Page 1
REHABILITATION SCIENCES
in H
um
an
Mo
vem
ent
& W
ellness a
cro
ss Yo
ur Life
spa
n
Vol. 1 No. 1 Fall 2015
Exercise is Medicine® focuses on campus health
visits and patients meet the ACSM minimum requirement of 150 minutes of
moderate intensity of physical activity per week.
In 2011, ACSM launched EIM ® On Campus as a means to improve the
health of university students. EIM@FGCU is led by Renee Jeffreys, PhD, EIM
-OC program coordinator and assistant professor of Exercise Science (ES).
It consists of a comprehensive referral program, ES student service learning
projects, and a campus-wide marketing campaign.
To launch EIM@FGCU, Dr. Jeffreys applied for and received a $4,000
intra-professional pilot grant through the College of Health Professions and
Social Work to partner with the campus community to improve the overall
health of students by promoting an increase in physical activity.
T he number one public health
threat that Floridians face is being
overweight. According to Florida
Department of Health Bureau of
Epidemiology in 2013, 25 percent of
Lee County adults are obese and 40
percent are overweight, bit.ly/1mb0i6t.
If this trend continues, by 2030 almost
60 percent of Floridians will be obese.
The costs of care for chronic diseases
from obesity alone – diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure and
arthritis are estimated to cost Florida
$34 billion over the next 20 years. Life-
style changes, including physical
activity, are keys to obesity prevention,
and require efforts from the communi-
ty as a whole to make a meaningful
d i f fe renc e i n o bes i t y ra te s ,
healthylee.com/.
The American College of Sports
Medicine’s (ACSM) Exercise is
Medicine (exerciseismedicine.org)®
(EIM) initiative is designed to create a
referral network among health care
providers and health and fitness
professionals with the ultimate goal of
ensuring that physical activity is
recorded as a vital sign during patient
Matthew Cunningham, EIM-OC ES student intern (left), assists Nick Mata,
ES student with an exercise routine.
Photo by Kailtin Dowis
Pr
om
ote Ex
pertise
EIM, cont’d page 3
Department of
Newsletter
Page 2
Me
ssa
ge
fro
m t
he
Ch
air
Eric Shamus, DPT, PhD, CSCS
Chair
2 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
T his is the first of our bi-annual newsletter. We hope this newsletter will help our faculty, staff
and current students keep in touch with former students, faculty, and staff, and also inform
members of the university community and beyond about our department and events of the
past semester and plans for the future. In this edition you will find reports on some of the
faculty’s recent activities and news about our present and former graduate and undergradu-
ate students. Physical Therapy, Athletic Training, Exercise Science and Occupational Therapy
students are now integrated into the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. One of the most
satisfying aspects of being in Health Professions at FGCU is seeing how many successful
students have been through the programs.
We have had a busy year with state and national awards and conferences, Exercise is
Medicine program, community outreach including the Go Exercise clinics, working with the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Fitness Instructors, continuing education courses,
faculty and student scholarly highlights, CHPSW Alumni Networking Night, and many campus
events and student activities.
Each of us is interested in continuous quality educational improvement and providing an
excellent educational experience for our students. We are excited about the future in each of
our programs and the important role our department will continue to play in each of these
rapidly advancing professions. I invite you to explore our website for a closer look at our
programs, research efforts, faculty, and activities, fgcu.edu/chpsw/rs/.
Finally, I want to wish you all the best for the academic year.
17
4
5
7
9
10
FPTA, FOTA Conference
Highlights,
Community Outreach
Athletic Training: A decade of
growth
2nd Annual Amputee Clinic
Undergraduate Research
Poster Presentations 11
12
13
PT & OT Career Fair,
Campus Fairs
2016 Study Abroad, Eagles
Sports Medicine Golf Scramble
OT Activities
CHPSW Networking Night,
Alumni News
14
Scholarly Activity 2015
15
AHA 2015 Lee County
Heart Walk
2016 Coming Events 19
Page 3
In the first phase, baseline data on student physical activity levels were
collected at tables housed in Student Health Services. The results
showed that approximately 33 percent of FGCU students did not meet
the minimum recommendation of 150 minutes of physical activity per
week. The research inspired the EIM-OC campaign organizers to use
social media to promote fitness facts and monthly activities including
the September kickoff of the Feet on Campus Walking Program. Foot-
prints were placed on the
ground across campus as
guides to measure distance
and the number of steps to
campus buildings. This pro-
gram brought attention to
walking as a physical activi-
ty that can be monitored
daily.
