Well, I basically blinked and now here I am sitting at my desk and it's the tenth week of the semester. WHOA! Time is absolutely flying by. Anyway an update on where I'm currently at with school and my faith.
October has been an absolutely CRAZY month. Exam after exam, assignment after assignment, things never seem to stop. Thankfully with the start of a new month in eight days things will slow down until finals the first week of December.
There have been times this semester that I have wanted to throw in the towel. I was overwhelmed when the amount of work and information we had to know amped up. There came a point where I had absolutely no motivation to do anything related to school and I wanted to quit. I think we can agree that we all reach these kind of road blocks in our lives. I mean we'd be kidding ourselves if we said we didn't right?
What do we do when we reach a point where we feel like quitting? Do we quit? Do we change our plans? How do we stop feeling like the world is crashing down?
I feel like quitting, I feel like giving up so I ___________.
Fill in the blank.
Let's take a glance at a couple of different ways to finish this sentence.
1. Change my attention to something else.
This option was very real in my life a few weeks ago; an option the can be useful when supplemented with option two which I will discuss in a little bit.
Option one.
1. Study for school
2. Become overwhelmed
3. Get frustrated
4. Resort to playing the piano or doing something else to avoid studying
Did my frustration and state of being overwhelmed dissipate as a result of directing my attention elsewhere for a little while? Yeah, I'd say it did. The real question is though, did the need for me to study and complete assignments go away? Short and sweet...no.
I found myself in a vicious cycle. Study...get frustrated...stop studying...do something else...repeat. This cycle went on for days. I just didn't want to do this grad school thing anymore, I was too frustrated and I had had enough. I love playing piano don't get me wrong but it was really just a temporary fix to something that isn't going to go away until I graduate in 2016. What is option one missing? Well it's missing option two.
2. Rely on Christ.
As much as it pains me to admit it, my relationship with Christ was lacking during this stretch. I was so focused on school and school alone. I wasn't in the Word and I wasn't talking with the Lord. I was going to church but that was all I was doing. Church would make me feel good on Sunday mornings and Monday nights (I attend the young adult church service led by the church I attend on Sundays) but that was it. In one ear and out the other. I was trying to do it all on my own. SPOILER ALERT! It didn't work. I broke down. How am I going to do this? How am I going to graduate? Looking back, I was foolish. I can't do this on my own. Last week at SOMA (the young adult church), we took a look at Matthew 14:25-32.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage? It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it is you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boar the wind died down. THen those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
We are all like Peter, we think we can take on life's challenges on our own. And for a while we will be able to hold our own, but then a storm comes and things stop going our way. We absolutely must fix our eyes on Christ. I know that we may have times of doubt in the Lord's plan, I get that, but when we encounter those times of doubt we need to refocus. Refocus on the One that knows the future, the One that knows His plans for you. It's funny how things work out. When our faith in Christ is tested one of two things will happen. 1. Our faith in Christ will be strengthened. 2. We lose faith in Christ and head in another direction. We must must must must continue to seek the Lord, His guidance and continue to strengthen our faith. I can't do this grad school thing on my own and I found out the hard way, BUT Christ and I can do it together. WE can do it together.
We all need both options. We need time to ourselves to do the things we love BUT we also need Christ. Option one is a temporary fix, option two is a permanent fix. If you ask me, it's a no brainer which option I'm taking.
Please continue to pray for me for focus and motivation in times of frustration. Pray that I will continue to seek the Lord when I become frustrated, overwhelmed and all aspects of my life. Thank you all for your support. I apologize for not posting as often as I would like!
Brandon
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
Talk about cool...take 10 minutes and read this.
I sat down this morning with my usual bowl of Wheaties and glass of orange juice. The Wheaties as usual did not have any milk on them. I don't like wet cereal, call me weird, but I've always done it that way. I love milk just not on breakfast cereal. Anyway, all of that is beside the point. I opened up my email and had nine or ten emails to read from yesterday and this morning.
I expected the typical emails from the University of Toledo about what is going on around campus and emails from the physical therapy program about volunteer opportunities and about various things we need to do as DPT students. The emails I received were exactly what I anticipated...except one. I hesitated to click on this particular email because it looked like this:
No subject in the subject line and from a sender that I didn't recognize; I didn't know what to expect. I decided to open the email and see what it was all about. If it was spam then I'd delete it, block the sender and be done with it, but this email wasn't spam. This email was cool. Here is what it said:
Hello!
I hope this is not too creepy! I just wanted to thank you and share a word of encouragement. I just got wait listed from a DPT program and googled "DPT wait list" and your blog came up. And as I read I was SO thankful to see a fellow believer of unwavering faith. As a stranger you have encouraged me in ways you will never know. Our God is so good. Thank you! I will pray for you as you start your DPT program. And I hope to see you on the other side of eternity!
My initial thought was how did this person find out who I was and how did she contact me? I sat and thought about how she would have first of all found this blog by a simple Google search and secondly found a way to contact me. So, I typed exactly what she said she did into Google and sure enough the fifth result was a link to my blog entry about being placed on the waiting list for DPT schools. Question number one had been answered, but what about number two? Then it hit me. A couple of months ago, I added an "About Me" tab to this blog on which I talked about who I am and in brief, my journey to DPT school. On the very last part of the page, I listed my email address just in case there was a rare occasion that anyone wanted to contact me about what I had to say.
I completely forgot that I had put my email address on the blog in part because no one had ever emailed me. Well, there is a first time for everything and today was the day I received the first email about my blog.
An email from someone I had never met, blew me away and absolutely made my day. The Lord is using me to reach out to people in my local community, my immediate friends, family and people I have never met, let alone talked to. Here was my reply this morning:
Hey!
Brandon
I feel like sometimes as we as followers of Christ and even non-followers of Christ we may wonder, "How could the Lord possibly use me?". This is a thought that at times I have had myself. The reality of it is though, that no matter how close or how distance you may be from the Lord, your story matters. No matter how good or how terrible your past my be, the Lord wants you to become closer to Him and He CAN use you to reach out to others. The Lord is already standing there hugging you, He loves you, He is just waiting for you to hug Him back.
Here for me, an opportunity to reach out to and help someone who I have never met. I've said this already but this is so cool. The Lord is using me in a way that I would have never expected and I am soaking up every minute of it. So I encourage you to share any of my entries with people you know that may find them interesting, encouraging or just want to read about the life of a twenty something in grad school.
I was given permission by the sender to use this email for a blog entry or else I wouldn't have shared this unique experience. She also gave me permission to use her name, however I decided to refrain to ensure confidentiality.
God is using me and He can use you!
Best,
Brandon
brandon.bowers@rockets.utoledo.edu
I expected the typical emails from the University of Toledo about what is going on around campus and emails from the physical therapy program about volunteer opportunities and about various things we need to do as DPT students. The emails I received were exactly what I anticipated...except one. I hesitated to click on this particular email because it looked like this:
Hello!
I hope this is not too creepy! I just wanted to thank you and share a word of encouragement. I just got wait listed from a DPT program and googled "DPT wait list" and your blog came up. And as I read I was SO thankful to see a fellow believer of unwavering faith. As a stranger you have encouraged me in ways you will never know. Our God is so good. Thank you! I will pray for you as you start your DPT program. And I hope to see you on the other side of eternity!
My initial thought was how did this person find out who I was and how did she contact me? I sat and thought about how she would have first of all found this blog by a simple Google search and secondly found a way to contact me. So, I typed exactly what she said she did into Google and sure enough the fifth result was a link to my blog entry about being placed on the waiting list for DPT schools. Question number one had been answered, but what about number two? Then it hit me. A couple of months ago, I added an "About Me" tab to this blog on which I talked about who I am and in brief, my journey to DPT school. On the very last part of the page, I listed my email address just in case there was a rare occasion that anyone wanted to contact me about what I had to say.
I completely forgot that I had put my email address on the blog in part because no one had ever emailed me. Well, there is a first time for everything and today was the day I received the first email about my blog.
An email from someone I had never met, blew me away and absolutely made my day. The Lord is using me to reach out to people in my local community, my immediate friends, family and people I have never met, let alone talked to. Here was my reply this morning:
Hey!
This just made my day. You have no idea. When I initially set up my blog and put my contact information on there I didn't think anyone would contact me. I actually forgot that I had put my email information on there in the first place. Don't let you faith waver. As a result of being wait listed, my faith only got stronger. The Lord has a plan for you and your life. He may be saying wait for you for DPT school or He may be saying no altogether. You need to remain steadfast and trust the Lord's plan. It may be difficult at times, don't get me wrong, but you WILL end up where God wants you to be.
Where did you apply for school? Still out on the east coast? Are you from out there originally? I have family out in Ocean, New Jersey!
I would like to talk about the email you sent me in a blog entry. Is that okay with you? If not it's okay. I won't use your name. I just wanted to run it by you first before I went and started sharing about it. I just think this is so awesome!
A great start to my day and it's only 10 AM.
Our Lord is so so good, don't ever lose sight of that. If you need any information about DPT school, the application process or anything please let me know and I'd be glad to help!
Take care,
I feel like sometimes as we as followers of Christ and even non-followers of Christ we may wonder, "How could the Lord possibly use me?". This is a thought that at times I have had myself. The reality of it is though, that no matter how close or how distance you may be from the Lord, your story matters. No matter how good or how terrible your past my be, the Lord wants you to become closer to Him and He CAN use you to reach out to others. The Lord is already standing there hugging you, He loves you, He is just waiting for you to hug Him back.
