Graduating Class of 2014
Posted: June 5, 2014
Age: 26
Hometown: Superior, AZ
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Arizona State University B.S. Exercise and Wellness, Grand Canyon University B.S. Athletic Training
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? South Mountain Community College
Thesis topic: Appropriate Medical Coverage for Intercollegiate Athletes: Staffing levels at NCAA FBS Institutions
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences?
I loved teaching students during the high school anatomy workshops and seeing their fascination with the cadavers.
What are your immediate future plans? Get a job in Arizona!
What are your long-term professional goals? Continue to be involved with the AzATA, become more involved with the NATA, and continue research on appropriate medical coverage and AT burnout.
What will you miss most about ATSU? Having such easy access to our expert faculty. It has been amazing being able to walk down the hallway and spark conversation with ATs that are so influential within the field of athletic training.
Regina Baker
Age: 24
Hometown: Sidney, NY
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Ithaca College (Ithaca, NY)
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Xavier College Preparatory
Thesis topic:Critically appraising current evidence about cognitive rehabilitation for pediatric patients who suffered from TBI (not to be confused with concussion)
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences?
My most rewarding experience came from treating my first patient at XCP. At the end of her volleyball season, I received a thank you card and gift from her and her parents, appreciating that I had helped her get back to play. It was the first time I’d ever received such gratitude, and it means a lot to me even to this day.
What are your immediate future plans? My immediate future plans would be to get a job somewhere in the Valley that I can put my graduate school education to use.
What are your long-term professional goals? Ultimately, I really want to go back to school and get my PA license. I want to work in an ER setting. If I don’t become a millionaire before that point.
What will you miss most about ATSU? What will I miss most about ATSU? The amazing abundance of homework to be completed at the exact same time… just kidding.
Eric Bealer
Age: 28
Hometown: Cedar City, UT
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Southern Utah University
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Desert Mountain High School, Cactus Shadows High School
Thesis topic: Core Activation, Stability, and Function
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? Being able to work as an independent clinician for the first time.
What are your immediate future plans? Moving to Tolleson, AZ to take on role as Head AT/Sports Medicine Instructor at Tolleson Union High School.
What are your long-term professional goals? Continue to work as Head AT in local High Schools
What will you miss most about ATSU? The relationships I have created with my classmates and being able to learn from them.
Brad Eppelheimer
Age: 25
Hometown: Northbrook, IL
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Indiana University
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Phoenix Christian Preparatory School
Thesis topic: Documentation Behaviors of Athletic Trainers
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? Providing medical care to a school that had previously never had an Athletic Trainer, and leaving the site in a position to have one for years to come.
What are your immediate future plans? Getting a job and paying off student loans
What are your long-term professional goals? Div. 1 collegiate AT
What will you miss most about ATSU? The people (classmates, faculty, friends)
Nicole Harshbarger
Age: 24
Hometown: Los Alamos, NM
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Grand Canyon University
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Phoenix College
Thesis topic: Is there a correlational relationship between the Functional Movement Screen, the Star Excursion Balance Test and the Balance Error Scoring System?
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? One of my most rewarding experiences was working with the athletes at PC. I have many athletes thank me this year for the hard work I put in with them and getting them back to play and many of them have been begging me to come back next year.
What are your immediate future plans? Honestly, find a job anywhere for the time being.
What are your long-term professional goals? Long-term professional goals include working with baseball at the collegiate level, tennis at the professional level and be involved with the Olympics.
What will you miss most about ATSU? I will miss the friendships and resources of both classmates and professors.
Nicholas Kostishak
Age: 24
Hometown: Middlebury, CT
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Ithaca College
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Sierra Linda HS
Thesis topic: Patient, Injury, and Assessment characteristics of Sport-Related Concussions at Initial Evaluation: A Report from The Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? Being invited to work training camp and regular season home games for the AZ Cardinals after impressing the Athletic Training staff during off-season OTA’s.
What are your immediate future plans? Begin to pursue my DAT while assisting in injury data collection for Dr. Victor Lopez out of Manhattan in conjunction with the International Rugby Board. Possible NFL internship or working in a clinic while assisting the Cardinals.
What are your long-term professional goals? Work professionally with elite athletes or in the military setting
What will you miss most about ATSU? Working and learning from the professors and experts that visited ATSU.
Kelsey Picha
Age: 23
Hometown: Anoka, MN
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Minnesota State University, Mankato
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Head Athletic Trainer at Canyon State Academy
Thesis topic: Glenohumeral and Hip Range of Motion and Strength Differences in Youth Baseball Athletes
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? Interacting with other students and faculty at A.T. Still, as well as my graduate assistant position at Canyon State Academy
What are your immediate future plans? Pursue a PhD program
What are your long-term professional goals? Professor and researcher in an athletic training program
What will you miss most about ATSU? Classmates and faculty
Clark Shirley
Age: 25
Hometown: West Springfield, MA
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Boston University
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Brophy College Preparatory
Thesis topic: Normative Data Properties of the Functional Arm Scale for Throwers (FAST)
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? Being able to participate in community outreach activities such as Relay for Life and Free Community Health and Wellness Day.
What are your immediate future plans? To work as an AT in the collegiate or high school setting.
What are your long-term professional goals? To become an AT/instructor at collegiate setting or working with a professional sports team.
What will you miss most about ATSU? The friends I’ve made and the patients I get to work with every day.
Michelle Weber
Age: 25
Hometown: Albany, Oregon
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Linfield College
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? STI Physical Therapy
Thesis topic: School Nurse’s Familiarity and Perceptions of Academic Accommodations for Student-Athletes Following Sport-Related Concussion
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? The most rewarding experience here at ATSU has probably been the high school workshop. It was great to see the high school students get excited about the content being taught.
What are your immediate future plans? I’ll be working at Desert Edge High School as an athletic trainer and teaching sports medicine.
What are your long-term professional goals? Long-term professional goals are to complete a PhD program and perform concussion research.
What will you miss most about ATSU? Seeing my classmates daily.
Kyle Winters
Age: 27
Hometown: Greenfield, IN
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? Indiana University
Where was your graduate assistant position while at ATSU? Central Arizona College and FITLIFE Scottsdale
Thesis topic: How Do Functional Movement Screen™ Scores Change Over the Duration of One Season in High School Baseball Athletes?
In your time at ATSU, what was one of your most rewarding experiences? Being involved in the cadaver dissection lab.
What are your immediate future plans? Stay around Phoenix for a year
What are your long-term professional goals? Head Athletic Trainer for a NCAA Division I Basketball Team
What will you miss most about ATSU? The variety guest speakers we were fortunate enough to have.