While in high school, I noticed Kollin, an autistic classmate who regularly had to use a wheelchair. Feeling a connection, I began eating lunch with him and looking for him in the hallways at school, knowing that there was something I could do to make his life better. As our friendship grew, I learned that Kollin had a profound love for sports but never had an opportunity to participate in them due to his disabilities and his family’s financial position. I wanted to change that. Around the same time, a friend introduced me to a program called Unified Track, which provides students with disabilities an opportunity to compete in track and field events with a partner. Learning about the program, I couldn’t help but think of Kollin and his love of sports. After gathering more information, I asked Kollin if he would be my teammate in a few upcoming competitions. As Kollin and I trained and competed, I became increasingly aware of the immense satisfaction that I experienced in seeing Kollin improve and become more confident in his abilities. I volunteered to help Kollin because I knew he would love it—I was surprised by how much I loved it. Being Kollin’s teammate led me to search for other opportunities to assist those impacted by disability and injury. I started by volunteering at an annual swim clinic for youth with disabilities ranging from autism to amputation, increasing my passion for helping others overcome challenges to move more freely. I also worked as an assistant coach for a competitive youth swim team. I fell in love with leading others to reach high athletic achievements but was reminded of the devastating impairments of injury when one of my athletes required surgery on his hip. I found my small role in helping this athlete return to the sport following injury far more rewarding than watching him win any race. These experiences pushed me toward pursuing a career in physical therapy. While working as a physical therapy aide, I began to see myself as a physical therapist. Each day was motivating and inspiring as I worked alongside the physical therapists to find effective treatments for each patient. I have found the reward of helping others not to be based on the size of the improvement they made but on the presence of improvement itself. While working with patients in a clinic, I often reflected on a scene in the film When the Game Stands Tall. The scene depicts several physical therapists and doctors working with injured soldiers, aiding in their recovery and rehabilitation from injuries received in combat. Inspired by this scene, I decided to join the Army ROTC program at my university. Because of my experiences in the clinic and ROTC, I am now on a path toward serving as an Army physical therapist. As a DPT student at TTUHSC, my desire to be a physical therapist couldn’t be greater! I desire to serve as an Army Physical Therapist, knowing that it provides an incredible opportunity to treat those who put their lives on the line to defend our nation. As a physical therapist, I will continue to make sure each patient is heard and treated as an individual, receiving the specialized treatment they deserve. Doing so, I know I can do my part in serving the United States of America as an officer and a specialist in the treatment and rehabilitation of Army personnel and their families—strengthening the U.S. Army patient by patient, soldier by soldier.

While in high school, I noticed Kollin, an autistic classmate who regularly had to use a wheelchair. Feeling a connection, I began eating lunch with him and looking for him in the hallways at school, knowing that there was something I could do to make his life better. As our friendship grew, I learned that Kollin had a profound love for sports but never had an opportunity to participate in them due to his disabilities and his family’s financial position. I wanted to change that. Around the same time, a friend introduced me to a program called Unified Track, which provides students with disabilities an opportunity to compete in track and field events with a partner. Learning about the program, I couldn’t help but think of Kollin and his love of sports. After gathering more information, I asked Kollin if he would be my teammate in a few upcoming competitions. As Kollin and I trained and competed, I became increasingly aware of the immense satisfaction that I experienced in seeing Kollin improve and become more confident in his abilities. I volunteered to help Kollin because I knew he would love it—I was surprised by how much I loved it. Being Kollin’s teammate led me to search for other opportunities to assist those impacted by disability and injury. I started by volunteering at an annual swim clinic for youth with disabilities ranging from autism to amputation, increasing my passion for helping others overcome challenges to move more freely. I also worked as an assistant coach for a competitive youth swim team. I fell in love with leading others to reach high athletic achievements but was reminded of the devastating impairments of injury when one of my athletes required surgery on his hip. I found my small role in helping this athlete return to the sport following injury far more rewarding than watching him win any race. These experiences pushed me toward pursuing a career in physical therapy. While working as a physical therapy aide, I began to see myself as a physical therapist. Each day was motivating and inspiring as I worked alongside the physical therapists to find effective treatments for each patient. I have found the reward of helping others not to be based on the size of the improvement they made but on the presence of improvement itself. While working with patients in a clinic, I often reflected on a scene in the film, "When the Game Stands Tall". The scene depicts several physical therapists and doctors working with injured soldiers, aiding in their recovery and rehabilitation from injuries received in combat. Inspired by this scene, I decided to join the Army ROTC program at my university. Because of my experiences in the clinic and ROTC, I am now on a path toward serving as an Army physical therapist. As a DPT student at TTUHSC, my desire to be a physical therapist couldn’t be greater! I desire to serve as an Army Physical Therapist, knowing that it provides an incredible opportunity to treat those who put their lives on the line to defend our nation. As a physical therapist, I will continue to make sure each patient is heard and treated as an individual, receiving the specialized treatment they deserve. I will also strive to remain updated on current research and interventions to provide my patients with the best care. By following this path, I know I can do my part in serving the United States of America as an officer and a rehabilitation and healthcare specialist—working to strengthen the U.S. Army patient by patient, and soldier by soldier.

