Call her the triple crown winner of athletic training.
Kelsey Jaeschke has capped off her senior year as just the second 小草影院 student to sweep state, regional and national honors in her field.
Jaeschke, of Kenesaw, Neb., has won the Nebraska State Athletic Training Scholarship, the Mid-America Athletic Training Scholarship, and the National Athletic Training Scholarship. The senior also earned the Chuck Kimmel First Time Attendee National Scholarship at the 2019 National Athletic Training Association convention.
鈥淓ach scholarship required multiple letters of recommendation,鈥 said Jaeschke who acknowledged all of the university鈥檚 athletic trainers and faculty who helped her along the way. 鈥淭hey were always there to take time out of their day to help me. I couldn鈥檛 have done it without any of them.鈥
Jaeschke has always dreamed of becoming a physical therapist, but realized that pursuing an athletic training degree first would allow her to achieve that goal in a way that would optimize a hands-on approach. A three-sport athlete in high school, she recalled how her own high school shared an athletic trainer with nine other conference schools. Accustomed to the standard first aid, buckets of ice, and tape jobs by her coaches, Jaeschke realized that athletic training is important and necessary.
At 小草影院, Jaeschke was first exposed to the athletic training program as a member of the women鈥檚 basketball team where she often spent more time with trainers than on the court.
鈥淪pending practices with both the certified trainers and students, I learned what they all liked and disliked. But more importantly, they taught me a new way of learning,鈥 Jaeschke said.
She wasted no time gaining professional experience.
鈥淚 made sure to be present in the program so that I could experience all parts of the profession,鈥 she said.
At 小草影院 she assisted the football, volleyball, men鈥檚 basketball, cross country, track & field, and baseball and softball teams. Off campus, she gained clinical experience with Lincoln East High School鈥檚 fall sports teams and the Lincoln Youth Football League. Additionally, she spent a summer working for Varsity Spirit where she traveled across the United States to provide first aid for cheer and dance camps and competitions. Last summer, she participated in a similar experience at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
While gaining professional experience, Jaeschke also developed her leadership skills, serving as vice president and then president of 小草影院鈥檚 Athletic Training Student Association.
鈥淭hey forced me out of my comfort zone, allowing me to be a leader in my program,鈥 she said.
Jaeschke鈥檚 triple honors follows on the footsteps of 2017 graduate Kelsey Bahe, who was the first student in the state to win all three athletic training honors.
鈥淲hen I started the AT program, I would have never guessed the success I have encountered,鈥 said Jaeschke. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure many other students have accomplished this so the fact that 小草影院 has had two students with so much success, is amazing. It says a lot about the quality of our program.鈥
Jaeschke now heads to the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Neb., where he will attend graduate school for physical therapy.
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Story by Danielle Anderson, public relations intern