News

Dr. Twala Maresh

On May 28, 2020, Dr. Maresh received news from Provost Poulter that she is a finalist for the 2019-2020 UCA Public Service Award. Dr. Twala Maresh, PT, DPT is a Senior Clinical Instructor in the Department of Physical Therapy and a certified specialist in neurology. This award recognizes individuals whose service contributions to the UCA community, professional community, and other communities outside the university have been outstanding. The winner of the 2019-2020 Public Service Award will be announced during the convocation ceremony for the Fall semester in late August. Congratulations to Dr. Maresh for recognition of her outstanding service to UCA, the community and the profession of physical therapy!

Nancy Bond

Ms. Bond received the 2020 University of Central Arkansas Employee of the Year Award. President Houston Davis announced the news on May 21 via video.  As Administrative Assistant to the Chairperson and Registrar for the Department of Physical Therapy, Ms. Bond has been an invaluable asset to the Department for eleven years and is very much admired by her co-works and students alike. Such a well-deserved honor for a great person and wonderful co-worker.  In the nomination packet, her nominators said, “Her interactions with staff, students, and faculty, both inside and outside the department, always include a helpful and positive attitude. Ms. Bond is the epitome of a team player and her contributions to the work of the department are indispensable. Quite simply, she is outstanding at her job.”

Nancy Reese, PT, PhD, FAPTA

The University of Central Arkansas has named Nancy Berryman Reese dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.  Reese will represent and oversee the college, which encompasses undergraduate and graduate programs in nine departments and schools, and join a team of academic deans that implement strategies to support and enhance UCA’s mission.  The College of Health and Behavioral Sciences includes the departments of Communication Sciences and Disorders; Exercise and Sport Science; Family and Consumer Sciences; Health Sciences; Military Science and Leadership; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Psychology and Counseling; and the School of Nursing.  Reese will begin the position on July 1 and will report to executive vice president and provost Patricia S. Poulter.  Reese began working at UCA in 1986 as an instructor and academic coordinator for clinical education. She became an assistant professor in 1991, was tenured in 1994, and served as associate professor, then professor, from 1995 to 2004. She has served as chair of the Department of Physical Therapy since 2004, where she directs the Doctor of Physical Therapy and Ph.D. in physical therapy programs and manages program planning, assessment and accreditation. She was the first in Arkansas to be named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association and today is one of only two in Arkansas and 250 in the nation. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Leadership Program.

Due to social distancing requirements currently in place for COVID 19, the UCA Department of Physical Therapy is temporarily lifting the requirement for DPT Applicants to complete physical therapy observation hours for the October 1, 2020 application deadline. Students accepted into the DPT program may be required to complete observation hours or an alternative activity following acceptance if deemed necessary. We appreciate your understanding as this allows our clinical partners to focus on patient needs.

Congratulations to Dr. Leah Lowe, Dr. Charlotte Yates both faculty members of the Department of Physical Therapy and Dr. Rainey, Associate Dean of the UCA College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, on their recent publication.  Drs. Lowe, Yates and Rainey also worked with Dr. Brian Odom a UCA alumnus and current Associate Professor at Harding University and Dr. Lisa VanHoose, a UCA alumnus, former faculty member and current Associate Professor and Director of the DPT Program at University of Louisiana, Monroe.  Their article is recently published in Advances in Skin & Wound Care.

Odom BH, Lowe L, VanHoose L, Rainey J, Yates C. Examining Factors That Contribute to Delayed Wound Healing in Children with Tracheostomy Wounds. Advances in Skin & Wound Care. 2020;33(3):1–4. doi: 10.1097/01.ASW.0000653156.13611.34.

• The UCA DPT program will accept all pass/fail courses that are passed at an accredited 2 or 4 year institution.
• The GRE and TOEFL exams are offering at home tests and have increased availability and accessibility -click to see recent updates for GRE and for TOEFL.

The UCA Physical Therapy program was ranked #42 of 237 DPT programs in the U.S. by US News and World Report for 2020. See article at https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/physical-therapy-rankings.  Part of the Best Graduate School, Best Health School rankings.  Fully accredited DPT programs were surveyed.  Those schools with the highest average scores appear in the rankings sorted in descending order based on their average peer assessment score.

The PT Department raised nearly $9,000 this week during the Annual Phonathon and UCA Day of Giving!  Thank you all of the UCA Physical Therapy Alumni and Friends and Students who supported the Department this year including the UCA PT Club and PrePT Club who each made donations!  UCA raised over one million dollars, a state record, with $1,126,580.00 for the 24 hour fundraiser!

Dr. Leah Lowe

Dr. Leah Lowe is the 2020 recipient of the Margaret Moore Outstanding New Academic Faculty Member award from the American Physical Therapy Association.  Dr. Lowe will be honored at the APTA Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the NEXT Conference in Phoenix, AZ in June.  This award is given to one faculty member annually in their first 5 years of teaching who demonstrates distinct expertise and knowledge through scholarly activities, teaching excellence, and commitment to the physical therapy profession.  We are very proud of Dr. Lowe for winning this national award.