minute video response addressing two questions; “How has athletic training internship played a role in health promotion in our local community” and “How has the athletic training internship helped you academically and in the profession that you desire.”

Jason Carter, Professor and Chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology, says he was impressed with the quality of the applicants.

“These are excellent students from multiple majors and I am very pleased they will have a chance to be rewarded for their high levels of engagement with our athletic trainers and our sports teams. They deal with amazing real-world situations that will prepare them well for careers in health care professions,” Carter said.

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Congratulations to Alyssa Smith, exercise science major, who was recently awarded the Annexstad Family Foundation Scholarship.

Read the full article by Jenn Donovan on Tech Today.

Faculty work closely with students in their labs to educate and provide hands on experiences related to research.  Students use those valuable experiences in many ways that often leads to recognition.  Here are a few of our most recent successes.

Portage Health Foundation Graduate Fellowship
Robert Larson, PhD student working in Dr. Chen’s lab, was recently awarded the Portage Health Foundation Graduate Fellowship Award.  Congrats Robert for your continued successes in research, publications and overall contribution to the KIP department and Michigan Tech.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
 Dakota Anderson, Biomedical Engineering, recently received a Summer Research Fellowship.  Dakota’s advisor is Dr. Elmer.  Congrats Dakota and we wish you the best of luck conducting your research this summer.

Undergraduate Research Expo
A number of our faculty had students presenting their work as part of the 2016 Undergraduate Research Expo last week.

Claire Eischer, Exercise Science – Dr. Tejin Yoon (Human Neurmechanics-nLab)

Olivia Ingram, Biological Sciences – Dr. Kevin Trewartha (Aging, Cognition & Action)

Tessa Sprague, Exercise Science – Dr. Kevin Trewartha (Aging, Cognition &  Action)

Ashley VanSumeren, Biological Sciences & Exercise Science – Dr. Steven Elmer (Exercise Physiology)

Dr. Trewarth’s student, Olivia Ingram, placed 3rd for her presentation on  “The Role of Implicit Memory Precesses in Age-Related Declines in Motor Learning.”  She was also one of three students recognized by expo visitors with the Audience Choice Award.

Tech Today Full Story

The KIP department will be at Preview Day this Saturday, March 19 from 11:00 am – 1:30, in the Memorial Union Building. We welcome all new students coming to Michigan Tech to stop by and see what we’re all about! We’ll have students from our sports & fitness management & exercise science programs along with students in their second year of CMU’s doctorate of physical therapy program available to answer questions and offer hands on demonstrations.

Kelly Larson, a Sports and Fitness Management student in KIP, was one of four Michigan Tech students to be awarded a Portage Health Foundation Scholarship.   Congratulations Kelly and keep up the good work.

Read the full story from Tech Today

 Congratulations to all of our graduates from Fall 2015!  In addition to the students that earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Sports and Fitness Management we also graduated our first two students to earn a Master of Science in Kinesiology, Austin Armga and Tyler Shelast.

KIP students now have the opportunity to earn a BS in exercise science or sports and fitness management along with a MS in kinesiology in five years by participating in our accelerated master’s program.  Learn more the Kinesology Accelerated Master’s (BS-MS).

Best of wishes to all our graduates in their next journey!

Add The McFarland Award to the list of  awards and honors Brett Gervais has received throughout his time at Michigan Tech. The McFarland Award is given for excellence in athletics, academics and civic leadership. Brett will graduate this semester with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science.  Brett has been accepted into CMU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program on Michigan Tech’s campus.  Congrats Brett and best of luck to you in PT school.

Brett with Michigan Tech, Defensive Backs Coach, Josh Wood at the awards banquet.

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