Lock Haven Student Completes Internship in Sports Medicine with Shippensburg University
Lock Haven, PA (06/28/2023) — By Aria Clark - 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.
Recent Commonwealth University-Lock Haven graduate Aria Clark, of Newville, completed a fully-immersive externship with the sports medicine staff at Shippensburg University this spring.
As a student-athlete, Clark became interested in athletic training (AT) from injuries sustained during her high school athletic career. Following the interest, she was accepted into Lock Haven's accelerated AT undergraduate and graduate programs and recruited to play for the Bald Eagles' women's soccer team.
Completing her internship at Shippensburg was the last step in her academic career before graduating from Lock Haven in May, with a master's degree in athletic training. Clark's direct supervisor at Ship, Miranda Fisher, MS, LAT, ATC, PES, was also a graduate of The Haven, along with colleague Jasmin Lalin, MS, LAT, ATC.
During Clark's time at Shippensburg, she worked with men's and women's basketball teams along with the wrestling, indoor track and field, volleyball and swimming teams. Most notably, both basketball teams reached the PSAC tournament and the women's team received a bid to the NCAA basketball tournament.
In addition, two Shippensburg wrestlers made their way to the podium at the men's NCAA D-II wrestling tournament. Later during the spring semester, Clark found herself outside in the sun with football, track and field and baseball. She was also able to work alongside and learn from all members of the AT staff, which included Wes Mallicone, Becky Fitz and Tanya Miller.
In her free time, Clark attended multiple club meetings on Shippensburg's campus, OneShip, which Fisher has a major hand in orchestrating and The Hidden Opponent. OneShip is an anti-biased, anti-racist student group whose values are rooted in human rights and freedoms, especially within their community. The Hidden Opponent is a nationally recognized organization that brings awareness, education and resources to the conversation in support of student-athletes and their mental health journeys.
Clark saw how her passions for mental health and human rights could be incorporated into her career, in more aspects than just being an athletic trainer, which was "affirming and exciting" to her.
She plans to pursue a career in the collegiate setting, working with high-impact sports and athletes. She especially enjoyed working with football at Shippensburg as well as the Lock Haven football team.
"I was definitely sad to leave such a great environment at Shippensburg, but forever grateful for the knowledge and relationships built there. Completing my internship was bittersweet, but I'll be back to visit," Clark said.
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Aria Clark, left, is shown with Lock Haven athletic training alumna, Miranda Fisher.