Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.
This year, faculty in the School of Kinesiology have selected Erica Allen as the recipient of the Janet J. Lozar Commemorative Award for the Outstanding Student in Athletic Training. Congratulations, Erica!
Q & A with Outstanding Student in Athletic Training, Erica Allen:
What academic accomplishment are most proud of?
I was very fortunate to have two of my research papers get selected for special opportunities. I presented on one paper at the Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association (VATA) Student Symposium and the other paper was selected as Best Case Study in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Student Writing Contest. I am really grateful for the ATEP Faculty’s support with both of those endeavors!
What organizations/affiliations have you been involved with while at Mason?
As a graduate student and assigned to busy clinical sites, I wasn’t involved with Mason specific student organizations. I was however, a member of the VATA Student Affairs Committee and it was a really cool experience to meet and work with other Athletic Training students across the state of Virginia.
What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to attend an Athletic Training Residency program and work as an athletic trainer in the orthopedic practice setting.
What is your favorite memory in CEHD or your favorite part of being a CEHD student?
My favorite part of being a CEHD student was getting to work with and learn from all of the amazing preceptors that I had at my clinical sites. I also really enjoyed spending time with my classmates – we had a smaller class, so we really got to know each other and had a lot of fun together!
What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students (especially those that are not graduating yet)?
My advice to CEHD students is to be proactive and really engaged in your education and learning. There are a lot of the different opportunities and experiences that you can have through joining student organizations, working with faculty members, doing internships, etc. This is the time to set the foundation for your future career and there are so many incredible opportunities available to you here at Mason. So my advice is to work hard, learn lots, and have fun while taking advantage of this special time!!