College of Health Professions and Sciences

Four CHPS Students are Members of the 2020-21 President’s Leadership Council

Wed Nov 25

Four students from the College of Health Profession and Sciences join 31 other University of Central Florida students as members of the President’s Leadership Council. The 2020-21 representatives from the College of Health Professions and Sciences include health sciences majors Austin Eason, Kristopher Terry and Tatum Cox, and kinesiology major Dylan Street. The President’s Leadership Council recognizes students across the…

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Research Spotlight: Kim Gryglewicz Combats Suicide

Wed Nov 25

Suicide is a growing health problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, death by suicide rose by nearly 30 percent from 1999 to 2016, and suicide risk factors continue to intensify with the health, social, and economic challenges inherent within the ongoing pandemic. Kim Gryglewicz, associate professor in the School…

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CSD Alumna Helps Stoneman Douglas Students Heal and Thrive

Tue Nov 24

Rachel Archambault ’13 ’16 is a speech-language pathologist at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. And while her goal was always to help improve the speech and communication abilities of students there, she never envisioned that she would also play a role in helping them heal from the shared trauma they experienced as survivors…

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Health Sciences Student to Receive University Researcher Award

Mon Nov 23

Congratulations to health sciences, pre-clinical track senior Alyssa Church, who was selected to receive the Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award (DURA) for the month of February 2021 at the University of Central Florida. The Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award recognizes outstanding academic research by undergraduate students. Michael Rovito, an associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences, severed as Church’s…

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Health Sciences Graduate Continues Family Legacy in Healthcare

Mon Nov 23

Growing up, Breon Clark always knew he wanted to go into the healthcare field. His mother and some of his aunts are nurses. Clark also played sports in high school and was fascinated by athletics, science, medicine and healthcare. “I knew coming into college that I wanted to be in the health field, and I…

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UCF School of Social Work Awards Students a $10,000 Fellowship

Mon Nov 16

The UCF School of Social Work MSW Traditional Track has awarded six new first-year graduate level students with a $10,000 fellowship to assist them with tuition, fees, and other expenses for academic year 2020-2021. “We created this opportunity for students because funding can be limited at this higher level of education. We wanted applicants to be able…

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New Field Education Director Continues UCF School of Social Work’s Focus on Collaborative Community Learning

Mon Nov 16

Field education is the signature pedagogy and an important component of social work practice. It prepares UCF Social Work students to serve as clinical and generalist professionals in the real world with a valuable internship. After 12 years of service as the field education director, Jacquie Withers has transitioned her role into an associate instructor for our school. Our…

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UCF Go Baby Go! Builds New Partnership with St. Joseph Children’s Hospital

Fri Nov 13

UCF Go Baby Go! builds more than innovative motorized cars that increase mobility in children, it also builds community by bringing children of all mobility levels together. Through a new partnership with St. Joseph Children’s Hospital in Tampa, Go Baby Go! is bringing low-cost mobility resources to children who are receiving care there. “UCF Go…

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Phillip Croak: Athletic Training Preceptor of the Month for October 2020

Mon Nov 9

We are pleased to announce that Phillip Croak, assistant athletic trainer for the UCF Knights football program, has been chosen as the October 2020 Preceptor of the Month. Students praise Croak’s commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the athletic training profession. His patience and dedication to teaching students and ensuring they completely understand the reasoning behind…

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CSD Grad Students and DPT Students Team Up to Expand Learning in Anatomy Lab

Mon Nov 9

Graduate students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program teamed up with doctoral students in the Physical Therapy program to learn together in a joint, hands-on lesson about oropharyngeal, laryngeal, and central nervous system anatomy. Students utilized cadavers in the DPT Gross Anatomy Lab to examine normal anatomical relationships and variants. First year DPT students learn the physical relationships of…

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Graduate Kinesiology Student Gets Strength from Law Scholarship

