The Va-LEND program is an advanced level interdisciplinary leadership training program for health professionals and related disciplines in the field of childhood neurodevelopmental disabilities. The program is funded through a grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to train future leaders to work with children with special needs and their families. Students who have a special interest in working with pediatric populations while completing their DPT degree are invited to apply to this program at the end of their first year in the DPT program. Students who are accepted and participate in the Va-LEND training are awarded a stipend/tuition assistance to defray some tuition costs in the second year of the DPT program. The stipend amount varies from year to year (approximately $5,000 for the last three years). Learn more on the Va-LEND website.

In 2010, Janet and Lee Showalter endowed the Lewis and Violet Childers Scholarship in loving memory of her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Childers worked hard to earn the money that gave Janet the opportunity to study physical therapy at MCV (Class of 1958) and enter a profession. This annually renewable scholarship is awarded to a physical therapy student with strong academic credentials, a financial need, and the intent to practice in a rural setting.

Criteria:

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in all courses taken before entry to the Physical Therapy program and current good academic standing in the Physical Therapy program (not on probation).
• Satisfactory GRE scores and recommendations (admissions packet)
• Financial need based on FAFSA determination
• Preference is given to a Virginia student
• Intent to practice in rural Virginia as described in an essay to be judged by the scholarship selection committee

Student must write an essay as part of the application and Faculty will select recipient.

Dr. and Mrs. Gouldin have established this scholarship in memory of their daughter Cindy who died of complications of a brain tumor on May 22, 2003. Cindy Gouldin was a graduate of the VCU Physical Therapy program in 1987. She was a gentle, kind, sensitive young lady who believed in helping others and was a strong believer in volunteering. She volunteered throughout her life. Following her surgery and irradiation for her brain tumor at 32, she became a volunteer for the American Cancer Society driving patients to their doctor and lab appointments. The scholarship is available for one student in the second year entry-level DPT program and one student in the third year entry-level DPT program at VCU.

Award: $1,000

Criteria:

• Service (described below)
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Financial need based on FAFSA determination

Student-judged criterion:
Evidence of service related activities within healthcare, in the community or world-at-large. Class presidents will solicit nominations in the first month of the fall semester. Nominees will be self-selected and will provide a list and details of service-related activities. This criterion will be judged by the students. Students will vote on candidates within their class based on depth and breadth of service. If the class president self-nominates, the vice-president will run the selection meeting. Students will vote by confidential ballot to select the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place nominees.

Faculty will determine that the nominees meet GPA and financial need criteria while students judge and rank service activity. The student judged by their class as making the greatest contribution in service-related activities will be given the award, assuming that student meets the other criteria. Preference will be given to non-awardees from the previous year.

Adolph D. Williams was the youngest son of Thomas C. Williams Sr., tobacco manufacturer and founder of the School of Law at the University of Richmond. Early in his life, he was associated with his father’s firm, T.C. Williams & Company, as a buyer. When the firm was dissolved in the early 1900s, he retired from active business life and dedicated his life to philanthropies. His bequest to the Medical College of Virginia supports awards and scholarships.

Award: $500

Criteria:

• Student in the second year DPT program at VCU
• High scholastic attainment
• High professional performance
• Unusual promise and ability to contribute to the profession

Selection: Faculty selects recipient

Dr. M. Scott Sullivan, PT, Ph.D., associate professor and faculty member in the Department of Physical Therapy since 1990, passed away suddenly in December 1998. He taught, mentored and encouraged countless numbers of students in that time, many of whom are now practicing in Virginia. He was very active in the Virginia Physical Therapy Association, having served as chapter treasurer and delegate. Many therapists around the state had the opportunity to work with Scott either on a committee, in the classroom or lab or in clinical practice. Dr. Sullivan’s contributions to our profession included research, teaching, serving as a role model for students, clinical practice and conveying a vision for the future of our profession. He could always be counted upon to pose the tough questions, challenge the status quo and make us look to the future as a challenge. After the work was done he would always encourage those he taught and worked with to laugh, talk about current issues and spend time enjoying life. He left behind colleagues, former students, friends and family that miss him.

Award: $1,000

Criteria:

• Students in the second year DPT program at VCU
• Need: based upon FAFSA (Federal application for financial student aid)
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 (at end of the summer of first year)

Selection: Faculty selects recipient

Dr. and Mrs. Gouldin have established this scholarship in memory of their daughter Cindy who died of complications of a brain tumor on May 22, 2003. Cindy Gouldin was a graduate of the VCU Physical Therapy program in 1987. She was a gentle, kind, sensitive young lady who believed in helping others and was a strong believer in volunteering. She volunteered throughout her life. Following her surgery and irradiation for her brain tumor at 32, she became a volunteer for the American Cancer Society driving patients to their doctor and lab appointments. The scholarship is available for one student in the second year entry-level DPT program and one student in the third year entry-level DPT program at VCU.