Here for me, an opportunity to reach out to and help someone who I have never met. I've said this already but this is so cool. The Lord is using me in a way that I would have never expected and I am soaking up every minute of it. So I encourage you to share any of my entries with people you know that may find them interesting, encouraging or just want to read about the life of a twenty something in grad school.
I was given permission by the sender to use this email for a blog entry or else I wouldn't have shared this unique experience. She also gave me permission to use her name, however I decided to refrain to ensure confidentiality.
God is using me and He can use you!
Best,
Brandon
brandon.bowers@rockets.utoledo.edu
Friday, August 23, 2013
An Update Would Be Nice
Well, it's been over a month since I've updated everyone so I'll start off by apologizing. The end of summer semester got really busy and I neglected to make time to even post a brief entry. Sorry for that. Anyway, summer semester flew by and now here I am laying on my bed at the conclusion of week one of fall semester. I am certain that this semester will fly by even faster than the summer did. The classes we are taking this fall are as follows:
Analysis of Movement
Clinical Pathophysiology II
Intro to Exam
Teaching and Learning
Foundations of Physical Therapy
Clinical Reasoning (Begins week 6)
It should be another fun and jam packed semester. If you are ever in the Toledo area and want to visit, don't hesitate to let me know! I will do my best to update every week to two weeks. And don't forgot to check out the brand new #bowtietuesday page!
Best,
Brandon
Analysis of Movement
Clinical Pathophysiology II
Intro to Exam
Teaching and Learning
Foundations of Physical Therapy
Clinical Reasoning (Begins week 6)
It should be another fun and jam packed semester. If you are ever in the Toledo area and want to visit, don't hesitate to let me know! I will do my best to update every week to two weeks. And don't forgot to check out the brand new #bowtietuesday page!
Best,
Brandon
Friday, July 19, 2013
The Home Stretch...well sort of
Week six of eight of the summer semester is in the rear view mirror. I guess you could call it the "home stretch", of the summer at least. One week of class and one week of finals stand between me and a brief "summer" at home. I'll be at home in Hilliard, working at YMCA summer camp as a head counselor from August 2nd to August 13th.
As for school, everything still continues to go smoothly and I still don't have much of a life, However, the hard work is paying off. My apologies for the lack of entries the past couple of weeks, I've really been swamped with studying in preparation for exam after exam.
As always, thanks for your continual support and prayers.
Best,
Brandon
As for school, everything still continues to go smoothly and I still don't have much of a life, However, the hard work is paying off. My apologies for the lack of entries the past couple of weeks, I've really been swamped with studying in preparation for exam after exam.
As always, thanks for your continual support and prayers.
Best,
Brandon
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Simply a Scribe
It is so awesome to see God working in my life and the lives of others. This morning the Lord put on my heart that I needed to repost an entry from back in February, entitled "Let Go and Let God." I had a feeling that someone out there needed to hear what I had experienced a few months ago.
Within a couple hours I received two messages from individuals who had read the entry and how much they appreciated the post. One thanked me for what I had to say, to which I quickly informed them that I just type what the Lord puts on my heart. I'm simply a scribe here on Earth articulating His words to me.
I am so happy that He is able to work through me to impact the lives of others.
Within a couple hours I received two messages from individuals who had read the entry and how much they appreciated the post. One thanked me for what I had to say, to which I quickly informed them that I just type what the Lord puts on my heart. I'm simply a scribe here on Earth articulating His words to me.
I am so happy that He is able to work through me to impact the lives of others.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
The Summer Sprint
The end of next week will mark the halfway point my first summer semester of physical therapy school. One short week from today I will be home for a brief break before finishing out the final four weeks of the semester. Sounds easy right? Well, not exactly. Before I get to return to the capital city, I've got two exams to take.
Clinical Pathophysiology and Gross Anatomy. The former, a mouthful for most of you I'm sure, simply put, articulates how our bodies function at the cellular level and the latter is the course with cadavers. Clinical Pathophys is this coming Tuesday and Anatomy is this Wednesday.
Prayers this week for focus, patience and productivity would be appreciated. Thanks to everyone who regularly follows "The Road to DPT" and thanks to all of the first time readers of my blog is well.
I hope this isn't the last time you read an entry I post and I hope you continue on with me in my journey in academia and with the Lord to become, Brandon Bowers, Doctor of Physical Therapy.
Remember God's faithfulness in biblical history.
Remember God's faithfulness in your life.
Remember God's faithfulness at the cross.
The Lord hasn't failed me or you yet and He never will.
The Lord has made a difference in my life and He can make one in yours too, you just have to open the door.
Clinical Pathophysiology and Gross Anatomy. The former, a mouthful for most of you I'm sure, simply put, articulates how our bodies function at the cellular level and the latter is the course with cadavers. Clinical Pathophys is this coming Tuesday and Anatomy is this Wednesday.
Prayers this week for focus, patience and productivity would be appreciated. Thanks to everyone who regularly follows "The Road to DPT" and thanks to all of the first time readers of my blog is well.
I hope this isn't the last time you read an entry I post and I hope you continue on with me in my journey in academia and with the Lord to become, Brandon Bowers, Doctor of Physical Therapy.
Remember God's faithfulness in biblical history.
Remember God's faithfulness in your life.
Remember God's faithfulness at the cross.
The Lord hasn't failed me or you yet and He never will.
The Lord has made a difference in my life and He can make one in yours too, you just have to open the door.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
What's Going On?
Just wanted to give everyone a brief summary of where things are at with DPT school. The first two weeks came and went faster than you can say Snuffaluffagus. Our first exam was on June 20th (Thursday), I feel like it went pretty well.
Studying for exams in graduate school let alone doctoral school is ridiculous. I had lunch with a close friend today and was telling her that studying for these exams is like studying for undergrad finals...all of the time. Studying on steroids without a doubt.
I'll have a short break over the 4th of July, from July 3rd through July 6th. I plan to spend my "mid semester" break (if you can even call eight weeks a semester) at home spending time with my family and friends. I might need to practice palpating people for an exam on July 9th. So if you want to be palpated and help me out that'd be great.
Until next time.
Have an awesome day.
Studying for exams in graduate school let alone doctoral school is ridiculous. I had lunch with a close friend today and was telling her that studying for these exams is like studying for undergrad finals...all of the time. Studying on steroids without a doubt.
I'll have a short break over the 4th of July, from July 3rd through July 6th. I plan to spend my "mid semester" break (if you can even call eight weeks a semester) at home spending time with my family and friends. I might need to practice palpating people for an exam on July 9th. So if you want to be palpated and help me out that'd be great.
Until next time.
Have an awesome day.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Incredibly Grateful
With living in a new location comes finding a new church home for the next three years. I received a phone call last night at about 9 pm from a close friend inviting me to attend church today with him and his wife. God is pretty incredible the way He works.
To say that I am incredibly grateful for what happened this morning would be an understatement. Gabe and Shauna Dunbar, I'll thank you again for your willingness to not only invite me but go out of your way to give me a ride to church this morning since I don't have a car. After attending just a single church service, I already feel welcome and a part of the congregation. The worship was incredible and the message this morning about how we should spend our time was great as well.
Gabe and Shauna,
I'm really looking forward to see what the Lord has in store for our lives the next three years and am looking forward to walking closer with Him and getting to know you both better as well.
Brandon
To say that I am incredibly grateful for what happened this morning would be an understatement. Gabe and Shauna Dunbar, I'll thank you again for your willingness to not only invite me but go out of your way to give me a ride to church this morning since I don't have a car. After attending just a single church service, I already feel welcome and a part of the congregation. The worship was incredible and the message this morning about how we should spend our time was great as well.
Gabe and Shauna,
I'm really looking forward to see what the Lord has in store for our lives the next three years and am looking forward to walking closer with Him and getting to know you both better as well.
Brandon
Monday, June 10, 2013
Day One in the Books
Well...day one is now behind us. The day began this morning at 10 AM for orientation along with faculty and student introductions. The orientation lasted about an hour and a half which was then followed by a lunch break until 1 PM. A few of us, with the help of classmates who went to UT for undergrad, ventured to Rocket Hall to get are ID badges printed and then to the union for a Subway lunch.
After lunch the real fun began. We received a one hour orientation to Gross Anatomy (one of two courses I'm taking this summer), and then we hit the ground running. Our class was divided into two groups and then further subdivided into four smaller groups. Four of the small groups began the lab working on the cadavers while the other four worked on the lab handout for the week. My small group began with the cadavers, one cadaver per two small groups of four. About halfway through the lab the cadaver and lab handout groups switched roles and worked until 6 PM.
At six things wrapped up and we headed back to our apartment. If you want more details about the day contact me. Three of our classmates in the program that live in the same apartment complex as us invited us over for dinner so we're headed over here shortly. I apologize for how brief this entry was but I hope it was succinct and covered the main ideas.
After lunch the real fun began. We received a one hour orientation to Gross Anatomy (one of two courses I'm taking this summer), and then we hit the ground running. Our class was divided into two groups and then further subdivided into four smaller groups. Four of the small groups began the lab working on the cadavers while the other four worked on the lab handout for the week. My small group began with the cadavers, one cadaver per two small groups of four. About halfway through the lab the cadaver and lab handout groups switched roles and worked until 6 PM.
At six things wrapped up and we headed back to our apartment. If you want more details about the day contact me. Three of our classmates in the program that live in the same apartment complex as us invited us over for dinner so we're headed over here shortly. I apologize for how brief this entry was but I hope it was succinct and covered the main ideas.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Now a Resident of Toledo, Ohio
First ever video blog entry, detailing the new apartment. Check it out! The video wouldn't directly upload to my blog, so I had to put it on YouTube first for it to work, enjoy!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Patience
I was reading through my devotional this morning about patience and the Lord put a few things on my heart that I want to share with all of you.