In October, EIM-OC teamed up with Adaptive Services and the Rec
Center for Adaptive Rec Day. More than 300 participants took part in
blind yoga, wheelchair basketball, adaptive paddling, adaptive
softball and goal ball. More than 100 students volunteered for this
service learning project. Guest speaker, Carena Winters, PhD, MPH,
chair of the ACSM Exercise is Medicine on Campus Committee,
presented the National EIM program and was introduced to
EIM@FGCU.
In November, EIM-OC partnered with Campus Rec, working with the
University Smoking Cessation program for the American Lung
Association’s Great American Smoke Out. EIM-OC provided content
for the University Smoking Cessation Program series, How to Use
Exercise as a Substitute for Nicotine, and held group fitness classes on
the Library lawn.
As part of the 2015 Exercise is Medicine World Congress, EIM@FGCU
EIM, cont’d from page 1
The program has grown exponentially to include
partnerships with Campus Recreation, Student Health
Services, Office of Service Learning and Civic
Involvement, and multiple community partners.
EIM@FGCU has provided opportunities for faculty
research, undergraduate student research, service
Adaptive Yoga
Adaptive Paddling
Adaptive Basketball
EIM, cont’d page 4
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 3
Smoking Cessation Program
...approximately 33
percent of FGCU students
did not meet the minimum
recommendation of 150
minutes of physical activity
per week ...
learning (and enhanced clinical skills) and aims to improve the
overall health of the campus community.
EIM
-OC
Page 4
was awarded the Silver Level of Recognition for engagement of students, faculty and staff in EIM education initiatives.
Currently, EIM@FGCU is applying for Gold Level recognition, and Dr. Jeffreys has been asked to present the EIM@FGCU as
part of the 2016 award ceremony of the ACSM Annual Meeting in Boston, MA.
Future projects will include a fitness assessment program targeting faculty and staff. Dr. Jeffreys is currently seeking exter-
nal funding to create a broader collaborative framework that will look at other areas of wellness. In addition, future
projects will include working with community partners to implement EIM in Lee County.
EIM, cont’d from page 3
CH
PSW
4 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
L ife is why we walk. Volunteers from College
of Health Professions and Social Work in
the Departments of Academic Advising,
Counseling, Rehabilitation Sciences (PT, OT, ES,
AT), Social Work and the School of Nursing
accepted the challenge to help fight heart
disease through their participation in the
American Heart Association 2015 Lee County
Heart Walk in December.
Volunteers walk for
matters of the heart
ES students Nick Mata, Cody Mafizo, Dylan
Soudatt, Jessenia Garcia and Taylor Kowalske
at the AHA 2015 Lee County Heart Walk.
Members of the FGCU Sports Medicine Club participate in the
AHA 2015 Lee County Heart Walk.
Led by FGCU’s Team Captain
and 2016 Lee County Heart
Walk Co-Chair Dean Mitch
Cordova, Team FGCU had over
105 individuals participate in
the 3-mile walk that began at
Centennial Park in Fort Myers.
Overall, Team FGCU raised
nearly $6,000 to help combat
heart disease and stroke. The
Department of Rehabilitation
Sciences was led by Dr.
Jeffreys, who organized efforts
among students and faculty from the Athletic Training, Exercise Science, Occupational Therapy,
Physical Therapy programs in the Department to participate in this annual event.
The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization in the world dedicated to
defeating heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Their mission is to build healthier
lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke — the nation’s No.1 and No.5 killers.
Page 5
D epartment faculty and students shine for FGCU in Southeast Florida with recognition and awards
for service, research and accomplishments at the Florida Physical Therapy Association (FPTA)
and Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FOTA) conferences in November.
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 5
CO
NFER
EN
CE
HIG
HLIG
HTS
Eric Shamus, DPT, PhD, chair, received the Fred Rutan Award for Excellence in
Service at the FPTA meeting in September. This award recognizes a physical
therapist who has provided exceptional service on an FPTA committee or task force.
