Lock Haven Athletic Training Student Completes Externship with St. Lawrence University
Lock Haven, PA (06/26/2023) — By Alyssa Dickey - Class of 2023
*This is part of a series of stories written by Commonwealth University-Lock Haven graduate students about their athletic training full-immersion externships this spring.
Commonwealth University-Lock Haven athletic training master's student, Alyssa Dickey, of Lock Haven, made the bold move to leave her hometown for a full-immersion externship at St. Lawrence University (SLU) in Canton, New York, in hopes of learning more about herself and her chosen profession.
The immersive externship at the end of the graduate program is a unique feature at Lock Haven, which has connections as far north as the University of Maine and as far south as the University of Miami. The staff at Lock Haven work tirelessly to pair students with externships at any level and location that are best suited for them. The externship encourages students to work toward independence from the staff they have come to lean upon to build students' confidence before they step into the workforce.
Dickey has always been interested in the field of athletic training. She attended UPMC sports medicine camp during her sophomore and junior summers in high school. She followed in her athletic trainer, Liz Evarts', footsteps by attending Lock Haven for her undergraduate and graduate work. She is excited to be a certified and licensed athletic trainer and serve the local community she grew up.
At St. Lawrence University, an NCAA Division III school, Dickey was welcomed with open arms, not only by the athletic training staff but student-athletes, coaches, and community members alike.
"Leaving home was the hardest thing I've ever done. The welcoming and warm atmosphere that the St. Lawrence staff has provided, has meant the world to me," Dickey said. "They not only allow me to be in charge but also treat me as if I am an equal and not a student. They have helped me grow immensely in my confidence as an athletic trainer."
At SLU, Dickey worked with several athletic teams, but primarily with indoor/outdoor track and field. Her externship has involved writing rehabilitation plans, evaluating sports injuries, building relationships with coaches, mental health, and administrative tasks. She has had time to learn many new skills such as various therapeutic exercises from the Saints athletic trainers.
"Athletic training is about the athletes you get to work with - not the level, not the wins or losses, it's about the athletes - and I love the experience I've had while working with the Saints athletes. These athletes have made my time with them truly special," Dickey said. "This experience has been one to remember."
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