DPT Student Leadership at UCA Go Baby Go!

Job well done!  Kudos to DPT student leadership – Kursten, Kristin, Becca & Caressa with Go Baby Go! These 2nd year students applied and were selected to serve on the Interprofessional Student Leadership Committee for Go Baby Go.   This steering committee prepared for months in advance of the April 1-2 live event at UCA. Their diligent work helped put on an incredible event.

Kursten Jaime was a key member of the Patient-Centered Care Team. On this team, she developed a parent-survey to obtain helpful information for our event regarding each patient’s needs, employed easy-to-use technology to get the survey out to each of the families, and served as a bridge between patient-families, our team here at UCA, and the clinicians and staff at the Spinal Cord Disorders Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Kursten was professional, compassionate, and efficient in her work. Kursten’s excellent connection with the families built trust and fostered excitement that really contributed to the “Get Your Keys” portion of the event!

Kristin McCasland ended up being the only member of the Parts and Supplies team secondary to other students experiencing scheduling conflicts. Kristin carefully explored available Go Baby Go builder’s manuals to determine the needed vehicles, supplies for modifications, and tools needed to complete the modifications. She looked at all of this information in the greater context of a limited budget and found ways to save our group money and use the budget most judiciously. Kristin ordered and organized the parts and supplies, and through her hard work, each team had what they needed to get the vehicles built! Kristin’s attention to detail, superb level of organization, and willingness to put in numerous hours of exploring budget friendly options really stood out!

Becca Mize was on the Interprofessional Education committee. Becca and her team developed a fun, energizing, and poignant presentation for the Friday evening portion of the event. Becca played an integral role in communicating the goals of the event to the participants, guiding them through interactive activities that emphasized interprofessional collaboration, and emphasizing the value in building the modified cars for children to experience self-initiated movement and exploration of their environments. She presented information with confidence and enthusiasm and helped set the tone for a fun and educational weekend. Becca’s thoughtfulness, grasp of the importance of IPE and Go Baby Go, and her ability to communicate with her peers with ease really helped set her apart in this endeavor!

Caressa Wilson served on the donations team. Caressa played a key role in writing and distributing an informative donation letter, following up with potential donors to raise funds and receive material donations, working with the UCA Foundation office to manage funds received, and in communicating clearly and regularly with Parts and Supplies to ensure that donated materials were not purchased and that the budget was regularly updated. Through the hard work of Caressa’s team, meals were provided for all attendees, numerous parts and supplies were donated from community vendors, and the event remained within budget. Caressa consistently demonstrated a willingness to hit the ground running with tasks that are often intimidating to others. Her efforts and her willingness to step up helped get this event off the ground!

I could not be more proud of this team. This event truly was student-led, and our amazing DPT students really stood out! Please join me in congratulating them on a job well-done and a phenomenal Go Baby Go event!

Leah Lowe PhD, DPT