I was hospitalized twice this last year for two different diagnoses. During that same timeframe, my baby girl turned two years old, transitioning to an adventurous and busy toddler. The collision of these two hospitalizations and the rapid development of my daughter led me to reflect often on ideas of healthspan and longevity as I pondered my ability to remain healthy and strong for my daughter. These reflections led me to dive into any material I could find on these topics. One of the individuals I immediately began reading from was Peter Attia, MD, a specialist in human longevity. Peter states in his book, Outlive, that "in its simplest form, strength means utilizing muscle to generate force. And if you are interested in living a long and healthy life and playing with your great-grandkids someday, then muscle mass should be a priority." As the size of the geriatric population continues to grow and medical advancements lead to increased lifespan, there is an ever-growing need for people to strength train. While exercise, in general, is beneficial to health, strength training is particularly vital when it comes to increasing and maintaining muscle mass, increasing bone density, and maintaining strength to perform activities of daily living. In today's world, strength training is often associated with social media influencers, roided-out gym bros, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many find this offputting due to the stigmas associated with strength training culture. Another large portion of the population avoids strength training due to a lack of knowledge, fear of injury, or the belief that they are too old to lift weights. I predict that in the next 5-10 years we will begin to see some of the negative stigmas and fears about strength training disappear as more reliable information on strength training is shared across media platforms and the development and promotion of functional strength training programs appear. As more people reflect on their healthspan and longevity, there will be an increased push to strength train not just for aesthetic purposes (not that those are inherently bad) but to strength train for life. People often believe that they will grow old and spend their last several decades of life sitting in their homes unable to do much. As more people begin to broaden their minds and understand that growing old doesn't mean growing weaker, they can begin to train and develop habits now that will provide them with ample strength to be active and strong throughout their lives. Strength training will no longer be associated with getting ready for shirtless photos on the beach but instead with being able to pick up and hold their grandchildren and great-grandchildren without assistance. I also see strength training utilized as the primary tool to combat rising obesity rates. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a functional medicine practitioner, has recently talked about how research is now showing that obesity is the symptom of people being under-muscled, not necessarily over-fat. As obesity and metabolic health problems continue to rise, I see strength training prescribed as a treatment to increase lean muscle mass. This will increase the need for educated individuals in the field of strength and conditioning. As a future physical therapist, I plan to promote and utilize strength training to rehab and prevent injury. I plan to help people overcome fears and misconceptions surrounding strength training, especially among the geriatric population. By promoting lifelong strength in the older generations, the benefits and habits of strength training can trickle down to younger generations. Strength training will no longer be a hobby reserved for athletes and influencers but will be viewed as medicine available to everyone.