The award was presented at the FPTA Annual Conference Honors and Awards
ceremony in Orlando.
Rose Pignataro, DPT, PhD, assistant professor, and Eric Shamus, DPT, PhD, chair, were presented with the Linda Crane
Award at the FPTA meetings in September. They were awarded a grant of $10,000 to work on, Creating a Tobacco-Free
Future: Peer-Initiated Tobacco Cessation Counseling by Student Physical Therapists.
Service Awards
Karen Mock, OT/L, MS, assistant professor and clinical coordinator,
Occupational Therapy Program, received a lifetime achievement
award in November for 18 years of service from the Florida
Occupational Therapy Educational Consortium.
Grants, service, research awards
highlight FPTA, FOTA conferences
High Score Award
Rose Pignataro, DPT, PhD, was featured in the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing’s newsletter for
achieving the highest score nationally on the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam for spring 2015.
Grant Award
Karen Mock (right)
Page 6
C
ON
FER
EN
CE
HIG
HLI
GH
TS
O ccupational Therapy students
were awarded best poster for
their Early Intervention Playgroup
Research project in the category:
Soul of Occupational Therapy at the
Florida Occupational Therapy Associ-
ation meetings in November. Megan
Johnston, Kristine Carter, Kristin
Hubbell, Amanda Bieber, Angelo
Amoresano, Brittini Lallo and
Assistant Professor Sarah Fabrizi,
OTR/L, PhD, who serves as faculty
mentor, were part of five student
research groups along with four
faculty mentors that attended FOTA
Left to right: Kristin Hubbell, Megan Johnston, faculty
mentor, Sarah Fabrizi, Amanda Bieber and Kristine Carter
share the best poster award in the category: Soul of
Occupational Therapy at the FOTA conference in Orlando.
OT students awarded
best research poster at
FOTA conference
Left to right: Paula Shulthiess, Haley Rogers, Niko Park,
Kathy Swanick, Rick Douglass, Sierra Giriffin, and Josh
Lewis at House Chambers, State Capitol Building in
Tallahassee.
FPTA Advocacy group works to make
a positive impact on PT in Florida
6 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
A ccording to the Florida Physical Therapy Association
Advocacy group, the statutes regulating physical
therapy in Florida have not been updated in 20 years.
Although the practice of physical therapy has grown
increasingly complex and sophisticated, laws regulating it
have not. The organization is working to fix that and
recently met to discuss its efforts.
Group members Kathy Swanick, DPT, MS, Florida chapter
president of the FPTA, and FGCU faculty, Rick Douglass,
DPT, SW district regional director, adjunct faculty along
with current DPT students Sierra Griffin and Niko Park, and
DPT alumni Josh Lewis, DPT, SW district treasurer and Haley
Rogers, DPT, district vice chair headed to Tallahassee for
2015 FPTA State Advocacy Days in November.
The group received in-depth training on advocacy and
the issues of the day, met with legislators to discuss issues
affecting the practice of physical therapy in Florida, and to
promote the practice act bill. For more information and
key points of the Modernize PT Practice Act, go to:
bit.ly/1ORuIWO.
Page 7
FGCU hosts 2nd annual Amputee Clinic
to help improve function, mobility
Participants find support,
learn to run at annual clinic
HEADLINE
Curtis Caldwell, DPT student, works with a participant
at the 2nd annual Amputee Clinic.
I ndividuals from as far as Marco Island and Sarasota
participated in the 2nd annual Amputee Clinic hosted by
the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences in November.
Specialists and student volunteers helped assess gait,
balance, and strength, and provided free consultation on
ways to improve function. Participants ages 30 years to 92
and had lived with their amputation from 6 months to more
than 30 years.
“This clinic provided an opportunity for individuals to meet
others, share similar life experiences and find support in those
new relationships,” said Ellen Donald, MSPT, assistant profes-
sor and co-coordinator of the clinic for the past two years.
