Natalie M. Knight

Graduate Professional Excellence Award

The Graduate Professional Excellence Award is given to graduate students whose work and leadership during their academic coursework points to a promising career in the field of physical therapy.

This is a photo of Natalie Knight. Natalie is wearing a white ruffled shirt underneath a black blazer. Natalie has long dark curly hair.

I have always been inclined to help others before myself. The sense of fulfillment I feel after helping someone has driven my decision to pursue a career in the medical field. As a young athlete who endured countless injuries, I was impressed by the genuine approach taken by my physical therapist to do whatever was needed to assist in my recovery. Working through my own rehabilitation sparked my interest to research physical therapy, which is when I fell upon Ithaca College. Like many of us, I instantly fell in love with the campus and decided that Ithaca was where I wanted to be.

Throughout my time here I have become highly involved in the Movement Analysis Lab where I volunteered time working directly with peers and the Ithaca community. In the lab, I assisted Dr. Singh with his numerous research studies and had the opportunity to submit to as well as attend the International Society of Biomechanics Conference in Calgary during the summer of 2019. The various experiences and studies I have been privileged to be a part of have lead me to countless opportunities and continues to open doors for me to pursue the research side of physical therapy.

Academic Achievements and Personal Highlights

  • Summa Cum Laude
  • Dean's List
  • Laurence S. Hill and Adrian M. Newens Scholarship
  • National Rehabilitation Medical Network Scholarship
  • Alpha Eta, Phi Kappa Phi, and Oracle Honor Societies
  • Teaching Assistant, Clinical Physiology and Fundamentals of Biology I
  • Research Assistant, “Effect Of Age On Intra-trunk Kinematics Exhibited During Treadmill Running”
  • James J. Whalen Academic Symposium, Poster Award Winner
  • American Physical Therapy Association member
  • Clinical affiliations: Hackensack Meridian Health Rehabilitation (NJ); Fishkill Rehabilitation Health Center (NY); Pivot Physical Therapy (MD)