We live in a world in which we expect nearly everything at the blink of an eye; if we ever want something, we want it right away. A lot of this, I feel, can be attributed to the advancement of technology. My generation has been immersed in technology ever since we took our first steps as young children. We grew up during the days of VHS tapes which eventually evolved to DVDs and most recently to Blu Ray. Ask any kid under the age of twelve today and I'd venture to guess they have no clue what a VHS is. I digress.
Technology provides means for us to get what we want, when we want it. Consider online shopping, for example. No longer do you physically have to go in to Target or go in to Walmart to buy the latest gadget or a new appliance for your kitchen. You can simply sit at home in your pajamas and order virtually anything online. Granted you'll have to wait for it to ship to your home but in terms of the actual transaction itself you need not set foot out of your home.
Now, why does this all matter? Why is this relevant? Patience is an incredible thing. The ability to be patient allows an individual relax and understand that it may not be necessary to have something right away. Patience with worldly things is all well and good, but patience with the Lord is even better.
You can sit down and map out the rest of your life all you want; your dream job, dream spouse, how many kids you want...blah, blah, blah. You get the idea. Go for it. But I've quickly learned in the almost twenty-two and a half years I've spent on this Earth, that things don't always go the way you plan them to. For example, I designed this blog to chronicle my journey through physical therapy school and my walk with the Lord. My plan was to attend The Ohio State University. God's plan was to test my faith, first by getting wait listed at all the schools to which I applied and second by trusting His plan for me to attend The University of Toledo.
I would be lying to you if I said there weren't times during the application process that I was impatient and other times that I worried. However, the times of impatience and worrying were outweighed by words of encouragement from friends and family and more importantly God's grace.
I'll close by offering a challenge; I'll partake in this challenge as well. Throughout the next week, if there is ever a time when you feel you're becoming impatient, take a moment to yourself. Take a deep breath and remember that God is going to work everything out in His time. Remember to not only have faith in Him but faith in his timing as well. You may become frustrated this week at work or at school with a co-worker or classmate. What is getting angry and impatient with them going to accomplish? Probably not too much. Step back, take a deep breath and be patient.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
We live in a world in which we expect nearly everything at the blink of an eye; if we ever want something, we want it right away. A lot of this, I feel, can be attributed to the advancement of technology. My generation has been immersed in technology ever since we took our first steps as young children. We grew up during the days of VHS tapes which eventually evolved to DVDs and most recently to Blu Ray. Ask any kid under the age of twelve today and I'd venture to guess they have no clue what a VHS is. I digress.
Technology provides means for us to get what we want, when we want it. Consider online shopping, for example. No longer do you physically have to go in to Target or go in to Walmart to buy the latest gadget or a new appliance for your kitchen. You can simply sit at home in your pajamas and order virtually anything online. Granted you'll have to wait for it to ship to your home but in terms of the actual transaction itself you need not set foot out of your home.
Now, why does this all matter? Why is this relevant? Patience is an incredible thing. The ability to be patient allows an individual relax and understand that it may not be necessary to have something right away. Patience with worldly things is all well and good, but patience with the Lord is even better.
You can sit down and map out the rest of your life all you want; your dream job, dream spouse, how many kids you want...blah, blah, blah. You get the idea. Go for it. But I've quickly learned in the almost twenty-two and a half years I've spent on this Earth, that things don't always go the way you plan them to. For example, I designed this blog to chronicle my journey through physical therapy school and my walk with the Lord. My plan was to attend The Ohio State University. God's plan was to test my faith, first by getting wait listed at all the schools to which I applied and second by trusting His plan for me to attend The University of Toledo.
I would be lying to you if I said there weren't times during the application process that I was impatient and other times that I worried. However, the times of impatience and worrying were outweighed by words of encouragement from friends and family and more importantly God's grace.
I'll close by offering a challenge; I'll partake in this challenge as well. Throughout the next week, if there is ever a time when you feel you're becoming impatient, take a moment to yourself. Take a deep breath and remember that God is going to work everything out in His time. Remember to not only have faith in Him but faith in his timing as well. You may become frustrated this week at work or at school with a co-worker or classmate. What is getting angry and impatient with them going to accomplish? Probably not too much. Step back, take a deep breath and be patient.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
Friday, May 10, 2013
One Month Out
Well, one month from now I will be sitting in my first classes as a doctoral of physical therapy candidate at the University of Toledo. Many of you have inquired as to what I will be doing for the next month and by virtue of this entry I hope to inform you.
Quick review:
May 4th - Graduated from Siena Heights University, Bachelors of Science
May 8th - Returned home to Hilliard
Throughout the month of May I will be working at the Hilliard YMCA (7 minutes from home), however not in the same capacity that I have the past three summers. During the summers of 2010-2012 I worked as a summer camp counselor, a position that lasted June through August. I will be working a variety of positions over the course of the next month. These positions include building supervisor, front desk attendant, along with other miscellaneous work to help the camp staff at the Y prepare for this summer.
At the end of the month, my family is taking a vacation to Florida. My youngest brother, Bradley, is a member of the Hilliard Davidson Marching Band. Every four years the band treks to Orlando to march in one of the many Disney parades.
My dad and I are leaving for Atlanta the morning of May 31st in time to go to the Braves vs. Nationals game that evening at Turner Field. The following day, Bradley will depart with the band via charter bus and my mother and brother Brian via plane. We will all be in Orlando June 1st through the 5th; on the 5th my dad and I will fly back to Ohio in order to make final preparations for my move to Toledo on June 8th. Two days later, June 10th, classes begin.
There is a lot going on the next month for sure and I know it is going to fly by. Thanks again to the consistant followers of this blog and even to those who are reading for the first time. Thank you also to all of the individuals who are praying for me. Physical therapy school is going to be a long haul and I'm ready to take it on with the Lord at my side.
Take care,
Brandon
Quick review:
May 4th - Graduated from Siena Heights University, Bachelors of Science
May 8th - Returned home to Hilliard
Throughout the month of May I will be working at the Hilliard YMCA (7 minutes from home), however not in the same capacity that I have the past three summers. During the summers of 2010-2012 I worked as a summer camp counselor, a position that lasted June through August. I will be working a variety of positions over the course of the next month. These positions include building supervisor, front desk attendant, along with other miscellaneous work to help the camp staff at the Y prepare for this summer.
At the end of the month, my family is taking a vacation to Florida. My youngest brother, Bradley, is a member of the Hilliard Davidson Marching Band. Every four years the band treks to Orlando to march in one of the many Disney parades.
My dad and I are leaving for Atlanta the morning of May 31st in time to go to the Braves vs. Nationals game that evening at Turner Field. The following day, Bradley will depart with the band via charter bus and my mother and brother Brian via plane. We will all be in Orlando June 1st through the 5th; on the 5th my dad and I will fly back to Ohio in order to make final preparations for my move to Toledo on June 8th. Two days later, June 10th, classes begin.
There is a lot going on the next month for sure and I know it is going to fly by. Thanks again to the consistant followers of this blog and even to those who are reading for the first time. Thank you also to all of the individuals who are praying for me. Physical therapy school is going to be a long haul and I'm ready to take it on with the Lord at my side.
Take care,
Brandon
Sunday, May 5, 2013
|ˈspe sh əl|
special |ˈspe sh əl|
adjective
better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual
Today was a special day. Today, I took another step towards my dream. Today, I graduated from Siena Heights University.
Four years ago, in August of 2009, I began my undergraduate career at Siena Heights University. I had no idea what to anticipate coming to Siena and little did I know I was in for a fun ride. The past four years have been great and if you want me to reminisce ask me elsewhere. I want to use this entry however to discuss today.
Today was a special day. 551 graduates from Siena Heights University were recognized for their hard work and dedication to earning a degree be it baccalaureate or masters. That's special because the class of 2013 was one of the largest in the university's rich 94 year history. But today was special for me for a different reason. That reason was my family.
Mom and Dad - I love you. I would not be the man I am today without the Godly morals you have instilled in me and your continuous support. I don't know what I would have done without all your help along the way. Sure others my say I'm partial to my parents but you two truly are the best parental dynamic duo in the WORLD.
Brian and Bradley - You two bring out the best in me. Sure there have been plenty of times that we have butted heads and haven't seen eye to eye. BUT the fun times, times of laughter and times where we've been just stupid together have outweighed the times of conflict. I'm proud to call you my brothers and I love you both.
Grandpa and Jeanne - You two are great. Grandpa, you've watched me grow over the past 22 years and 4 months and I think we can agree that time flies. You have done so much for me and I couldn't have been happier that you were able to make it today. And to Jeanne. Although you haven't been apart of my life for quite as long, you have also been there to support me along the way. I love both of you very much.
Aunt Judi and Uncle John (the miscellaneous family members as Brian referred to them today) - Thank you so much for coming today. Aunt Judi from Ocean, New Jersey and Uncle John from Creston, Ohio. You both traveled a great distance to be here today and that was awesome. Although we don't get to see each other as much as we would like, I appreciate very much all you have taught me and am grateful that I can call you family. All my love.
Today I took another step towards my dream. In a world where not many individuals pursue undergraduate studies, even fewer pursue graduate studies (masters or doctoral). In my world, I am fortunate to now be able to do both. Earning my degree today marked one more step towards the top of my educational staircase.