While in high school, I noticed Kollin, an autistic classmate who regularly had to use a wheelchair. Feeling a connection, I began eating lunch with him and looking for him in the hallways at school, knowing that there was something I could do to make his life better. As our friendship grew, I learned that Kollin had a profound love for sports but never had an opportunity to participate in them due to his disabilities and his family’s financial position. I wanted to change that. Around the same time, a friend introduced me to a program called Unified Track, which provides students with disabilities an opportunity to compete in track and field events with a partner. Learning about the program, I couldn’t help but think of Kollin and his love of sports. After gathering more information, I asked Kollin if he would be my teammate in a few upcoming competitions. As Kollin and I trained and competed, I became increasingly aware of the immense satisfaction that I experienced in seeing Kollin improve and become more confident in his abilities. I volunteered to help Kollin because I knew he would love it—I was surprised by how much I loved it. Being Kollin’s teammate led me to search for other opportunities to assist those impacted by disability and injury. I started by volunteering at an annual swim clinic for youth with disabilities ranging from autism to amputation, increasing my passion for helping others overcome challenges to move more freely. I also worked as an assistant coach for a competitive youth swim team. I fell in love with leading others to reach high athletic achievements but was reminded of the devastating impairments of injury when one of my athletes required surgery on his hip. I found my small role in helping this athlete return to the sport following injury far more rewarding than watching him win any race. These experiences pushed me toward pursuing a career in physical therapy. While working as a physical therapy aide, I began to see myself as a physical therapist. Each day was motivating and inspiring as I worked alongside the physical therapists to find effective treatments for each patient. I have found the reward of helping others not to be based on the size of the improvement they made but on the presence of improvement itself. While working with patients in a clinic, I often reflected on a scene in the film When the Game Stands Tall. The scene depicts several physical therapists and doctors working with injured soldiers, aiding in their recovery and rehabilitation from injuries received in combat. Inspired by this scene, I decided to join the Army ROTC program at my university. Because of my experiences in the clinic and ROTC, I am now on a path toward serving as an Army physical therapist. As a DPT student at TTUHSC, my desire to be a physical therapist couldn’t be greater! I desire to serve as an Army Physical Therapist, knowing that it provides an incredible opportunity to treat those who put their lives on the line to defend our nation. As a physical therapist, I will continue to make sure each patient is heard and treated as an individual, receiving the specialized treatment they deserve. Doing so, I know I can do my part in serving the United States of America as an officer and a specialist in the treatment and rehabilitation of Army personnel and their families—strengthening the U.S. Army patient by patient, soldier by soldier.

While in high school, I noticed Kollin, an autistic classmate confined to a wheelchair. Feeling a connection, I began eating lunch with him and looking for him in the hallways at school, knowing that there was something I could do to make his life better. As our friendship grew, I came to learn that Kollin had a profound love for sports but never had an opportunity to participate in them due to his disabilities and family’s financial position. I wanted to change that. Around the same time, a friend introduced me to a program called Unified Track, which provides students with disabilities an opportunity to compete in track and field events with a partner. Learning about the program, I couldn’t help but think of Kollin and his love of sports. After gathering more information, I asked Kollin if he would be my teammate in a few upcoming competitions. As Kollin and I trained and competed, I became increasingly aware of the immense satisfaction that I felt in seeing Kollin improve and become more confident in his abilities. I volunteered to help Kollin because I knew he would love it—I was surprised by how much I loved it. Being Kollin’s teammate led me to search for other opportunities to assist others whose lives were impacted by disability and loss of function. I started by volunteering at an annual swim clinic for youth with disabilities. While working with a boy who had partial paralysis, I learned about the different therapy sessions that he attended to improve his functionality and quality of life. He showed me even the slightest improvement was worthy of celebration as he went from sinking to being able to float on his back. This experience helped me recognize the freedom that comes from having a functional body, fueling my desire to help others improve and utilize the functionality of their bodies. While working as an assistant coach for a youth swim team I realized my love of helping others improve their functionality applied to all. I fell in love with helping others reach high athletic achievements but was reminded of the devastating impairments of injury when one of my athletes required surgery on his hip. I had thought I loved coaching because of the competition but I discovered that helping this athlete return to the water was far more rewarding than watching him win any race. While working as a physical therapy aide, my desire to help others improve and celebrate their functionality grew to where I saw myself becoming a physical therapist. I became acquainted with a patient who was involved in an automobile accident. I loved aiding the physical therapists as they worked to find treatments this patient would positively respond to. Working with this patient several times a week became a highlight of mine as we inched towards different goals. One of his goals was to no longer need a walker. When I saw him take several steps unassisted, it was almost as if I had accomplished this. I was so proud of him and felt a great sense of gratitude for having been able to play a small role in his recovery. Having worked with many with varying levels of ability, I have found that the reward of helping others is not based on the size of the improvement they make, but on the presence of improvement itself. My experiences have increased my love for helping others find relief and recovery from physical pain and injuries. I believe that physical therapy is essential in helping many in our society live functional and happy lives.

I envision my dream future self to be a loyal husband, a nurturing father, an empathetic clinician, a proactive leader, and ultimately--in the most simple of terms--a good man.