The clinic also provided participants with a unique oppor-
tunity to learn how to run. Onlookers lined the hallway and
applause rang out during an emotional scene as two
individuals learned to run for the first time since wearing a
prosthetic device. Vern Swanson, MSPT, instructor, and clinic
co-coordinator, led the Back to Running Clinic. “One
participant was a unilateral transtibial amputee who has
been wearing her prosthesis for six months. The other
individual was a bilateral transtibial amputee who has had
his prostheses for two weeks. Both participants were able to
run for the first time in their prosthesis after about 15 minutes
of training,” Professor Swanson said.
According to Professor Swanson, almost anyone who has
the necessary strength levels can run on a prosthetic when
trained properly. “Being able to see an individual run for the
first time with bilateral amputations who has only had his
prostheses two weeks is nothing short of amazing. The
individual who has had her prosthesis six months looked like
she has been running for months even though it was her first
time running. Both participants were awesome to work with
and I hope they keep in touch to further their training,” he
said.
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 7
Photo by Kaitlin Dowis
AM
UTE
E
CLI
NIC
Amputee Clinic cont’d page 8
Page 8
Amputee Clinic, from page 7
Some of the 15 participants brought family members who also
joined a lecture by Rose Pignataro, DPT, PhD, assistant professor,
titled Saving Your Skin; Good Skin Care. Chris Rosenbrough, a
graduate of the Exercise Science program and DPT student at
FGCU, was on hand to speak one-on-one about starting and
staying with an exercise program.
Fifty-eight area professionals including prosthetists, physical
therapists, DPT students from FGCU and PTA students from Hodges
University, faculty from both PT and PTA programs and fitness
professionals volunteered to participate in the various screenings
and information sessions. Professor Donald also noted that
“networking between professionals and future professionals
provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration in the local
clinical community and provide an interdisciplinary learning
experience for the health professional students at the same time.
Participants had the opportunity to share their life experiences
with each other and gain support from their newly made
acquaintances.”
This event will continue to be held annually with plans to broaden
the scope to include additional disciplines in the Department
and aims at drawing a larger turnout each year.
Ellen Donald, clinic co-coordinator (right) and
Rick White, DPT student, work with a participant
at the Amputee Clinic.
Photo by Kaitlin Dowis
Vern Swanson, clinic co-coordinator, trains a runner as volunteers look on at the FGCU 2nd annual
Amputee Clinic.
AM
PU
TEE
CLI
NIC
8 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
Page 9
Athletic Training: Looking toward the
future after a decade of growth
ATH
LETIC
TRA
ININ
G
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 9
T he Athletic Training program will celebrate
10 years at FGCU with the graduating
class of 2016. Over the past decade, the
program has seen many changes and
successes. Jason Craddock, ATC, EdD,
assistant professor and program director, cites
many program highlights, including:
The AT class of 2015 scored a Board of
Certification first-time pass rate of 94
percent, well above the national
average of 82 percent.
A few AT students have signed up for the
2016 Study Abroad Program to Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the 2016 Summer
Olympics.
In the past 3 years, the Eagles Sports
Medicine Club team has finished in the
top 5 of the Southeastern Athletic
Trainers’ Association
Quiz Bowl competi-
tion out of 19 to 25
teams.
In the past 2
years, the Eagles Sports Medicine Club
has held its annual Golf Scramble
fundraiser to offset costs for students
attending the annual Southeast Athletic
Trainers’ Association (SEATA) Athletic
Training Student Symposium.
The program has added more clinical
education opportunities for students
including NCAA Division I and II sports
teams, Major League Baseball, Disney
Athletic Training students class of ‘17 in the Marieb Hall courtyard.
Photo by Kaitlin Dowis
Wide World of Sports, Air Force Academy in Colorado, St.
Lawrence University in New York, and Nova Southeastern
University and Cleveland Clinic, both in Florida.
This year, the program published its first Athletic Training Pro-
gram newsletter, which is posted on the Alumni page of
t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f R e h a b i l i t a t i o n w e b s i t e :
fgcu.edu/CHPSW/RS/ATBS/alumni.html
The future is even brighter with the announcement by the Commis-
sion on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education that entry-level
programs will be taught at the graduate level by 2020. The FGCU AT
program anticipates the transition from an entry-level undergradu-
ate program to a master’s program in the next few years, which will
allow the program to develop exciting new learning opportunities for
students.