Avery Alligator X
Tharp Tiger X
Weaver Wildcat X
Davidson Wildcat X
Siena Heights University Saint X
University of Toledo Rocket
Brandon Bowers, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Today I graduated from Siena Heights University - Thank you to all of the faculty, staff and classmates that helped me get to today. There have been individuals throughout my undergraduate career who had impacted me in a positive manner over the course of all four years and there have been others whose impact has only lasted the duration of one semester. Both are important and both have helped me become who I am today. Thank you.
I've loved my time at Siena Heights University and it is going to be difficult to move on. But it's time, time for a new chapter to begin. I'll close with three remarks, one of my own, one from a friend and a verse as well.
To my fellow seniors, class of 2013, from my Torch Night speech on April 26th, 2013.
"As we go our separate ways and embark on new journeys, remember your
time at Siena and apply what you’ve learned here to your future endeavors. You have made a positive impact at
Siena Heights and there is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of you
is capable of continuing to make a positive impact in the future. Go out into this world and don’t settle
for being average because anyone can be average; strive to be great at what you
do; strive for excellence and go show the world what it means to be a Saint."
Strive for excellence.
I've received a handful of graduation cards over the past few weeks. On one card, I received this message:
"Congratulations on your graduation. Always be proud of your achievements and use them to fulfill your dreams. You have the power to shape your future, stay committed. Great challenges lie ahead and great opportunities are before you. Wherever your life takes you, God will guide you. We do not know what tomorrow will bring but we do know this, God's plan is PEFECT. He provides only what is the very best for us. I just want you to know that I am praying for you. Find strength in knowing that God is in control of everything and will see you through all things. May God's guidance and protection be with you. May He bless you in all you do."
Wow, what an incredible message, an incredible articulation of words and an incredible sense of encouragement. You know who you are, thank you for that very much. We serve an awesome awesome God.
On two of the other cards one of my favorite passages of scripture was printed.
Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
Another source of encouragement that we have nothing to fear. Things are going to go your way and things aren't going to go your way, regardless, give it all to God. You will feel a sense of liberty like no other I guarantee you.
I apologize for the extensiveness of this entry but there was a lot of ground to cover. Until my next entry, have a great day and know that God has a plan.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Faith, Baseball and Polaroid Pictures
They say one of the toughest pitches to hit in baseball is a good curve ball. Countless professional players take awful hacks at curveballs each season and look silly doing so. A batter expects to receive a fastball right down the middle that he can crush out of the park one minute but instead he gets the curve that breaks six feet and drops in for strike three.
Like baseball, life isn't just fastballs right down the middle of the plate. Every now and then God will toss in a good curve ball of His own. Yesterday was just one of those days, I was looking for the fastball and then BOOM curve ball, strike three.
It's 4:37 AM and I got off of the phone with my mom a little bit ago. What is she doing up at this hour you ask? She coaches swimming at the crack of dawn, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Anyway, I've had a difficult time sleeping this evening and after we chatted for a while she made one simple suggestion. Pray. The power of prayer is so remarkable.
God is...
All knowing
All powerful
Forgiving
Faithful
Protective
Creator
The list goes on and on.
Life is like a Polaroid picture. We develop a spectacular idea of how we think a picture will turn out, but a minute later when the picture comes in to focus we see the real picture.
Often times we become content with developing our own picture/plan before the real picture has time to develop. We can develop our own plan all we want but the majority of the time our plan may not be God's plan.
I encourage you to take comfort in prayer, quite the stress reliever if you ask me. Cast all your anxieties on God and let Him worry about them.
I'll close this entry by something I stumbled across about a year ago that really puts things in to perspective.
Memo From God
To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: GOD
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE
I am God.
Today I will be handling all of your problems.
Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.
If you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what life is all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!
-------
I may have swung and missed at the curve ball, but God never will and will knock it out of the park every time because His plan is PERFECT.
I'll close this entry by something I stumbled across about a year ago that really puts things in to perspective.
Memo From God
To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: GOD
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE
I am God.
Today I will be handling all of your problems.
Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.
If you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what life is all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!
-------
I may have swung and missed at the curve ball, but God never will and will knock it out of the park every time because His plan is PERFECT.
Friday, April 5, 2013
All Good Things Come To An End
I sat on the edge of a busy downtown Chicago street this afternoon as a very important chapter of my life came to a close.
Today marked the end of my competitive volleyball career; a career that began my freshman year of high school because I was cut from the baseball team. What a career it was.
I'm going to keep this post brief and speak specifically about my career at Siena Heights. Coach Watkins gave me an opportunity that few other coaches would have and I am so glad he did. It has been a pleasure to play for him the past four years and I've really enjoyed my time as a member of his teams.
As for my teammate, you've all been great. The past three years were pretty awesome but I'd say that this season has been by far the best. This year I made sure I made an effort to really get to know everyone on the team. Most people "know" their teammates but I wanted to KNOW my teammates like they were my brothers, and the were.
Years down the road I'll look back at this year and have so many awesome memories even though the wins and losses didn't end up how we wanted them to.
I took time to myself in the locker room after we lost in the first round of the MAMVIC East conference tournament today to reflect on the past eight years. There is nothing that can be done to change what happened and my career is over. Now it's time to continue on my journey to become a physical therapist
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
I Need YOUR Help!
I thought the hard part of grad school was getting in, but I've been presented with an even more difficult task now that I've been accepted by the University of Toledo. I begin school June 10th, one month and six days after I graduate from Siena Heights University. That being the case I need to move all of my stuff home and then find a place to live in Toledo hopefully before June 1st. I am also in need of a reliable, reasonably priced car.
Here is where you come into play. My parents and I have ZERO knowledge of the city of Toledo. We can tell you Toledo is in Northwest Ohio and way too many Michigan fans live there but that is about it. If you know of any safe places to live that are close to main campus, my classes will be in the Health and Human Services Building, please please please let me know. Also, if you are looking to sell a car or know someone that is selling a car please contact me.
The former of the two requests is more important than the latter because I can get by riding a bike for the summer. However, if a reasonable opportunity to purchase a vehicle presents itself I won't pass it up.
I am trying to keep all of my information regarding grad school in a centralized location so please contact me via email if you have any insight. Thanks!
bbowers@sienaheights.edu
Thanks for your continual support of me, my journey and my walk with the Lord.
Here is where you come into play. My parents and I have ZERO knowledge of the city of Toledo. We can tell you Toledo is in Northwest Ohio and way too many Michigan fans live there but that is about it. If you know of any safe places to live that are close to main campus, my classes will be in the Health and Human Services Building, please please please let me know. Also, if you are looking to sell a car or know someone that is selling a car please contact me.
The former of the two requests is more important than the latter because I can get by riding a bike for the summer. However, if a reasonable opportunity to purchase a vehicle presents itself I won't pass it up.
I am trying to keep all of my information regarding grad school in a centralized location so please contact me via email if you have any insight. Thanks!
bbowers@sienaheights.edu
Thanks for your continual support of me, my journey and my walk with the Lord.
Friday, March 29, 2013
What A Day
I woke up at 8 AM this morning to work on homework and masters of exercise science applications. Little did I know in a short amount of time that my morning would change...drastically.
After being wait listed by all of the physical therapy schools to which I applied, I put a lot of prayer, thought and conversation into a "plan B". Plan B was to work at the Y this summer as a camp counselor and then begin work somewhere on a masters degree in exercise physiology this fall.
In accordance with plan B, I set up a meeting to meet with my boss at the Y to discuss the summer and how camp would operate. The meeting was scheduled for 11 AM this morning.
It was 8:57 this morning and I was watching SportsCenter when my phone began to ring. I glanced down at the screen and did not recognize the number. The area code was 419 (Toledo). I thought "well maybe it's someone calling from Siena who lives in the Toledo area code." I thought again and realized who might be calling. I answered.
Hello? Hello, this is Michelle Masterson the director of the physical therapy program at the University Toledo, may I please speak to Brandon?
I was in shock. Just yesterday I had a conversation with a close friend who inquired about my plans for the summer. I told him that I would be working at the Y and pursuing my masters in the fall. I also told him that physical therapy programs have until April 15th to fill all openings for the class of 2016. I mentioned that I still had hope but I wasn't getting my hopes too high as April 15th continued to inch closer.
Good morning, I was just calling to inform you that we had an applicant decline a position in our program and we would like to extend an offer for that position to you. Are you interested?
I told her I was interested and inquired about what happens next. Dr. Masterson informed me that I would receive an acceptance letter in the mail by the beginning of next week that I need to sign and return to officially claim my position in the program. The start date for the program is June 10th.
Wow. I tweeted it this morning and I'll say it again
God's timing is absolutely remarkable.
The day that I was supposed to meet with my boss to discuss working summer camp for a fourth summer and begin "plan B" God showed me His plan in a BIG way. All the trust and faith has paid off and you better believe that I'm going to continue to trust Him because doctorate degrees are no walk in the park.
I followed through with my meeting with my boss to inform her of the news and to provide her with as much information as I could to help her and her staff be successful this summer. She was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to work camp this summer but completely understood and had no problems with me being unable to return to the Y.
I've been telling people all day that I truly am at a loss for words with everything that has transpired. My emotions are a mixture of excitement, surprise and happiness. I'll leave you with two things, one of my favorite verses that I've posted before and a quote from a friend.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
"Faith in God includes faith in His timing."
Thank you all for your never ending support throughout this process, I appreciate each and every one of you more than you realize. If you take one thing from this post it is to never give up on your faith and trust in our almighty God. We have to realize that sometimes we may want something in our lives and the Lord says "no"; other times He may say "wait", but today for me He said, "yes."