Thu Nov 5

Maxine Furtado is the first recipient of the Jeffrey D. Law Memorial Scholarship for students in the kinesiology M.S. program. Recently, she was able to meet the donors of the scholarship to let them know just how much their gift meant to her. The scholarship was established last year by Ed and Julie Law, Jeff’s parents, and Matt…

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Pandemic Presents Unique Research Opportunity for Studying Unhealthy Behavior in Kids

Thu Nov 5

In early March, Keith Brazendale began gathering initial data for his research project on the factors and behaviors that contribute to weight gain among children living in rural areas. After completing the first part of the project, which was conducted in the town of Paisley, located in Lake County, Florida, Brazendale planned to return two weeks after the children’s spring break to collect follow-up data. A week later, COVID-19 changed…

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Sign of the Times: Deaf Instructor Teaches Sign Language Online

Sun Nov 1

About half a million people in the United States know American Sign Language, but Bill Cooper, UCF’s only ASL instructor, is changing that – 250 students at a time.  Cooper, who was born deaf, teaches nine sections of ASL 1 – 4, seven for the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at UCF and two at Valencia Community College. He has continued this pace for approximately the past five years, and his ultimate dream is…

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New Research Focused on Healthy Eating Habits in Those with Autism Receives Grant from Sprouts Farmers Market

Wed Oct 28

Jeanette Garcia, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences, researches interventions that help children with autism live healthier lives. Her newest research investigates how to increase healthy habits like physical activity and healthy eating in this population.   “Young people with autism spectrum disorder are at higher risk for obesity, due to poor nutrition habits and lack of physical activity,” Garcia said. “This research will build on past research that shows how…

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UCF Professor Kim Gryglewicz is Committed to Making a Difference

Mon Oct 26

A UCF professor said she was motivated to find her calling after a dark period in her family. Kim Gryglewicz lost her first cousin, who she grew up with, to suicide just as she tried to build back a connection with him five years ago. She said the loss was very difficult and caused her…

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Online Jiu Jitsu Teaches Important Lesson for Students Grappling with the Pandemic

Fri Oct 23

When Antonio “Ricardo” Liborio, a world-champion Brazilian jiu-jitsu sixth-degree black belt, introduced the sport to the University of Central Florida in 2018, his goal was to do more than teach a physical sport to students. He wanted to help college students find an activity that would benefit their overall well-being for the rest of their…

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New Course Teaches Physical Therapy Students the Science of Pain

Tue Oct 20

To better address the growing opioid epidemic and evidence of the important role that physical therapists play in caring for patients with pain, UCF’s physical therapy program developed a new course solely focused on pain. According to Carey Rothschild, an assistant professor in the physical therapy doctorate program, it’s the only PT program in Florida to have such…

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UCF Study Will Look at Transitional Housing Effectiveness for Survivors of Domestic Violence

Mon Oct 19

Housing programs can serve as a lifeline for domestic violence survivors and their children – providing them with vital resources to leave abusive relationships and find safety. Various housing models are being implemented across the country; however, little is known about their long-term effectiveness. A team of researchers from the University of Central Florida, University…

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Health Sciences Students Earn Scholarship from UCF Honors Program for Outstanding Thesis

Fri Oct 16

Three health sciences students, Elise Arnold, Safia Centner and Serina Rayan, recently earned distinction from the Honors Undergraduate Thesis Program for their research projects. Arnold’s project, “The Relationship Between Parent and Child Health Behaviors in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” Centner’s project, “Perceptions and Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes Among College Students,” and Rayan’s project, “Exploring Sedentary Time of…

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Communicating Momentum: Communication Disorders Clinic Serves Patients During Pandemic

Fri Oct 16

The Communication Disorders Clinic recently re-opened after being on pause since March. The clinic not only serves community members who need speech, language and hearing services, but also provides a valuable learning experience for our graduate clinicians. Above, graduate clinicians and faculty gather for a safe, socially distanced photo. From left, Kelly David, adjunct instructor;…

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