From the Director

Here we are, another fall semester at Manchester University and our athletic trainers are back in the swing of “two-a-days” and full academic loads. The preseason weather had once settled on mild and refreshing, but as I write this, the thermometer is at 96 degrees and rising – typical of our predictably unpredictable Indiana weather patterns.

Welcome to 28 first-year students who have begun observation rotations. This is a great group – focused and in tune with the program. We’re standing strong this year in AT with an enrollment of 40 students in the program.

Congratulations to all students who passed the BOC exam, resulting in a 90 percent first-time pass rate for last year’s grads. Our Master of Athletic Training students have experienced even a higher success rate, continuing the streak of a first-time pass rate at 100 percent since the inception of the MAT program. It doesn’t get any better.

Our faculty are engaged, too. Zach Dougal, assistant professor of exercise and sport sciences, and I will present on the use of mobile devices with assessment of sideline concussions, Oct. 26 and 27 at the Annual Fall Business Meeting and Clinical Symposium for the Indiana Athletic Trainers Association (IATA). Also, at the Symposium, Head Athletic Trainer Erin Foreman, Zach and I will mentor AT students with case study presentations. At the Higher Education Teaching and Learning Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, May 31 - June 5, I’ll be presenting on “Integrating Ipads into Higher Education.” Dr. Ryan Hedstrom, associate professor of exercise and sport sciences and an MU AT alum, will also present at the HETL event.

Thanks to all our alumni who have contacted us with your updates. Your success is our success, and we celebrate with you all your personal and professional accomplishments. Please continue to stay in touch.

Jeff Beer

Welcome MAT students!

Welcome to a new class of graduate students to our MAT Program! Meet our new class of seven students below.

Brent Beck Hometown: Elk Grove Village, Ill. Undergraduate College: Valparaiso University Degree Obtained: BS Exercise Science	Maritza Chavez Hometown: Goshen, Ind. Undergraduate College: Goshen College Degree Obtained: Physical Education-Personal Fitness	Demetria Fleming Hometown: Richmond, Va. Undergraduate College: Old Dominion University Degree Obtained: BS in Exercise Science
Nicole Junk Hometown: Carthage, Ill. Undergraduate College: University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Degree Obtained: BS in Kinesiology	Kylee Ort Hometown: Syracuse, Ind. Undergraduate College: Purdue University Degree Obtained: BS in Applied Exercise and Health	Andrea Sherva Hometown: Arlington Heights, Ill. Undergraduate College: Illinois State University Degree Obtained: Elementary Education
Lindsey Stiffler Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind. Undergraduate College: Purdue University Degree Obtained: Movement and Sport Sciences

Find us at Homecoming

Join us for the Athletic Training Department’s annual cookout during Homecoming, Oct. 5. Find our tent near the entrance of the football admission booth. Take a break, have a burger and meet up with faculty and friends.

We hope you’ll take this opportunity to support our Athletic Training students as they prepare to attend the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Convention next June in Indianapolis. The cost for our students to attend will be offset by your donations, along with the $2,000 Bill Cramer Professional Development Award, given to Manchester last fall by Cramer Products to promote educational development for athletic trainers.

You can meet some of our AT students at the tent, so be sure to stop by!

New Athletic Trainer hired

Jennifer Beer, MA, LAT, ATC, joined our staff this year from SportONE.  She will work with cross country, men’s basketball and softball at MU. A talented athletic trainer, Jennifer earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ball State University and has experience with Division I men’s and women’s volleyball, clinical athletic training and eight years as a high school athletic trainer through SportONE. Manchester is grateful to have someone of her caliber and dedication.

AT students have extra opportunities for development

Manchester University works hard to help students understand how to make the transition from students to career professionals. With that goal in mind, the Athletic Training program is implementing a new program that will underscore the significance of ongoing education for our students and help to teach them the benefits of volunteer service and lifelong learning.

AT students will have opportunities to earn student development units (SDUs), similar to continuing education credits (CEUs) required by professionals in various fields. Students will be required to earn at least five SDUs each year by attending seminars or conferences or performing volunteer service on or off campus.

The program begins this academic year and is available to both undergraduate and Master of Athletic Training students.

2014 Athletic Training Camp plans under way

It’s not too early to start thinking about our annual athletic training high school camp next summer, June 18-20 on the Manchester University campus. The camp is for high school students who have an interest in athletic training and includes workshops and labs that teach advanced, college-level skills, led by Manchester faculty and alumni along with physicians from SportONE. It’s a great way for aspiring athletic trainers to get a head start on college or, for undecided students, to find out if athletic training is the right future career for them.

As we work on updating brochures and the website, please think about high school students who might be interested and encourage them to register to attend.

Also, if you’re interested in speaking or leading a lab session, we’d love to have you back on campus. Contact Jeff Beer at jabeer@manchester.edu about choosing a topic and scheduling a time.

Alumni outing planned for NATA event

We’d love to see you at the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Expo next June in Indianapolis. Manchester head athletic trainer Erin Foreman has made great efforts, along with our alumni association, to plan a special outing for Manchester alums. Thanks to Erin, and make sure to watch for upcoming details about specific dates and venues.

Connect with us!

Please take this opportunity to update your profile and share your news with alumni and friends of the Athletic Training program. In addition, please indicate your interest in participating with the University in other ways. (If you have already expressed your interests, there is no need to respond again unless your preferences have changed).

To contact us, email Jeff Beer at jabeer@manchester.edu.