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
DPT Admissions -- The University of Florida
After quite some time, yesterday I received a letter in the mail from the University of Florida. Well my mom received it back home in Hilliard and texted me it had arrived. I called her immediately curious as to what the letter said.
She read it to me. It seems to have been a common theme throughout this process, "Our program is very competitive, we aren't accepting you, thanks for applying, don't take it personally." Of course there has been plenty of other "fluff" in these letters but you get the main idea of what they have said.
Regardless of what that letter said yesterday, I wasn't going to wake up worried today. The Lord is on my side and He is on your side too. How encouraging is it to know that we serve an almighty, all powerful God who already knows our futures? If you ask me that's pretty awesome. No worries, no fears, at all.
I've mapped out what I believe is God's current plan for my life in a previous post but I'll review it quickly again.
Spring 2013 - Apply to masters of exercise science programs. I am currently considering The University of Toledo and Ohio University.
Summer 2013 - Work as a head camp counselor the the Hilliard YMCA. The absolute best job on the face of the earth, I love it.
Fall 2013 - Provided I receive acceptance to a masters program, I will begin a masters of exercise science program.
Thanks again to all who have supported me throughout this process.
I stumbled across this verse this morning and thought it was pretty fitting, God is awesome.
Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
She read it to me. It seems to have been a common theme throughout this process, "Our program is very competitive, we aren't accepting you, thanks for applying, don't take it personally." Of course there has been plenty of other "fluff" in these letters but you get the main idea of what they have said.
Regardless of what that letter said yesterday, I wasn't going to wake up worried today. The Lord is on my side and He is on your side too. How encouraging is it to know that we serve an almighty, all powerful God who already knows our futures? If you ask me that's pretty awesome. No worries, no fears, at all.
I've mapped out what I believe is God's current plan for my life in a previous post but I'll review it quickly again.
Spring 2013 - Apply to masters of exercise science programs. I am currently considering The University of Toledo and Ohio University.
Summer 2013 - Work as a head camp counselor the the Hilliard YMCA. The absolute best job on the face of the earth, I love it.
Fall 2013 - Provided I receive acceptance to a masters program, I will begin a masters of exercise science program.
Thanks again to all who have supported me throughout this process.
I stumbled across this verse this morning and thought it was pretty fitting, God is awesome.
Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Sunday, March 17, 2013
A Time to Reflect
Yesterday was senior day and it came and went in the blink of an eye. I just wanted to offer a few thoughts while they are still fresh.
Yesterday was awesome. End of story, no questions asked. I arrived about a half hour prior to when we had to start getting ready. I walked into the locker room and taped to my locker was a note with my name written in big black letters on the front of it. I sat down, opened it and read it. Absolutely incredible. What my teammate Zak Krug had to say in that letter is between he and myself but he really spoke to the impact we've had on each other's lives both on and off the floor. I was speechless.
After I changed, I walked out to the floor and took a seat on the bench. At that point I was just trying to grasp that it was in fact my last home game...ever. My parents arrived. I can't even begin to tell you how much they mean to me and the incredible impact that both my mother and father have had in my life. Both mom and dad are extremely humble and would do anything for me or my brothers. To have them at my final home game as a Saint made the day that much better.
The team worked through warm ups and continued to prepare for what was going to be a very winnable match. The clock struck triple zeros and it was showtime. We quickly lost games one and two. Things couldn't have been going much worse at this point but I had to put a smile on my face for the recognition of the team's seniors, myself, Juan and Austin.
My name was called first. I walked across the court with Coach Watkins, motioning for my parents to come join me. Both mom and dad were determined to catch this memorable day on video and were both filming, mom on her iPad and dad on his iPhone. Eventually they realized they needed to come down on the court with me. That moment, the three of us, was bittersweet. I gave them each a hug and teared up a little bit. My mom was a bit frustrated with how we had played so far and as she so often does said to me "Go out there and be a Branimal!"
Austin and Juan were announced next, escorted by their families. Two great men on and off of the court that I am extremely happy to call my friends.
I don't know what happened during the short ten minute intermission but something clicked for us as a team. Almost as if the break and recognition rejuvenated the team and gave us new energy.
Game three came and went, and we destroyed them. Cougars: 2 games Saints: 1. We still had a long way to go, needing to win two more games. Sure enough we took game four, in part due to great serving by big Juan. The guy is a freak and could easily be playing division 1 volleyball somewhere but I'm definitely happy he's a Saint.
Tied at two games a piece we started game five. A race to 15 points. We had them on the ropes, up fourteen to eight. I went over to Juan and told him to set me, I wanted to end my final match on Coach Smith Court with a kill. Unfortunately a nice defensive play by the St. Xavier defender eliminated that opportunity. I thought I had the game winner after I put a pretty good swing on the ball but they were able to get the dig and rally to win the point. Fourteen to nine Siena Heights...serve out of bounds, game, set, match.
I was quickly greeted with a big hug from Zak. Yesterday's victory was truly a testament to the season we've been having, filled with ups and downs. Down 2-0 we didn't quit and in the end came out on top. It was great. Thank you to everyone who was there or watched online.
I'm going to miss it.
Yesterday was awesome. End of story, no questions asked. I arrived about a half hour prior to when we had to start getting ready. I walked into the locker room and taped to my locker was a note with my name written in big black letters on the front of it. I sat down, opened it and read it. Absolutely incredible. What my teammate Zak Krug had to say in that letter is between he and myself but he really spoke to the impact we've had on each other's lives both on and off the floor. I was speechless.
After I changed, I walked out to the floor and took a seat on the bench. At that point I was just trying to grasp that it was in fact my last home game...ever. My parents arrived. I can't even begin to tell you how much they mean to me and the incredible impact that both my mother and father have had in my life. Both mom and dad are extremely humble and would do anything for me or my brothers. To have them at my final home game as a Saint made the day that much better.
The team worked through warm ups and continued to prepare for what was going to be a very winnable match. The clock struck triple zeros and it was showtime. We quickly lost games one and two. Things couldn't have been going much worse at this point but I had to put a smile on my face for the recognition of the team's seniors, myself, Juan and Austin.
My name was called first. I walked across the court with Coach Watkins, motioning for my parents to come join me. Both mom and dad were determined to catch this memorable day on video and were both filming, mom on her iPad and dad on his iPhone. Eventually they realized they needed to come down on the court with me. That moment, the three of us, was bittersweet. I gave them each a hug and teared up a little bit. My mom was a bit frustrated with how we had played so far and as she so often does said to me "Go out there and be a Branimal!"
Austin and Juan were announced next, escorted by their families. Two great men on and off of the court that I am extremely happy to call my friends.
I don't know what happened during the short ten minute intermission but something clicked for us as a team. Almost as if the break and recognition rejuvenated the team and gave us new energy.
Game three came and went, and we destroyed them. Cougars: 2 games Saints: 1. We still had a long way to go, needing to win two more games. Sure enough we took game four, in part due to great serving by big Juan. The guy is a freak and could easily be playing division 1 volleyball somewhere but I'm definitely happy he's a Saint.
Tied at two games a piece we started game five. A race to 15 points. We had them on the ropes, up fourteen to eight. I went over to Juan and told him to set me, I wanted to end my final match on Coach Smith Court with a kill. Unfortunately a nice defensive play by the St. Xavier defender eliminated that opportunity. I thought I had the game winner after I put a pretty good swing on the ball but they were able to get the dig and rally to win the point. Fourteen to nine Siena Heights...serve out of bounds, game, set, match.
I was quickly greeted with a big hug from Zak. Yesterday's victory was truly a testament to the season we've been having, filled with ups and downs. Down 2-0 we didn't quit and in the end came out on top. It was great. Thank you to everyone who was there or watched online.
I'm going to miss it.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The End of the Road
This morning I want to take a moment to digress from my usual blog entries and reflect on something else that is very important to me. Volleyball.
When I was in middle school I got cut from the baseball team. I was heart broken. Baseball was my favorite sport since I was five years old. I was looking for something else to occupy my time and something new to try. One day my neighbors were peppering in their backyard so I figured "what the heck, I'll go and try to play with them." I was awful. Years later they told me how they hated it when I came over to play because I was so bad. I knew they didn't mean anything bad by it, it was just something we all look back on now and laugh at. If it weren't for Caitlin and Margaret Masty it's safe to say that I wouldn't be sitting here this morning typing this entry.
The spring of my freshman year at Hilliard Davidson High School I tried out for the boys volleyball team. I made the freshmen squad and even saw action on JV that season. My sophomore year the opportunities really started to open up for me. We graduated twelve seniors the year before. As a sophomore I made and started for the varsity team.
My junior year we saw our most success, although the season didn't win with a state championship as we had intended we finished 20-5 overall and 10-0 in conference. That was a fun season.
My senior year had it's ups and downs. The Sunday before Thanksgiving I was at practice for the club volleyball team I played for. I dove for a ball and my shoulder popped out of place. Upon impact with the ground it went back into place. Needless to say, I was in a lot of pain. The next day I visited the top shoulder orthopedic specialist in the state of Ohio hoping for the best. The news wasn't the greatest but it wasn't the worst. I had dislocated my shoulder and had two options for recovery. Option #1, undergo surgery and jeopardize playing for Davidson in the spring or option #2 undergo intense physical therapy and see what happens. There were no guarantees. This injury occurred right in the heart of recruiting season, so it was looking as if there would be no collegiate volleyball future for me.
After a long grueling three months of physical therapy, I returned to action over Valentine's Day weekend at a tournament at Penn State University in Happy Valley. In that tournament I pulled a muscle in my back pretty bad, I couldn't catch a break. At that point we decided it was best for me to stop playing club and make sure I would be healthy in time for the high school season.