Program success highlights,
learning opportunities
Page 10
F orty area Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) came together in Marieb Hall in October to continue their training in the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Fitness Instructors course coordinated by the Fort Myers Police
Department. The 32-hour course is designed to assist the LEOs with obtaining certification as FDLE certified Fitness
Instructors. Dennis Hunt, EdD, CSCS, assistant professor, taught course content on body composition analysis, total daily
energy expenditure (TDEE) assessment and cardiorespiratory fitness level evaluation.
CO
MM
UN
ITY
OU
TREA
CH
Department faculty volunteer,
teach clinics for local community
R esidents of the Spring Run Golf Club, Bonita
Springs, were invited to two Go Exercise
clinics as part of the Spring Run iLife program in
November. The courses were hosted by
Exercise Science faculty member, Dennis Hunt,
EdD, CSCS, assistant professor, along with a team
of four Exercise Science students.
In the first clinic, Dr. Hunt presented information
on the difference between physical activity and
exercise that would allow attendees to design an
individualized activity or exercise program to fulfill
their personal needs and to potentially enhance
their health and well-being.
In the second clinic, Dr. Hunt taught participants
how to use resistance training in an appropriate
Faculty member volunteers for Make a Difference Day
L ynne Jaffe, OTR/L, ScD, associate professor, OT program director, was one of
more than 350 volunteers from FGCU and Wells Fargo who participated at 12
locations on Make a Difference Day in October. Dr. Jaffe volunteered at the Family
Resource Center of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, where she spread mulch and
painted playground equipment.
This has been her second year helping local organizations and serving the local
community. Last year she worked at the Harry Chapin Food Bank where she bagged
sweet potatoes. “It’s a small way to be involved with the campus at large, doing
good work for the community,” she said.
Go Exercise clinics enhance health, well being of Bonita Springs residents
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Fitness Instructors train at FGCU
manner to attenuate muscle loss and to enhance quality of life,
functional capacity, and maintain independence.
Dennis Hunt presents to residents of the Spring Run Golf Club in
Bonita Springs.
Lynne Jaffe is an
FGCU volunteer.
10 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
Page 11
STU
DEN
T
RESEA
RC
H
Left to right: Students Chris Gonzalez, pre AT, Nils-Otto Jaasko, AT, and Ginger
Correnti, OT, visit The Alamo, in San Antonio, Texas.
P eter Reuter, MD, PhD, assistant professor, facilitated two Undergraduate Student
Scholarship Support Awards (USSSA) in spring 2015 and support from the Honors
Program to help pay for travel expenses for three students, Chris Gonzalez, pre AT,
Nils-Otto Jaasko, AT, and Ginger Correnti, OT, to attend and present posters at the 2015
Annual Conference of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS) in San Antonio,
Texas, May 2015.
UG research support award provides
funds for students to attend conference
Students present posters at FOTA Conference
Alexander Sather and Ryan Filbert, OT students at FOTA OT students Kerbe Jones and Holly Daniels
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 11
Page 12
FG
CU
CO
MM
UN
ITY
Department faculty
and students test
individual balance
of faculty and staff
at the FGCU Benefits
& Wellness Fair.
Department connects with FGCU,
area community at campus fairs
M ore than 100 FGCU PT and OT students along
with physical therapy assistant students from
Hodges University and Broward College attended the
4th annual Physical Therapy and Occupational Thera-
py Career Fair held at the Cohen Center in November.
The fair offered students the opportunity to seek jobs
and connect with medical centers, hospitals,
institutions and rehabilitation centers from Florida and
as far away as Nebraska.
Job seekers network at 4th
annual PT & OT Career Fair
A Lee Memorial representative greets students
at the career fair.
A Genesis Health Care representative with an
FGCU student.
HCA North and West Florida representatives
answer questions at career fair.
Participants find balance at
FGCU Benefits & Wellness Fair
More than 103 students
requested AT and ES
program information at the
Majors Fair in October.
FGCU Majors Fair
12 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
Page 13
OT students took a “test spin” in several wheelchair models during
their trip to Custom Mobility, Inc., Largo, to learn the process of evalu-
ating, designing, and fabricating complex rehabilitation wheelchairs.
