 | Army dependent Katherine Buzzard applied her $3,000 Jackson Casey Fund/ThanksUSA scholarship towards her junior year of Exercise and Sport Science studies at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. After completing her undergraduate studies, Katherine plans to continue her education and become a Physical Therapist. Being raised in the military community has presented Katherine unique opportunities throughout her life. The most significant to her education was meeting an above-the-knee amputee. |
| "I will forever be indebted to my boyfriend’s father for opening my eyes to the world of Physical Therapy. He is an above-the-knee right-leg amputee from gunshot wounds sustained during combat in Iraq in 2007. His perseverance each and every day to continue to serve his country, despite his limitations, has greatly influenced my goals in life. I have seen firsthand how advanced surgical procedures, a strong will, and daily physical therapy benefit and assist him in returning to daily living routines.” This summer, Katherine completed a four week observational and instructional program in Rehabilitation Health Careers at the New York University Langone Medical Center as a DeWitt Wallace Reader's Digest Fellow. She is an academic scholar, volunteers in the Inpatient Rehab Physical Therapy department at UNC-CH Hospital and serves as Secretary of UNC-CH Pre-Physical Therapy Club. Katherine also serves as a mentor with the non-profit organization Gold Star Teen Adventures. “I am honored to be a recipient of the Jackson Casey Fund/ThanksUSA Scholarship. As a Physical Therapist, I hope to work with soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty to achieve a better quality of life. I would like to thank you again for the support you have provided me. I am committed to working hard and will put forth my best effort to achieve these academic goals.” |
