Physical Therapy Student Profiles
Nancie Gruber
Bad Rappenau, Germany
After speaking to several UE graduates, Nancie Gruber knew that the University of Evansville was the right school. The small classes have allowed her to get to know her professors and have helped her make a lot of friends right away.
Gaining real-world experience has been Nancie's favorite part of the physical therapy program. "I really enjoyed the clinicals during first semester. We had the opportunity to visit four clinical sites. Each one was different. This experience helped me to see where I might want to work after graduation."
Nancie looks forward to enriching her college experience through joining the PT Club, participating in intramurals, and studying abroad. "Since I'm from Germany, this is technically a study abroad experience for me, yet I still want to participate in a clinical in either Australia or the Netherlands. My experience at UE has been great, and I know it is putting me on track to fulfill my ultimate career goal — to help people of all ages."
Corey Southers
Lexington, Kentucky
When Corey Southers broke his leg and had only six weeks until an important soccer tryout, he relied on physical therapy to get him back in the game. "After seeing how much my physical therapists cared and how hard they worked with me, I realized I wanted to do the same for others."
As an athlete, Corey has had to find his niche academically. "My professors have been great responding to questions and e-mails and providing supplemental instruction as needed since I have had to miss class due to away games. The classes are challenging, but my favorite experiences have been my observational experiences in clinics and hospitals."
"My most memorable experience was helping a young boy with spina bifida. It touched my heart to see both his and his therapist's attitude during rehab and how they both worked to make him happier and more functional."
Corey looks forward to expanding his real-world experience beyond the United States. He plans to spend his last semester abroad while completing his final clinical in either England or Australia.