O T students participated in an experiential learning laboratory
at the Eagle Challenge Course sponsored by FGCU.
Students tackled the ropes course to focus on group processing
and encouraging creativity in intervention selection. The Eagle
Challenge Course is located at the Buckingham Center, 18 miles
north of main campus.
STU
DEN
TS
ON
CO
UR
SE
Rope course challenges OT students
Occupational
Therapy
wheelchair
evaluation,
safety training
Using a tag-team race format, OT
students learn how to perform
maintenance and adjustments to
wheelchairs to enable safety and
optimum positioning for clients.
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 13
OT students at Eagle Challenge Course. Tackling the obstacle course
Page 14
L ive Your Passion, is not just the Summer 2016 Olympic motto, but may describe a life
changing experience for students in summer 2016. The Department has planned a
study abroad program to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the Summer 2016 Olympics, the
world’s largest international multi-sport event, in August 2016. According to Renee Jeffreys,
PhD, lead Rio faculty, the goal of the program is to create a passion for the games and
international travel.
Seventeen students along with faculty members, Eric Shamus DPT, PhD, chair, Renee
Jeffreys, PhD, and Kelly Henderson, ATC, MEd, plan
to attend Olympic events including, cycling, rugby,
handball and hockey, as well as visit the Olympic
Village. The group will also sightsee at Christ the
Redeemer statue at the peak of Corcovado
Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park, visit a
Samba school devoted to practicing and
exhibiting samba, an African-Brazilian dance, and tour the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Planning meetings will begin in January to start the visa process, learn the Portuguese
language, and ensure that everyone is prepared for the trip. Cost of the program is $3,577
not including the cost of the visa. A $200 deposit is due by the final deadline,
Jan. 22. Students can register at the Horizons website: bit.ly/1SQ2tXB.
Study Abroad plans trip to Brazil
for summer 2016 Olympics
STU
DEN
T
AC
TIVITIE
S
T he FGCU Eagles Sports
Medicine Club held its second
annual Golf Scramble at the
ArrowHead Golf Club, Naples in
October. Seven teams raised
$2,000 to help offset the cost of
students attending the 31st
Annual SEATA Athletic Training
Student Symposium in February
2016. The event also included a
silent auction and prizes for the
top three teams.
Eagles Sports Medicine Club’s second annual Golf Scramble raises the green
Second annual Golf Scramble team members at the ArrowHead Golf Club.
14 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
Page 15
G raduates and staff of the CHPSW enjoyed an evening with new connections
and fellow graduates at the annual Networking Night in October. More than
65 guests mingled with health administrators and leaders from the community. Dean
Mitch Cordova shared department highlights in his opening remarks and introduced
representatives from Lee Memorial, Kristine Fay, chief administrative officer, and
Scott Nygaard, chief medical officer. Two distinctive alumni with ties to the Lee
Physician Group and Lee Memorial, Brock Billman, ’09, BS – director of property
management, and Ben Spence, ’10, MS - Health Science, Chief Financial Officer,
both from Lee Memorial Health Systems, shared their stories of success.
Faculty, students and
alumni enjoy CHPSW
Networking Night.
Alumni Nicholas Abram ’14, BS - Human
Performance, (right) and Armando
Hernandez ’14, BS - Exercise Science,
at the CHPSW Networking Night.
H is passion for helping people
and fascination with the
human body made the Human
Performance, now the Exercise
Science program at FGCU, an
obvious choice for ’14 alumnus,
Nicholas Abram. A licensed
massage therapist before entering
the HP program, Nicholas believes
HP “was a perfect choice to
enhance hi s career . “The
CHPSW Networking Night connects
fellow graduates, community leaders A
LUM
NI
Alumni sees Human
Performance as
perfect choice
Alumni, cont’d page 16
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 15
Graduate helps heal
invisible wounds of SW
Florida veterans
F ormer United States Marine and
FCGU BA Exercise Science
graduate ’14 Armando Hernandez
helps to heal the invisible wounds
of war for post-9/11 veterans and
their families through Home Base, a
partnership of the Red Sox Founda-
tion and Massachusetts General
Hospital.