We experienced a lot of success my senior year and ended the season as regional runner-ups. I received 2nd team all state accolades and was surprised how far I had come after such a severe injury. We were playing in the Buckeye Classic and the end of the season (a large tournament at the Columbus Convention Center hosting teams from all across the nation) and I sprained my ankle in warm ups. High ankle sprain...out two weeks. Now this was important because my current head coach, Mike Watkins, had come to the tournament to watch me play, only to find out that I wouldn't.
To this day I am forever grateful for Coach Watkins. He was one of four coaches that still offered me an opportunity to continue playing volleyball beyond high school. Coming to Siena Heights was the absolute best decision I made in my life. Not only for volleyball but for the university's academics and the countless number of amazing people I have met in my time here.
With all that being said and as the title of this entry indicates, everything comes to an end at some point. This afternoon I will take the floor at home in the Siena Heights University field house one last time. It's incredible how fast the time has gone, I can't believe it. I received a tweet this morning from a teammate and close friend that read "Today, for you." But today I'm playing for all of the SHU men's volleyball players that have come before me and the ones still to come.
I'm at a loss for words. I don't think things will really set in that this is it until I head over to the field house in about an hour and a half.
I really appreciate the support the faculty, staff and student body has provided us over the past four years. It's been great. So come out today and enjoy it and soak it all in one last time. 1 pm, SHU field house, against St. Xavier (IL).
#saintsnation
When I was in middle school I got cut from the baseball team. I was heart broken. Baseball was my favorite sport since I was five years old. I was looking for something else to occupy my time and something new to try. One day my neighbors were peppering in their backyard so I figured "what the heck, I'll go and try to play with them." I was awful. Years later they told me how they hated it when I came over to play because I was so bad. I knew they didn't mean anything bad by it, it was just something we all look back on now and laugh at. If it weren't for Caitlin and Margaret Masty it's safe to say that I wouldn't be sitting here this morning typing this entry.
The spring of my freshman year at Hilliard Davidson High School I tried out for the boys volleyball team. I made the freshmen squad and even saw action on JV that season. My sophomore year the opportunities really started to open up for me. We graduated twelve seniors the year before. As a sophomore I made and started for the varsity team.
My junior year we saw our most success, although the season didn't win with a state championship as we had intended we finished 20-5 overall and 10-0 in conference. That was a fun season.
My senior year had it's ups and downs. The Sunday before Thanksgiving I was at practice for the club volleyball team I played for. I dove for a ball and my shoulder popped out of place. Upon impact with the ground it went back into place. Needless to say, I was in a lot of pain. The next day I visited the top shoulder orthopedic specialist in the state of Ohio hoping for the best. The news wasn't the greatest but it wasn't the worst. I had dislocated my shoulder and had two options for recovery. Option #1, undergo surgery and jeopardize playing for Davidson in the spring or option #2 undergo intense physical therapy and see what happens. There were no guarantees. This injury occurred right in the heart of recruiting season, so it was looking as if there would be no collegiate volleyball future for me.
After a long grueling three months of physical therapy, I returned to action over Valentine's Day weekend at a tournament at Penn State University in Happy Valley. In that tournament I pulled a muscle in my back pretty bad, I couldn't catch a break. At that point we decided it was best for me to stop playing club and make sure I would be healthy in time for the high school season.
We experienced a lot of success my senior year and ended the season as regional runner-ups. I received 2nd team all state accolades and was surprised how far I had come after such a severe injury. We were playing in the Buckeye Classic and the end of the season (a large tournament at the Columbus Convention Center hosting teams from all across the nation) and I sprained my ankle in warm ups. High ankle sprain...out two weeks. Now this was important because my current head coach, Mike Watkins, had come to the tournament to watch me play, only to find out that I wouldn't.
To this day I am forever grateful for Coach Watkins. He was one of four coaches that still offered me an opportunity to continue playing volleyball beyond high school. Coming to Siena Heights was the absolute best decision I made in my life. Not only for volleyball but for the university's academics and the countless number of amazing people I have met in my time here.
With all that being said and as the title of this entry indicates, everything comes to an end at some point. This afternoon I will take the floor at home in the Siena Heights University field house one last time. It's incredible how fast the time has gone, I can't believe it. I received a tweet this morning from a teammate and close friend that read "Today, for you." But today I'm playing for all of the SHU men's volleyball players that have come before me and the ones still to come.
I'm at a loss for words. I don't think things will really set in that this is it until I head over to the field house in about an hour and a half.
I really appreciate the support the faculty, staff and student body has provided us over the past four years. It's been great. So come out today and enjoy it and soak it all in one last time. 1 pm, SHU field house, against St. Xavier (IL).
#saintsnation
Thursday, March 7, 2013
What Now?
Over the course of the past month I've put a lot of prayer, thought and conversation into what the Lord wants me to do next in this process. As those of who you regularly follow my blog know, as of now I have not received acceptance into any DPT programs. My admission status for each of the schools to which I applied can be found in the post directly below this one. The schools are required to set their final acceptance list by April 15th, so there is still time.
After I was wait listed by the University of Toledo, I had no idea what would occur next in my life. I was so certain for so long that the Lord wanted me to attend physical therapy school, but as we can all see He is either saying "No" altogether or "No, not yet."
At that point it seemed like I was back to square one. I wasn't worried but I was a little uneasy at this point. I really began to question pursuing physical therapy and it wasn't just a little bit, I was really second guessing myself. It was bad. There is one thing that has remained constant throughout this long process and that is our Lord. The power of prayer is absolutely incredible, I began to pray for guidance.
Within about a week, I was pretty certain what the Lord wanted me to do next: work for a year, and reapply for DPT admission next year. However, it wasn't until a few weeks later that He exposed me to a different option. I'd have to say I didn't expect to have the Lord speak to me through one of my roommates but He did.
My roommate is in a similar situation to mine having not been accepted to dental school and has been considering potential options for the next year. He spoke with an admissions rep at one of the schools to which he applied and the rep suggested earning a masters degree in order to become more competitive for professional school admission in two years. It was at that point that things "clicked" for me and I felt like this was the path the Lord wanted to send me down and not the former.
So, what does this mean now? Well there is a masters program that will bridge the gap from undergrad to DPT school quite nicely. The program, "exercise science", is also called exercise physiology, health and exercise science, kinesology among other names, and is offered at a variety of schools across the country. I narrowed my searched to schools within the state of Ohio. For those of you who are unfamiliar with exercise science, in its simplest terms is the study of the movement of the body during exercise.
Following some initial research I determined that there are six schools in state that offer the masters of exercise science program. After digging a little deeper, however, I found that this was not the case. Two offered "education of exercise science" (not the same program), the admission period of another is closed and a fourth is not financially feasible. So what are we left with? Two schools.
Ohio University & The University of Toledo.
Wait listed by both for DPT but back on the board for a different field of study, exercise science.
I am currently working on applications for both programs and will hopefully have them submitted within the coming weeks. Both programs are two years in length and begin in the fall of 2013.
As for this summer I intend to return home to Hilliard for a fourth tour of duty working summer camp at the Y by my house. Although I had not originally thought I would be at home, it looks like that is where I will be this summer. A lot could still change in the next two months so we'll see. I'm certainly not going to complain about being able to play another summer of slow pitch softball and sand volleyball though.
I appreciate your continual support. I would be so grateful if you could continue to pray for me and God's plan for my life. Who knows, maybe going for my masters doesn't work out. I have absolutely no idea what my future holds. But one thing is for sure, God knows my future and He knows yours too.
After I was wait listed by the University of Toledo, I had no idea what would occur next in my life. I was so certain for so long that the Lord wanted me to attend physical therapy school, but as we can all see He is either saying "No" altogether or "No, not yet."
At that point it seemed like I was back to square one. I wasn't worried but I was a little uneasy at this point. I really began to question pursuing physical therapy and it wasn't just a little bit, I was really second guessing myself. It was bad. There is one thing that has remained constant throughout this long process and that is our Lord. The power of prayer is absolutely incredible, I began to pray for guidance.
Within about a week, I was pretty certain what the Lord wanted me to do next: work for a year, and reapply for DPT admission next year. However, it wasn't until a few weeks later that He exposed me to a different option. I'd have to say I didn't expect to have the Lord speak to me through one of my roommates but He did.
My roommate is in a similar situation to mine having not been accepted to dental school and has been considering potential options for the next year. He spoke with an admissions rep at one of the schools to which he applied and the rep suggested earning a masters degree in order to become more competitive for professional school admission in two years. It was at that point that things "clicked" for me and I felt like this was the path the Lord wanted to send me down and not the former.
So, what does this mean now? Well there is a masters program that will bridge the gap from undergrad to DPT school quite nicely. The program, "exercise science", is also called exercise physiology, health and exercise science, kinesology among other names, and is offered at a variety of schools across the country. I narrowed my searched to schools within the state of Ohio. For those of you who are unfamiliar with exercise science, in its simplest terms is the study of the movement of the body during exercise.
Following some initial research I determined that there are six schools in state that offer the masters of exercise science program. After digging a little deeper, however, I found that this was not the case. Two offered "education of exercise science" (not the same program), the admission period of another is closed and a fourth is not financially feasible. So what are we left with? Two schools.
Ohio University & The University of Toledo.
Wait listed by both for DPT but back on the board for a different field of study, exercise science.
I am currently working on applications for both programs and will hopefully have them submitted within the coming weeks. Both programs are two years in length and begin in the fall of 2013.
