Growing up in rural Vermont, my experience with healthcare differed from most others. I often got prescriptions to “sit in the sun for 20 minutes” or “chit chat with an old friend.” While these methods may sound archaic, holistic health was always a core value of mine. What drew me most to Ithaca College was the patient-centered approach and culturally competent community values of the athletic training education program. My education in athletic training fostered a passion for advocacy and social determinants of health inequity, which led me to pursue a master’s degree in public health from the University of Vermont.
During my studies at Ithaca College, I was fortunate enough to serve as one of the original student cabinet members of the EquAT (eh-quah-tee) & InclusivAT (in-cluse-siv-ah-tee) initiative. This group is dedicated to educating emerging clinicians on relevant modern topics with regards to disability, race, orientation, gender, class, and age. As a sophomore, I was fortunate enough to see the creation of this enlightening program. I would like to humbly thank the dedicated cabinet comprised of professors and students whose fervor for equity provoked imperative change in myself and the athletic training community.