Home Base is located in Boston, but
runs the Southwest Florida Warrior
Graduate, cont’d page 16
Page 16
ALU
MN
I
16 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
Health and Fitness program through CHPSW on the FGCU campus. Armando,
Home Base program manager, credits the FGCU Exercise Science (ES)
program with helping his transition into civilian life after his tour in the military.
“When I got out of the Marine Corps, I had gained weight and I went through
some transition issues,” he said. According to Hernandez, the FGCU Exercise
Science program helped him not only personally, but allowed him to move
toward his career choice. “I wanted to help other people though exercise,
like exercise helped me,” he said.
Through his FGCU ES experiential learning experience with the Boston Red Sox,
Armando was recruited before graduation and formally hired in May 2014 as
Home Base program manager in SW Florida. “Not only was I able to accom-
plish my goal, I was able to do it with my very own population, helping
veterans with the exact issues I had dealt with,” he said.
In the past year, Armando has worked with more than 60 veterans in areas of
exercise, nutrition, sleep, mental skills, and social activities. Through the
program, Armando has seen veterans experience an increase in quality of life
from debilitating injuries, success with weight loss and the ability to forge
friendships with a core group of people who have similar backgrounds and
goals. “We do all of this this through something that is relevant, through health
and fitness,” he said.
Home Base operates the largest private-sector clinic in the nation devoted to
healing invisible wounds such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic
brain injury, anxiety, and depression and family relationship challenges and
serves veterans through clinical care, wellness-based programs, community
outreach, education and research. Since its inception, Home Base has
served more than 7,500 veterans and family members with care and support,
trained more than 12,000 clinicians national, and remains at the forefront of
discovering new treatments – ensuring a brighter future for the 21st century
warrior and military family. For more information, visit homebase.org.
Graduate, cont’d from page 15
Armando Hernandez, Home Base
program manager, Home Base (right)
Alumni, cont’d from page 15
knowledge and skills acquired have helped me improve the lives of my clients exponentially,” he said.
Nicholas is an ACSM Health and Fitness Specialist at the Lifestyle Center for the Bonita Bay Health Club, Bonita Springs,
where he performs health-related physical assessments, organizes and teaches group exercise classes, education
workshops, equipment orientations and individual exercise programs. He has also worked as a CPT for Naples Personal
Training, Naples. For the past four years, he has served as vice president for the local chapter of the Florida State Massage
Association and was awarded the 2013 Outstanding Sports Massage Team Member.
Nicolas lives in Ft. Myers with his wife, Amber and their 9-month-old son, Oliver and enjoys boating and fishing on the
Caloosahatchee River in his spare time.
Page 17
SC
HO
LAR
LY
AC
TIVITY
2015
Awards or Recognitions
Hunt D. Physical Therapy & Human Performance, "Fitness Nutrition Advanced Specialty Certification",
American Council on Exercise, August 2015.
Jeffreys RM. 2015 FGCU, Well Being Seminar Grant, 2015. The Brining Theory to Practice Project, with
the support of the S. Engelhard Center and the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation. $775,
November 2015.
Shamus E. Fred Rutan Award for Excellence in Service. FTPA Annual Conference and Awards Ceremo-
ny. September 2015.
Pignataro R, Shamus, E. College of Health Professions and Social Work, $10,000, Florida Physical Thera-
py Association, Linda Crane Award, 2015 - Creating a Tobacco-Free Future: Peer-Initiated Tobacco
Cessation Counseling by Student Physical Therapists, October 2015-October 2016.
Reuter P. 2015 Lucas Center Faculty Travel Grant Attendance of Research on Teaching and Learning
Summit, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia, $408, April 2015.
Reuter P. 2015 FGCU Professional Development Fund Grant Attendance of 2015 Annual Conference
of Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS) In San Antonio, Texas, $1,316, April 2015.
Reuter P. Correnti G. 2015 FGCU Undergraduate Student Scholarship Support Award (USSSA) Is there a
correlation between in-utero exposure to sex hormones, age of first menstruation, sexual orientation
and prevalence of PCOS? $750, April 2015.
Reuter P. Gonzales C. 2015 FGCU Undergraduate Student Scholarship Support Award (USSSA) Correla-
tion of 2D:4D ratio, vital lung capacity and self-reported athletic ability in women. $750, April 2015.
