This week, we celebrated the DPT class of 2021 for their perseverance, creativity and commitment to their program and profession. This class demonstrated tremendous resilience in their ability to successfully navigate clinical internships during the pandemic. They were also all able to complete strong research projects, with nearly every one of them encountering new and unforeseen challenges. However, all were able to complete their didactic education, clinical internships, and research with the same rigor of prior classes.
Student awards are given out by faculty to recognize the outstanding efforts of individuals in the graduating class. Among a class of shinning stars, these students went the extra mile and led by example. Faculty presenters routinely comment on how challenging it is to narrow down the cohort to select an individual among such a deserving pool of candidates.
2021 Student Awards
Outstanding Service: Ashley Zambrano
Student with the greatest level of professional and community engagement.
Outstanding Research: Zach Logeson
Student with the strongest level of productivity and commitment to research.
Clinical Excellence: Alec Davis
Student with the highest level of clinical performance throughout all internships.
Academic Achievement: Erika Rappleyea
Student with the highest level of academic success and classroom engagement.
Tenets of Excellence: Uzair Hammad
Student with the traits that align with all facets of the UCF Physical Therapy Mission & Vision.
Graduating students can nominate one of the four clinical instructors they were mentored by during the clinical internship portion of their education. This year, UCF DPT alumni Peter Buffington ’12, of Orlando Sports Medicine, was the selected winner among >30 nominees. Buffington is an alumnus from the UCF DPT program and consistently takes UCF DPT students to learn from him in the clinic. Students appreciate how he exemplifies how to put clinical knowledge into practice, how to connect to patients, and how he advocates for his patients.
Outstanding CI: Peter Buffington
Special thanks to our speakers who made the hooding ceremony special:
Christopher Ingersoll – Dean, College of Health Professions and Sciences
Ashley Jo Darby – faculty-nominated student speaker
Joanna Keough ‘16 – Faculty-nominated keynote address
