Physical Therapy Awards Nearly 100 Doctoral Degrees at Jan. 13 Commencement

By RetterJ | January 17, 2017

“Be present in this moment,” Tara M. Chadwick ’17DPT, who was selected to give the student address, reminded her “family” of peers at Arcadia University’s Department of Physical Therapy Commencement ceremony on Jan. 13 in the Kuch Center Alumni Gymnasium. “Our day is today.”  

This year, the Department of Physical Therapy awarded doctoral degrees to 98 students, including graduates from the Orthopaedic Residency and Transitional DPT programs. During their time at Arcadia, the DPT Class of 2017 hosted the third annual Dan Aaron Stay Fit Program, led a weeklong Summer Health Career Academy for local middle school students, assisted patients and seniors at Mercy Health System’s Pro-Bono Clinic, West Oak Lane Senior Center, and Foulkeways Retirement Community, and provided health care services in underprivileged areas of Peru, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Belize.

Among the Class of 2017 award recipients was Nathalie Musey ’17DPT, who earned the Jill Sisenwine Berger Award for exemplifying the core values of the physical therapy profession. Dr. James J. Irrgang, PT, PhD, ATC, FAPTA, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh, delivered the keynote address, encouraging graduates to continue “lead[ing] the way for high-value, evidence-based practice in physical therapy” by promoting mobility, engaging patients, and advancing research.

Already on their way to improving patient care, several DPT graduates will present faculty-student research at the American Physical Therapy Association’s 2017 Combined Sections Meeting in San Antonio this February.

“The treatment you provided to patients speaks directly to improving the human experience and giving back to the communities we serve both here and abroad,” said President Nicolette DeVille Christensen. “Use the tools you have gained and build upon all of your experiences to advance the field of physical therapy.”