Reuter P. 2015 Robert B. Anthony Scholarship, Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS)
Professional Presentations
Jeffreys RM, Edwards D, Evans, E, Melton B, Jackson W, Drake N. EOM-OC: Programs and Learnings
from SEACSM Institutions. Presentation, Annual Meeting of the Southeast Chapter of the American
College of Sports Medicine, Greenville, SC. February 18-20, 2016.
Pignataro R, Klein, A. Diabetes as a Musculoskeletal Risk Factor: Prevention and Management. NEXT,
Annual Conference of the American Physical therapy Association, Nashville, TN, June, 2016.
Pignataro R. Spirituality and Health: Implications for Physical therapist Practice. NEXT, Annual
Conference of the American Physical Therapy Association, National Harbor, MD, June 2015.
van Duijn A, Hatch M, Sollie K, Shamus, E. (2015). Quadriceps-to-Hamstrings Coactivation Ratios during
Closed Chain, High Velocity Exercise in Healthy Recreationally Active Adults. Presentation, APTA
Combined Sections Meeting, Anaheim, CA.
Book in Publication
Shamus E, Cordova M. Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, In Staples W. Geriatric Case Study Book.
McGraw-Hill, NY, New York, 2016. (15 other cases submitted ranging from wound care to cardiac
cases)
Shamus E, van Duijn A. Manual Therapy for the Extremities. Jones and Bartlett, Boston, MA. Expected
publication February 2016.
Shamus E, Shamus J. Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, 2e. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 2016.
eISBN 1259589412. Expected publication Spring 2016.
Book Publication
Shamus E, van Duijn A. (2015). Manual Therapy of the Extremities. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
Shamus E. (2015). Color Atlas of Physical Therapy. New York, NY, McGraw-Hill.
Scholarly, cont’d page 18
FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter, 17
Page 18
Book Chapter
Hunt D, Shamus, E. Anterior Shin Splints. In Shamus E., The Color Atlas of Physical Therapy. McGraw-Hill
Publishing. NY, New York. 2015, ISBN: 978-0-07-181351-8.
Publications
Elokda A, (2015, In press). Efficacy of External Counterpulsation Enhanced with Outpatient Cardiac
Rehabilitation. European Journal of Physiotherapy. November 2015.
Lounsbury P, Elokda A, Gylten, D, et al. (2015). Text-messaging program improves outcomes in outpatient
cardiovascular rehabilitation. International Journal of Cardiology Hearts & Vasculature, April 2015, 7:170-
175.
Fabrizi S, Ito, M. Winston, K. (2015, In press). Effect of occupational therapy led playgroups in early inter-
vention on child playfulness and caregiver responsiveness: A repeated measures design. American
Journal of Occupational Therapy, March/April 2016.
Fabrizi S. (2015). Splashing our way to Playfulness! An Aquatic Playgroup for Young Children with
Autism, A repeated Measures Design. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention.
Hunt D, Chapa D, Hess B, Swanick K, Hovanec A. (2015). The Importance of Resistance Training in the
Treatment of Sarcopenia. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 39-43.
Pignataro R, Gurka M, Jones D, Kershner R, et al. (2015). Educating Physical Therapist Students in
Tobacco Cessation Counseling: Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes. Journal of Physical Therapy Edu-
cation. 2015; 29(3):68-79.
Pignataro R, Huddleston J. (2015). The Use of Motivational Interviewing in Physical Therapy Education and
Practice: Empowering Patients through Effective Self-Management. Journal of Physical Therapy
Education. 2015; 29(2).
Roberts E, Shamus E. (2015). Increasing Medical Students’ Understanding of the Role of Occupational
Therapists: Design and Evaluation of an Education Module. Journal of Interprofessional Care. 2015
Jun 29:1-3. [PMID 26120896]
Shamus J, Shamus E. (2015). Case Report - The Management of Iliotibial Band Syndrome with a
Multifaceted Approach: A Double Case Report. The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy,
10:3.
Scholarly, cont’d from page 17 IN TH
E
LAB
18 FGCU, Rehabilitation Sciences Newsletter
OT group shows off their splint projects in lab.
Page 19
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