The UF Doctor of Physical Therapy’s Clinical Education team recently selected the Rolf and Anne Kuhns Endowment for PT Scholarship award recipient. Each year the team meets to review student performance during their first clinical experience as well as in clinical labs and discusses potential candidates for the scholarship award.
“It is never an easy task,” said Dr. Judi Schack-Dugre, Director of Clinical Education. “We enjoy reflecting on our students’ growth and development into young professionals and clinicians.”
The Clinical Education team selected Brittany “Britt” Wienkers as the recipient of the Kuhns scholarship award for the UF DPT class of 2021 for demonstrating consistent outstanding performance in her first full-time clinical experience, and for showing promise as a future clinician of excellence. The team also took into consideration Britt’s demonstration of consistent professional behavior and empathy toward patients, peers, coworkers, and faculty and staff.
“I feel extremely honored to be chosen for the Kuhns scholarship,” Britt said. “I am grateful for all that I have learned in my clinical experiences thus far and I am excited to continue growing as a student physical therapist.”
Rolf and Anne Kuhns established the Endowment for PT Scholarship fund back in 2006 and have been steadily supporting and promoting clinical excellence in UF DPT students ever since. The scholarship fund is a way for the Kuhns to pay it forward – they both graduated from the University of Florida debt-free thanks to scholarships they received from UF alumni. Rolf is a 1972 graduate of the UF Physical Therapy program and Anne graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1969 and was the first UF student to graduate with a master’s degree focused on computer science in education.
Thanks to Rolf and Anne Kuhns’ generous support through the years to the College of Public Health and Health Professions and Department of Physical Therapy, students like Britt can receive the recognition that encourages them to become forward-thinking clinical learners.
“I hope to someday give back to the University of Florida in the way the Kuhns are helping students like me,” Britt said. “Having experienced the amazing impact this scholarship has had on my own education and being recognized for my hard work, I hope to someday give back to the Department, similarly to how the Kuhns have supported me.”