As for this summer I intend to return home to Hilliard for a fourth tour of duty working summer camp at the Y by my house. Although I had not originally thought I would be at home, it looks like that is where I will be this summer. A lot could still change in the next two months so we'll see. I'm certainly not going to complain about being able to play another summer of slow pitch softball and sand volleyball though.
I appreciate your continual support. I would be so grateful if you could continue to pray for me and God's plan for my life. Who knows, maybe going for my masters doesn't work out. I have absolutely no idea what my future holds. But one thing is for sure, God knows my future and He knows yours too.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
DPT Admissions -- University of Toledo
While I was sitting in my exercise physiology course yesterday I received a text message from my mom. "Letter from UT. Call me and I will open and read." So I called her at the conclusion of class to see what the University of Toledo had to say.
My mom opened the letter and read it to me.
I have been selected as an alternate for the University of Toledo Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The letter was very nice. The letter also indicated that if a spot opens open I would be notified "no later than May 10th".
I tweeted this yesterday because it's what I need to do, "Continuing to trust the Lord's plan."
Admissions Review
University of Florida - No reply
University of Pittsburgh - Wait List
Ohio University - Wait List
University of Toledo - Alternate List
Ohio State University - Denied Acceptance
More updates to come. A big time thank you to all of those who follow my blog and a special thanks to those who have be praying for me on this journey and that I continue to trust God's plan for my life.
My mom opened the letter and read it to me.
I have been selected as an alternate for the University of Toledo Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The letter was very nice. The letter also indicated that if a spot opens open I would be notified "no later than May 10th".
I tweeted this yesterday because it's what I need to do, "Continuing to trust the Lord's plan."
Admissions Review
University of Florida - No reply
University of Pittsburgh - Wait List
Ohio University - Wait List
University of Toledo - Alternate List
Ohio State University - Denied Acceptance
More updates to come. A big time thank you to all of those who follow my blog and a special thanks to those who have be praying for me on this journey and that I continue to trust God's plan for my life.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Let Go and Let God
In order to accomplish a goal successfully, one of the best things an individual or group can do to attain that goal is to develop a plan. A plan provides a step by step procedure of how various elements can be used to achieve a goal. If I do X and Y in this order then Z, the goal, will occur.
We have all developed a plan at some time in our lives, whether it's been for a big exam, a sports team or planning a night out with friends. Some plans are simpler than others and can be executed easily; others require a little bit more work and may not be achieved as easily.
When I arrived at Siena Heights in the fall of 2009 I had a plan. The plan was to earn a degree in biology and play volleyball for four years en route to graduating in May of 2013. I wanted to be a student-athlete and that was it. End of story. My freshman year that plan held pretty true to form, but my sophomore year things began to change very quickly. I suddenly began to meet a lot of new people and become involved on campus...sometimes I think I became a little bit too involved.
I joined three new organizations, and began working as an orientation team leader in the fall in conjunction with welcome week and the First Year Experience program. These were things that I did not anticipate doing when I arrived at Siena. However, looking back I'd say my involvement on campus was definitely a good change in plans. I had MY plan, but God quickly said, "No no, we're going to do things my way." My involvement on campus was imperative for the development of my faith, although at the time I had no idea.
My freshman, sophomore and junior years went by relatively quickly and my involvement continued to develop. It wasn't until this past summer between my junior and senior year that I received a relatively large wake up call. A call that I couldn't do this whole grad school thing on my own.
In May 2012 I traveled to Colorado to attend The Ultimate Training Camp hosted by Athletes in Action and Colorado State University. The camp was designed to teach college athletes how to be motivated and to play for God rather than being motivated and playing for worldly things. The camp was a week long and culminated in a 1 mile run up a mountain, Golgatha. Each camper was given a 2x4 piece of wood to be carried on the shoulders while running up Golgatha. It was in the early afternoon and the position of the sun casted my shadow on the road in front of me. The shadow resembled Christ hanging on the cross in His final hours.
Completely exhausted, I raised my head and peered at the landscape in front of me, a large glistening lake to my left and countless mountains in front of me. A true testament to God and His power. Wow. It was at that point that things "clicked" and I realized I needed to let go and let God. The mile run up Golgatha occurred after a sequence of 24 hours of exercise without much rest. I was physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually drained. At that point I turned it all over to Him, let Him take control and get me to the finish line at the top of the mountain.
Attending UTC came at the absolute perfect time. From the beginning of the grad school application process in July I knew, regardless of the situation that I needed to let go of my plan and let the Lord execute His. There is an incredible peace that comes with letting go of everything and letting God take over. I think a lot of people become worried during a process like applying for grad school; I don't have time to worry. All worrying would do for me is waste my time and energy, not to mention throw a large stress on my life. People have complemented me throughout this process for my "mature attitude" and "mature outlook", but I'll tell you right now, I've got NOTHING to do with it. The Lord has given my an incredible peace and a incredible amount of faith in Him and His plan throughout this process.
Sometimes the world feels like it's crashing down and there is no way out. I'll tell you first hand though, there is a way out. Let go of the expectations of this world and your plan and turn it over to the Lord. Complete surrender. We need to surrender everything, not just part of our lives...everything.
This idea might seem a little bit daunting at first but you have to have faith. I'm not perfect and have not reached that point of total surrender, but I am continuing to trust the Lord to some day get me to that point.
You can do it.
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Monday, February 4, 2013
DPT Admissions -- Ohio State University
Today I received a letter arrived from the Ohio State DPT program at home in Hilliard. My mom texted me a little after 12 pm saying a letter had arrived and to call her so she could open the letter and read it to me.
At the conclusion of a meeting I had at 12 pm I called my mom.
She opened the letter and read it to me.
I was declined acceptance into the Ohio State University Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Ohio State was my top choice BUT it's clearly not the Lord's choice for me. Two words.
Faith. Patience.
Faith is a beautiful thing, "Complete trust or confidence in someone or something." I'm not worried about my future because God already has it all worked out. Once you can achieve 100% faith in something, in this case God, all worrying is eliminated. Sure I really wanted to attend THE Ohio State University but I have to look at the bigger picture.
I encourage you to take time to look at the big picture in your life. Understand that everything is not going to go the way you want it to and that that's okay. I'll guarantee you this though, everything WILL go the way God intends it to, without a doubt.
At the conclusion of a meeting I had at 12 pm I called my mom.
She opened the letter and read it to me.
I was declined acceptance into the Ohio State University Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Ohio State was my top choice BUT it's clearly not the Lord's choice for me. Two words.
Faith. Patience.
Faith is a beautiful thing, "Complete trust or confidence in someone or something." I'm not worried about my future because God already has it all worked out. Once you can achieve 100% faith in something, in this case God, all worrying is eliminated. Sure I really wanted to attend THE Ohio State University but I have to look at the bigger picture.
I encourage you to take time to look at the big picture in your life. Understand that everything is not going to go the way you want it to and that that's okay. I'll guarantee you this though, everything WILL go the way God intends it to, without a doubt.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
February 5th
February 5th marks the final day that individuals who were offered spots in the PT program at Ohio University can accept those positions. More importantly for me, it is also the day which the program will start contacting individuals on the wait list. However, I want to reflect on something, rather someone else.
February 5th, the four year anniversary of the passing of my incredible grandmother, Nilsa Estella Acunis. What a great woman, for those of you who knew her, you know exactly what I'm talking about. This woman would give anything for her family, ANYTHING. She was the epitome of humility and loved the Lord more than anyone I know. She had the greatest advice.
This woman battled cancer twice. She fought this horrible disease for her grandchildren, nine in all. Greg, Justin, Chelsea, Iain, Clayton, Emily, Brandon, Brian and Bradley. She fought to see the oldest grandchild get married and on her death bed see the ultrasound of her first great grandchild.
I still can not believe you have been gone for four years. You were my board game partner in crime, my go to girl when I needed help.
When I spoke for her eulogy I recalled this story of my grandmother:
One morning my grandma wanted an Eggo waffle for breakfast. For some reason she always referred to Eggos as "Legos". So when she said, "Brandon I would like a Lego waffle for breakfast" I had an idea. I ran downstairs to the basement and shuffled through the toy closet to find our huge box of Legos. I grabbed one yellow Lego brick, took it upstairs and put it on a plate.
With a smile on my face I marched upstairs to her bedroom. I handed the plate to her; she looked at me a bit puzzled. I explained, "Grandma, you asked for a Lego for breakfast so that's what I brought you." She smiled, slapped me on the arm and chuckled.
Miss you Tutz.
12/15/24 - 02/05/09
February 5th, the four year anniversary of the passing of my incredible grandmother, Nilsa Estella Acunis. What a great woman, for those of you who knew her, you know exactly what I'm talking about. This woman would give anything for her family, ANYTHING. She was the epitome of humility and loved the Lord more than anyone I know. She had the greatest advice.
This woman battled cancer twice. She fought this horrible disease for her grandchildren, nine in all. Greg, Justin, Chelsea, Iain, Clayton, Emily, Brandon, Brian and Bradley. She fought to see the oldest grandchild get married and on her death bed see the ultrasound of her first great grandchild.
I still can not believe you have been gone for four years. You were my board game partner in crime, my go to girl when I needed help.
When I spoke for her eulogy I recalled this story of my grandmother:
One morning my grandma wanted an Eggo waffle for breakfast. For some reason she always referred to Eggos as "Legos". So when she said, "Brandon I would like a Lego waffle for breakfast" I had an idea. I ran downstairs to the basement and shuffled through the toy closet to find our huge box of Legos. I grabbed one yellow Lego brick, took it upstairs and put it on a plate.
