Tuesday, May 3, 2011

ATEP Outreach Presentation

I recently had the opportunity to present the SWATA ATEP outreach lecture to the athletic training students at ETBU. I made the short trip to Marshall (only 90 min) on a Friday morning to meet my audience.

David Collins, the program director, met me outside of the athletic center with a big smile and welcoming handshake. After spending a little less then an hour getting to know Mr. Collins, learning how to use the projector and discussing all things ETBU athletic training it was time to present.

The audience consisted of about 20 total students with roughly two-thirds being upperclassmen which forced me to think, “Great, these are exactly the type of students who benefit from the information given in the lecture.”

Almost immediately a few quick questions revealed that many of the upperclassmen were not sure what the next step in their careers would be, so it was looking as though the presentation would prove to be very helpful.

We discussed all of their options (first job, GA positions, or continuing their education) and how to decide what was best for them as individuals. The students asked questions and appeared to be absorbing some useful information. Next, we discussed all the ins and outs of SWATA and NATA young professional committees. The students were intrigued by the existence of the committees and of the services that are provided to them by the committees.

Finally, we wrapped up the presentation by sharing contact information and discussing how to follow up on topics that interested them. I made the trip to ETBU to teach future young professionals how to transition, but actually learned a lot myself about their program and the interests of the next generation of professionals.

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