While in high school, I noticed Kollin, an autistic classmate confined to a wheelchair. Feeling a connection, I began eating lunch with him and looking for him in the hallways at school, knowing that there was something I could do to make his life better. As our friendship grew, I came to learn that Kollin had a profound love for sports but never had an opportunity to participate in them due to his disabilities and family’s financial position. I wanted to change that. Around the same time, a friend introduced me to a program called Unified Track, which provides students with disabilities an opportunity to compete in track and field events with a partner. Learning about the program, I couldn’t help but think of Kollin and his love of sports. After gathering more information, I asked Kollin if he would be my teammate in a few upcoming competitions. As Kollin and I trained and competed, I became increasingly aware of the immense satisfaction that I felt in seeing Kollin improve and become more confident in his abilities. I volunteered to help Kollin because I knew he would love it—I was surprised by how much I loved it. Being Kollin’s teammate led me to search for other opportunities to assist others whose lives were impacted by disability and loss of function. I started by volunteering at an annual swim clinic for youth with disabilities ranging from autism to amputation. While working with a boy who had partial paralysis, I learned about the different therapy sessions that he attended to improve his functionality and quality of life. He showed me that even the slightest improvement was worthy of celebration as he went from sinking to being able to float on his back. These experiences helped me recognize the freedom that comes from having a functional body and continued to fuel my desire to help others improve and utilize the functionality of their bodies. While working as a physical therapy aide, my desire to help others improve and celebrate their functionality grew to where I saw myself becoming a physical therapist. In this role, I became acquainted with a patient who had been involved in a severe automobile accident, leaving him with intense back pain and a loss of mobility. Week in and week out, he inspired me as he came in for his treatments, longing for any kind of progress and relief. I loved aiding the physical therapists as they worked to find treatments this patient would positively respond to, extending from strength training and aquatic therapy to infrared light therapy and dry needling. Working with this patient several times a week became a highlight of mine as we inched towards different goals. One of his goals was to no longer need a walker. When I saw him take several steps unassisted, it was almost as if I had accomplished this. I was so proud of him and felt a great sense of gratitude for having been able to play a small role in his recovery. As a current DPT student at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, my desire to be a physical therapist couldn’t be greater! Having worked with many with varying levels of ability, I have found that the reward of helping others is not based on the size of the improvement they make, but on the presence of improvement itself. As a physical therapist, I will continue to make sure each patient is heard and treated as an individual, receiving the specialized treatment they deserve.

In high school, I started volunteering at an annual swim clinic for youth with disabilities ranging from autism to amputation. While working with a boy who had partial paralysis, I learned about the different therapy sessions that he attended to improve his functionality and quality of life. He showed me that even the slightest improvement was worthy of celebration as he went from sinking to being able to float on his back. My experiences volunteering at this clinic led me to recognize the passion I have for helping others overcome physical challenges. Exploring this passion led me to physical therapy. While working as a physical therapy aide, my desire to help others improve and celebrate their functionality grew to where I saw myself becoming a physical therapist. In this role, I became acquainted with a patient who had been involved in a severe automobile accident, leaving him with intense back pain and a loss of mobility. Week in and week out, he inspired me as he came in for his treatments, longing for any kind of progress and relief. I loved aiding the physical therapists as they worked to find treatments this patient would positively respond to, extending from strength training and aquatic therapy to infrared light therapy and dry needling. Working with this patient several times a week became a highlight of mine as we inched towards different goals. One of his goals was to no longer need a walker. When I saw him take several steps unassisted, it was almost as if I had accomplished this. I was so proud of him and felt a great sense of gratitude for having been able to play a small role in his recovery. While continuing to pursue a future career in physical therapy, I found myself considering military service. While working with patients in a clinic, I often reflected on a scene in the film, When the Game Stands Tall. The scene depicts several physical therapists and doctors working with injured soldiers, aiding in their recovery and rehabilitation from injuries received in combat. Within the face of each therapist or doctor, I could see the rewarding fulfillment they felt in working with these soldiers. Because of my experiences in the clinic and ROTC, I quickly saw the Army as a way to pursue my passion for rehabilitative healthcare and serve my country. Having worked with many with varying levels of ability, I have found that the reward of helping others is not based on the size of the improvement they make, but on the presence of improvement itself. Whether it be helping an athlete return to competition or a soldier recover from the injuries of war, I have increased my love for helping others find relief and recovery from physical pain and injuries. I believe that physical therapy is essential in helping many in our society live functional and happy lives. As a current DPT student at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, my desire to be a physical therapist couldn’t be greater! I desire to serve as an Army Physical Therapist, knowing that it provides me with the best opportunity to assist those with injuries and disabilities. As a physical therapist, I will continue to make sure each patient is heard and treated as an individual, receiving the specialized treatment they deserve. Doing so, I know I can do my part in serving the United States of America as an officer and a specialist in the treatment and rehabilitation of Army personnel and their families—an effort that will strengthen the U.S. Army patient by patient, soldier by soldier.