Award: $1,000

Criteria:

• Service (described below)
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Financial need based on FAFSA determination

Student-judged criterion:
Evidence of service related activities within healthcare, in the community or world-at-large. Class presidents will solicit nominations in the first month of the fall semester. Nominees will be self-selected and will provide a list and details of service-related activities. This criterion will be judged by the students. Students will vote on candidates within their class based on depth and breadth of service. If the class president self-nominates, the vice-president will run the selection meeting. Students will vote by confidential ballot to select the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place nominees.

Faculty will determine that the nominees meet GPA and financial need criteria while students judge and rank service activity. The student judged by their class as making the greatest contribution in service-related activities will be given the award, assuming that student meets the other criteria. Preference will be given to non-awardees from the previous year.

Adolph D. Williams was the youngest son of Thomas C. Williams Sr., tobacco manufacturer and founder of the School of Law at the University of Richmond. Early in his life, he was associated with his father’s firm, T.C. Williams & Company, as a buyer. When the firm was dissolved in the early 1900s, he retired from active business life and dedicated his life to philanthropies. His bequest to the Medical College of Virginia supports awards and scholarships.

Award: $500

Criteria:

• Student in the third year DPT program at VCU
• High scholastic attainment
• High professional performance
• Unusual promise and ability to contribute to the profession

Selection: Faculty selects recipient

Dr. Jules Rothstein served on the faculty in the Department of Physical Therapy at VCU from 1984 to 1991. During that time, he was known as a superb teacher, a mentor for graduate students and a strong advocate for students. He was an especially strong advocate for students who had to overcome difficult obstacles during their education. Dr. Rothstein was editor of the journal Physical Therapy from 1989 until his untimely death in 2005. His past students still comment about Dr. Rothstein’s abilities as a teacher and his passion for providing a stimulating learning environment for all students. Dr. Alan Jette, interim editor for Physical Therapy in 2005, summarized Dr. Rothstein’s contributions to the profession in an editor’s note: “Jules was instrumental in providing leadership at a critical time in our profession’s history and helped transform the role of scientific evidence in our field over the past 15 years.”

Award: $1,000

Criteria:

• Students in the third year DPT program at VCU
• Need: based upon FAFSA (Federal application for financial student aid)
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 (at end of the summer of second year)

Selection: Faculty selects recipient

This award was instituted in 1991 to honor Marianne “Mac” McDonald, a faculty member in the Department of Physical Therapy from 1964 to 1992. During her 28 year tenure, Mac shared not only her special gift of teaching, but also her caring, understanding and compassion that guided many students through the physical therapy curriculum and into the profession. The award is presented to a member of the graduating class of the Professional Physical Therapy Program who demonstrates an unselfish commitment to assisting other students - both academically and personally, who has a caring and supportive influence on other members of the class and who has the personal factors necessary to succeed in physical therapy.

Award: $500

Criteria:

• Student in the third year DPT program at VCU
• Unselfish commitment to assisting other students academically and personally
• Caring and supportive influence on other members of the class
• Has personal factors necessary to succeed in PT

Selection: Classmates select a recipient of the award

Terry Wise was a 1963 graduate of the MCV physical therapy program who was a respected and well-loved private practitioner in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. He died in 1982 and his peers and friends established a memorial fund in his honor. An annual award is given to a graduating physical therapy student who demonstrates outstanding clinical competence, as shown by his or her performance beyond normal expectations in a variety of areas.

Award: $500

Criteria:

• Student in the third year DPT program at VCU
• Outstanding clinical competence

Selection: Faculty selects recipient from list of nominations provided by clinical instructors

The Physical Therapy class of 2002 of VCU established this award to honor the memory of the mother of one of their fellow classmates. Mrs. Salamone died during the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. This is an annual award given to a graduating physical therapy student who exemplifies values similar to those of the award namesake: love for profession, caring, compassion, concern for fellow man and willingness to give of one’s time and talent to the overall benefit of the individual and society. It is a character-based award.

Award: Fee for the state licensure exam for physical therapy for the recipient

Criteria:

• Student in the third year DPT program at VCU
• Cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 3.0
• Character: Love for profession, caring, compassion, concern for fellow man and willingness to give of one’s time and talent to overall benefit of the individual and society

Selection: Classmates select recipient

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) grants the Mary McMillan Scholarship Award. The award is intended to honor outstanding physical therapy students. The scholarship program contributes to the growth of physical therapy as a profession by recognizing individuals with superior capabilities. Awards are given to physical therapist assistant students, professional physical therapy students, post-professional master degree students and doctoral students. An award of $3,000 is given to each professional physical therapy student recipient selected. The criteria for selection are superior scholastic performance, past productivity and evidence of potential contribution to physical therapy. The nominee must be an APTA member and must have completed one full year of study in the professional program. Only one nominee from each educational program is permitted. The faculty and the student body of the program in which the nominee is enrolled select the nominee.

Virginia Physical Therapy Association (VPTA) Student Stipend Awards encourage physical therapy and physical therapist assistant students to become active participants in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at district, state and national levels and recognize participation and involvement of students in VPTA and APTA activities. Stipends are available for attendance at the VPTA annual meeting, the APTA National Student Conclave and the APTA Annual Conference. Information and applications for these stipends is available through the VPTA Student Relations Committee.