With a smile on my face I marched upstairs to her bedroom. I handed the plate to her; she looked at me a bit puzzled. I explained, "Grandma, you asked for a Lego for breakfast so that's what I brought you." She smiled, slapped me on the arm and chuckled.
Miss you Tutz.
12/15/24 - 02/05/09
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Most Recent News
Not much to say in this post because not too much has changed since last week. I'll keep this brief.
1. No word from Ohio State or Florida at this point. I did learn within the past week however, that neither school holds interviews.
2. Toledo notifies of acceptance/denial/wait list into their program next month.
3. Ohio University's two week response period for individuals offered spots in the program lasts until February 5th. If at that point the 44 spots are not filled they will go to the wait list. I mailed them my official acceptance of my position on the wait list yesterday.
As new news develops, as always I will speak with my family and close friends first and then will keep all of you up to date on here.
Thanks for following me and my journey to physical therapy school.
1. No word from Ohio State or Florida at this point. I did learn within the past week however, that neither school holds interviews.
2. Toledo notifies of acceptance/denial/wait list into their program next month.
3. Ohio University's two week response period for individuals offered spots in the program lasts until February 5th. If at that point the 44 spots are not filled they will go to the wait list. I mailed them my official acceptance of my position on the wait list yesterday.
As new news develops, as always I will speak with my family and close friends first and then will keep all of you up to date on here.
Thanks for following me and my journey to physical therapy school.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Waiting List
The waiting list. The first time I read these words was back in December. I received an email from the University of Pittsburgh that indicated that I had been placed on the waiting list for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
At first glance, one may say that the waiting list is just as bad as getting completely rejected from the program. However, that's not the case. If someone who is offered a position declines his or her invitation to the program then individuals on the waiting list are contacted. Whereas those who have been declined will not receive any such contact.
That's all well and good, but what I've have learned from the waiting list looks a little bit deeper at the term.
Wait: stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else. As United States citizens today the word "wait" scares most people because everyone wants everything right now, right away. We are so impatient. The ability to wait for something not only indicates an individual's patience but can also be an indication of one's faith. Faith that something will occur or in my case faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
I've learned over my twenty two years of life that He does not always give you what you want, when you want it. Sometimes what you want for your life ISN'T what He wants for your life. God has blessed me with the ability to be patient with just about everything. My patience has continued to develop throughout the grad school process.
I have been discouraged at times but my faith has not wavered. I know that the Lord will make His plan clear in His time. I know that I really want to go to The Ohio State University to study physical therapy, but that may not be what the Lord wants for me and my life.
When you are impatient, pray and the Lord will provide. Cast all your anxieties on the Lord and you will find relief like no other.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
At first glance, one may say that the waiting list is just as bad as getting completely rejected from the program. However, that's not the case. If someone who is offered a position declines his or her invitation to the program then individuals on the waiting list are contacted. Whereas those who have been declined will not receive any such contact.
That's all well and good, but what I've have learned from the waiting list looks a little bit deeper at the term.
Wait: stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else. As United States citizens today the word "wait" scares most people because everyone wants everything right now, right away. We are so impatient. The ability to wait for something not only indicates an individual's patience but can also be an indication of one's faith. Faith that something will occur or in my case faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
I've learned over my twenty two years of life that He does not always give you what you want, when you want it. Sometimes what you want for your life ISN'T what He wants for your life. God has blessed me with the ability to be patient with just about everything. My patience has continued to develop throughout the grad school process.
I have been discouraged at times but my faith has not wavered. I know that the Lord will make His plan clear in His time. I know that I really want to go to The Ohio State University to study physical therapy, but that may not be what the Lord wants for me and my life.
When you are impatient, pray and the Lord will provide. Cast all your anxieties on the Lord and you will find relief like no other.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
Be patient.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
DPT Admissions -- Ohio University
Just following up on the interview I had last week at Ohio University. The university indicated they would send acceptance/denial/wait list emails out today (Tuesday) to all individuals who received interviews. 80 interviewees for 44 spots.
I received an email this morning indicating I have been place on the alternate list. I'm kind of bummed because I felt that the interview went very well. For those of you unfamiliar with what the alternate list means I'll explain it for you. Basically the program has selected 44 individuals for the 44 spots in the program. I do not know where on the alternate list I am or if there is any specific order. If a spot on the list does open however, I will be contacted by the program and offered a spot.
There is a two week time frame for individuals who were offered a spot to accept or decline the position.
It's all in God's hands. It will all work out.
Still no word from Ohio State or Florida.
More updates to come.
I received an email this morning indicating I have been place on the alternate list. I'm kind of bummed because I felt that the interview went very well. For those of you unfamiliar with what the alternate list means I'll explain it for you. Basically the program has selected 44 individuals for the 44 spots in the program. I do not know where on the alternate list I am or if there is any specific order. If a spot on the list does open however, I will be contacted by the program and offered a spot.
There is a two week time frame for individuals who were offered a spot to accept or decline the position.
It's all in God's hands. It will all work out.
Still no word from Ohio State or Florida.
More updates to come.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Interview -- Ohio University
The interview this morning was scheduled to begin at 9:00
AM. I arrived around 8:30 or so,
fifteen minutes prior to when registration began.
I entered Grover Hall (the health sciences building) and I
had no idea where to go. After a
quick glance over the building map I proceeded up to the second floor, which
housed the physical therapy department. I was greeted by two current physical therapy students at the
top of the steps and was given a folder and nametag
The folder contained the schedule for the day:
9:00 – 10:00 AM – Meet the faculty and learn about OU
Doctorate in Physical Therapy
10:00 – 10:15 AM – Break
10:15 – 11:15 AM – Interview and tour the PT Department
11:20 – 12:00 PM – Meeting with current OUDPT students
12:00 – 12:15 PM – Financial aid/Scholarships
12:15 – 12:45 PM – Optional tours of the Ohio University
campus
The folder also contained information regarding the program,
finances, housing etc.
The faculty all seemed very nice and all were very
enthusiastic about research. We
had the opportunity to tour each of their labs and saw some pretty cool
stuff.
As for the actual interview I felt it went very well. It was a one on one, ten-minute
interview with a faculty member. I
was the first person to be interviewed and was interviewed by the chair of the
admissions committee for the DPT program in his office.
The interview itself was VERY informal. He asked initially about where Siena
Heights was located and volleyball.
Next he asked me simply, “Why OU?”
I discussed the similarities of the mission statement and
learning outcomes of Siena Heights and the DPT program description at OU. We chatted a little bit about undergrad
and the GRE but before I knew it the ten minutes had passed. He handed me his business card, I
thanked him, shook his hand and walked out.
With the actual interview behind me, next on the agenda was
the tour of the PT Department. The
tour was led by a first year DPT student and to my surprise graduated a year
ahead of me from Davidson, my high school. To make it an even smaller world she was actually a
statistician for the volleyball team during my time as a player at
Davidson. We toured all of the
faculty members’ labs and got a sneak peak of their current research.
Next we met with the current students. They discussed the program, housing,
clinicals and finances from a student’s perspective, nothing too exciting.
Probably the coolest part of this experience was learning
about Graduate Assistantship (GA) and GRS positions, but I can’t remember what
the letters GRS stand for. The
primary difference between the two is GA positions are 15 hours a week and GRS
positions are 6-8 hours a week.
GRS positions are also for first year students only whereas the GA
positions are open to first, second and third year students. To hold a GA position a student must
maintain a 3.3 GPA, which is slightly higher than the regular 3.0 for graduate
school in general. GA positions
cover FULL TUITION and provide a stipend!
Another cool aspect of this process was learning about
clinicals. During the first year
students participate in a part time clinical within an hour of Athens. The cool clinicals come during the
second and third years and can be anywhere in the country. Students provide a list of where they
would like to complete clinical work and the faculty does their best to
accommodate a student’s preference.
I believe that’s all.
Oh yeah, the program doesn’t waste any time deciding who is accepted
into the program. Emails are going
to be sent out this Tuesday (1/22) indicating acceptance, wait list or
denial. Similar to my interview at
the University of Toledo I was one of twenty students interviewed during my
session. There is another session
this afternoon and two tomorrow.
So again I am 1 out of 80, but this time competing for 44 spots instead
of 28.
More updates to come.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
My Future
My future was something that I really struggled with in the past. Sure the plan is to attend physical therapy school BUT where will I end up? I had a conversation with a close friend today and she said, "Isn't it weird to think that right now we have no idea where will be after we graduate?" She named a few friends, all of which had the same thing in common...aspirations to attend grad school.
Every day there is someone else, today it was at church, "So where are you going to PT school Brandon?" Well you see, I have no idea. A while back this uncertainty really left me uneasy, and it has a lot of my friends uneasy as well but comfort can be taken in all of this knowing that God has a plan. He knows where I will be attending school and living in 5 months even though I don't.
It is so relieving to know that I don't have to worry about a thing. I'm trusting God and it's all going to work out. Who knows I may not even end in PT and He could send my life in a different direction. I encourage you whether you are worrying about YOUR own future or just having a rough day to cast all your anxieties on the Lord and He will take care of them.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Every day there is someone else, today it was at church, "So where are you going to PT school Brandon?" Well you see, I have no idea. A while back this uncertainty really left me uneasy, and it has a lot of my friends uneasy as well but comfort can be taken in all of this knowing that God has a plan. He knows where I will be attending school and living in 5 months even though I don't.
It is so relieving to know that I don't have to worry about a thing. I'm trusting God and it's all going to work out. Who knows I may not even end in PT and He could send my life in a different direction. I encourage you whether you are worrying about YOUR own future or just having a rough day to cast all your anxieties on the Lord and He will take care of them.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
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