Speech-language pathology master’s students Amy Curtis Stone and Brittany Reed recently presented at the annual Jane H. LeBlanc Symposium in Communication Disorders, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas. This research was conducted under the mentorship of UCA professors Byron Ross and Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker. Curtis Stone, A., Reed, B., Hidecker, M. J. C., Ross, B., DiRezze, B., Zwaigenbaum, L., & Rosenbaum, P. L. (2011, June). Operationalizing social communication in ASD: A scoping review. Student presentation to 5th annual Jane H. LeBlanc Symposium in Communication Disorders, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas.
UCA Instructor and ATEP Student Team Up for National Recognition
Lyndsey Ingram was awarded Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation for her research project entitled “Reliability and validity of measuring scapular upward rotation using an electrical inclinometer” at the National Athletic Trainers2’ Association annual meeting held in New Orleans in June. She competed with students from research institutions throughout the United States. The award was based on the combined scores from a panel of judges. Posters were judged on research design, methods, analysis, conclusions and appearance. Lyndsey’s accomplishment was printed in the NATA News, the national publication of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
Steve Tucker, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, was the faculty mentor and co-author on the study. This award is a culmination of hard work by both student and professor. The hiring of Dr. Tucker three years ago was designed to introduce research into the Athletic Training Education Program.
“It was an honor to have her nominated and to win was a true testament of her hard work. My hope is that she has set an example for the rest of our undergraduate students to follow,” Dr. Tucker stated.
Dr. Howell, chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, acknowledged this award as a testament to the guidance, attention and time that Dr. Tucker provided Lyndsey and other athletic training education students in becoming evidence-based in their development as practitioners and researchers. In just three short years, the process has resulted in a national award and recognition for the department, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences and the University of Central Arkansas.
Ellen Epping Receives National Award
Ellen Epping, KPED clinical instructor II and the program director of the Athletic Training Education Program, was honored this past summer with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) 25 Year Award in recognition of continuous service to the NATA. Epping has been at UCA since August of 2001. With her guidance, she has directed the program into the premier ATEP program in the state of Arkansas. Recently, the UCA Athletic Training Education Program was awarded a ten-year continuing accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Epping has served as a site visitor for CAATE the past three years. In 2004, she received the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and Athletic Trainer Service Award.
Two KPED Faculty Members Guest Lecture at Health Education on Summer Academy
Assistant Professor Mitchum Parker, PhD and Clinical Instructor Suzi Wilcox, MS, of the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, presented this past July at the Health Education Summer Academy. This all day event on the campus of UCA was funded by the Arkansas Department of Education and co-hosted with the UCA Department of Health Sciences. In his fourth year at UCA, Dr. Parker presented a presentation entitled “Fitness education: Coordinated School Health in Physical Education.” Mrs. Wilcox, who is beginning her seventh year at UCA, lead a “hands on” presentation, entitled “Fitness Gram Physical Fitness Test” in which the participants were able to engage in the different components of the test. The seminar was directed towards middle school and high school health and physical education instructors from around the state of Arkansas.
UCA ATEP Awarded 10 years of Continuing Accreditation
With the exceptional leadership of Program Director Ellen Epping and the extraordinary commitment of the faculty of the Athletic Training Education Program, the Commission on Accreditation Athletic Training Education (CAATE) awarded UCA 10 years of Continuing Accreditation. The award of 10 years is the maximum length of accreditation that can be expected. The faculty who worked diligently for the past three years in helping to prepare the self-study and the on-campus site visit last fall are: David Strickland, Dr. Steve Tucker, Steve Hornor, Allen Crawford, Hollie Whittaker, Alison Moore, Brynn Schuckman and Tom Monagan.
First time pass rate on national board exam hits historic high for ATEP graduates
Eighty-three percent of the 2011 Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) graduates from the Department of Kinesiology passed the national Board of Certification (BOC) examination for the athletic trainer on their first attempt. Program Director Ellen Epping reported that the national average for the 2011- 12 examination cycle will not be available until March or April 2012. According to the 2010 – 11 Board of Certification (BOC) Athletic Trainer’s Certification Examination Report mailed to individual programs, the national average first time pass rate was 60.7 percent. For 2010 – 2011, the UCA ATEP first time pass rate on the BOC exam was 75 percent.
The Class of 2011 has been a very dedicated and successful group of students. Their accomplishments have included national, district and state awards. The ATEP faculty is very proud of their accomplishments and excited about what lies ahead for each of them. All of the 2011graduates are pursuing post professional graduate degrees.
Athletic Training Student Meghan Robinson selected for SWATA Committee
Meghan Robinson, a senior in the ATEP program in the Department of Kinesiology, has been selected to be a member of the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association Student Senate Committee. The mission of the committee is to strengthen and advance the profession of athletic training by promoting student involvement, leadership, professionalism and education. Meghan is one of eight students who were selected to represent state of Arkansas and Texas.
Meghan is also a member of Central Arkansas Athletic Trainers Association and has served on the Public Relations Committee and currently is the treasurer. The association is very active on campus and in the community. She is also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority where she serves as their recording secretary and second vice president for the 2011-12 school year.
Senior Athletic Training Student Awarded Two Scholarships
Senior Athletic Training Education Program student Meghann Brewer has been awarded a Southwest Athletic Training Association and a National Athletic Training Association Scholarship.
The David Heidt Memorial scholarship was announced at the awards banquet held in Houston at the Annual SWATA clinical symposium. The NATA Research & Education Foundation Scholarship Committee selected Meghann to receive a Pinky Newell 2011 NATA Foundation scholarship. Both of these scholarships were awarded this past summer.
Meghann has to juggle not only her academic work in the very time demanding ATEP program here at UCA, but also the responsibilities of a wife and new mother. Meghann delivered her first child this past spring. Congratulations Meghann.
Dr. Steve Tucker, Colleagues Present at National Clinical Symposia
Steve Tucker, PhD, LAT/ATC, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, made two presentations at the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposia in New Orleans, LA. The first presentation was a one-hour Special Topics session, entitled Clinical Techniques to Quantify Scapular Upward Rotation.
Dr. Tucker was also one of three presenters for a two-hour Learning Lab session, entitled Standing Shoulder Mobilization for the Overhead Athlete. The co-presenters were Don Walendzak, PT and Bill Anderson, PT, physical therapists from northwest Ohio . Assisting with the lab portion of the session were Brynn Schuckman, MS, LAT/ATC and Hollie Whittaker, MA, LAT/ATC, both clinical instructors in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education here at the University of Central Arkansas.