I wrote this poem for my now wife, Jacie, when preparing to propose to her. I hope that it communicates part of our story and the love that I have for her. 37 Questions By Chad Patterson "Looking back on that day when you walked through the door, we hugged and we talked and I felt something more. I wanted to see you, Even just for one date. For some reason this felt as if it were fate. The feeling was mutual, you’d felt something too. What started as one date ended up as a few. Brusters, then conference, followed by a kiss in the cold. I told you I loved you, worried that I’d been too bold. Not too long after I heard you say it too. While playing croquet, that’s how you knew. From hot tubs and sleepovers, to kissing in your car, I feel like our relationship has moved so fast and far. We’ve talked quite a lot; been open and true. You answered 36 questions that helped me know you. A list of 36 questions to help one fall in love. Quite a few of those questions I had never thought of. Though we’ve finished the list one question remains. It’s a question I pray, You’ll gladly sustain. I will love you forever; Yes, for all eternity— The 37th question is: Jacie, will you marry me?"

For several years, my wife and I anticipated I would attend graduate school. To prepare, we worked hard to save all we could while I completed my undergraduate degree, often working long hours at multiple jobs. I also made sure to seek out various scholarship opportunities to avoid taking out student loans. Through our diligence and hard work, I was able to graduate with my undergraduate degree debt-free. Last year my wife and I welcomed a beautiful daughter into our family. Being a father is one of the greatest joys of my life and motivates me to continue working towards my graduate degree. Unfortunately, our daughter was born with hip dysplasia, leading to unforeseen medical expenses. These circumstances have stretched us financially as I attend graduate school. Adding to the expenses, we have had to hire childcare for our daughter so that my wife can continue to work full-time while I attend school. Currently, the money in our savings account is being depleted. Receiving $1000 would help lighten the burdens of tuition costs and medical expenses. Receiving financial aid would allow my wife to step back from working full-time to raise our daughter, eliminating childcare expenses. My wife and I want to raise our daughter and be there to teach her values and lessons that will enable her to be successful in her life. Receiving this scholarship will give me and my wife financial freedom as we continue to build our family and give back to society with our education.

While in high school, I noticed Kollin, an autistic classmate confined to a wheelchair. Feeling a connection, I began eating lunch with him and looking for him in the hallways at school, knowing that there was something I could do to make his life better. As our friendship grew, I came to learn that Kollin had a profound love for sports but never had an opportunity to participate in them due to his disabilities and family’s financial position. I wanted to change that. Around the same time, a friend introduced me to a program called Unified Track, which provides high school students with disabilities an opportunity to compete in track and field events with a partner. As my friend told me about the program, I couldn’t help but think of Kollin and his love of sports. After gathering more information, I asked Kollin and his parents if he would be my teammate in a few upcoming competitions. As Kollin and I trained and competed, I became increasingly aware of the immense satisfaction that I felt in seeing Kollin improve and become more confident in his abilities. I volunteered to help Kollin because I knew he would love it—I was surprised by how much I loved it. Being Kollin’s teammate led me to search for other opportunities to assist others whose lives were impacted by disability and loss of function. I started by volunteering at an annual swim clinic for youth with disabilities ranging from autism to amputation. While working with a boy who had partial paralysis, I learned about the different therapy sessions that he attended in order to improve his functionality and quality of life. He showed me that even the slightest improvement was worthy of celebration as he went from sinking to being able to float on his back. It was while working as an Assistant Coach for a youth swim team that I realized my love of helping others improve their functionality applied to all. I fell in love with helping others reach high athletic achievements but was reminded of the devastating impairments of injury when one of my athletes required surgery on his hip. I had thought I loved coaching because of the competition but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Helping this athlete return to the water was far more rewarding than watching him win any race. Whether I was coaching the swim team or working with Kollin I became passionate about helping others live functional lives. While working as a physical therapy aide, I was able to foster my desire to help others improve and celebrate their functionality. In this role, I became acquainted with a patient who had been involved in a serious automobile accident several months earlier, leaving him with intense back pain and a loss of mobility. Week in and week out, he inspired me as he came in for his treatments, longing for any kind of progress and relief. I loved aiding the physical therapists as they worked to find treatments this patient would positively respond to, extending from strength training and aquatic therapy to infrared light therapy and dry needling. Working with this patient several times a week became a highlight of mine as we inched towards different goals. One of his goals was to no longer need a walker. When I saw him take several steps unassisted, it was almost as if I had accomplished this. I was so proud of him and felt a great sense of gratitude for having been able to play a small role in his recovery.