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Physical therapy: IU leads the way in specialized care

Posted on by Laura Klaum

If you experience heart problems, you see a cardiologist. If you’re designing an outdoor space, you hire a landscape architect. When planning your estate, you consult an attorney specializing in wills and trusts.

Specialization also exists in physical therapy (PT). Patients can receive care from PT specialists in areas such as acute care, cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation, geriatrics, electrophysiology, orthopedics, neurology, oncology, women’s health, sports rehabilitation and wound management. Specialists practice at least 1,800 hours in their area of specialization and pass an exam to achieve their advanced certification. (more…)

Before the Super Bowl, the Big Data Bowl: IU Indianapolis students tackle NFL analytics challenge

Posted on by Jill Jansen

Female professor speaks with two male students sitting at a table.
Liz Wanless, Ed.D., works with students Anurag Reddeddy and Elliott Scott on their Big Data Bowl project. (Photo by Liz Kaye/Indiana University)

Long before the Chiefs and the Eagles battle it out in Super Bowl LIX, IU Indianapolis students studying sports analytics teamed up to compete in a bowl of their own—the NFL Big Data Bowl.

Sponsored by the NFL’s Football Operations organization, the Big Data Bowl is an annual competition offering college students and sports analytics professionals a chance to contribute to the league’s use of advanced analytics in player and team performance. Using traditional football data and “Next Gen Stats” that include real-time player and ball tracking, participants compete for $100,000 in prize money and the opportunity to present their projects at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

For this year’s Big Data Bowl, participants were charged with using complex sets of geospatial data that tracked players’ pre-snap movements to predict what would happen after the snap.

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From classroom to career: TESM students discover dynamic industry through Visit Indy partnership

Posted on by Laura Klaum

Three IU Indianapolis students at Visit Indy
Three TESM students secured coveted internships with Visit Indy

For three tourism, event and sport management (TESM) students, interning with Visit Indy last semester was nothing short of eye-opening and transformational. One of the nation’s leading destination marketing organizations (DMO), Visit Indy forges partnerships between business and government, driving the visitor experience and bolstering city and state economy. Located in the heart of the city and within walking distance from campus, the coveted internships prepped students to be workforce-ready and land their future dream jobs. (more…)

Lifelong learning: The value of an SHHS education for Ashley Troutman

Posted on by Sophie Chadderton

Ashley Troutman Ashley Troutman is preparing to graduate and finish her Dual Doctorate of Physical Therapy & Ph.D. in Health Sciences & Rehabilitation Sciences this month. She defended her dissertation, which explores intervention effects on musculoskeletal health and physical function in CKD-MBD using a rat model, in October.  

This time is especially significant for Troutman, who began her undergraduate educational career studying exercise science with the School of Health & Human Sciences (SHHS) in 2013. Troutman went on to earn her M.S. in kinesiology with SHHS, demonstrating the value of her education, commitment to her field and multidisciplinary expertise.  

More than a decade later, Troutman now reflects on the people, opportunities and support that allowed her to grow her knowledge and pursue her research.  

“When I started my undergraduate career at IU Indianapolis, I never expected to work in research,” Troutman noted. “I knew I wanted to attend PT school and that I needed to find opportunities to make myself stand out when I applied. The life health sciences internship provided me with an opportunity to work with a PT faculty member in their research lab, which ultimately lead to a newfound passion for research.”  

“I was always encouraged to do research but was nervous to apply to a research position,” she continued, “and all my undergraduate professors encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone. My decision to apply was a pivotal moment that eventually led me to pursue the dual-degree program.”

A few faculty members helped motivate Troutman. “Former professor Mary Beth Brown and associate professor Keith Avin gave me the confidence to pursue research,” she shared. Both Avin and Brown have been supportive of my research interests and instrumental in developing the necessary research skills while fostering my confidence to do so.”   

As Troutman thinks about her time at SHHS, the word community consistently comes to the forefront. She believes the SHHS community played a crucial role in her success, particularly the support and resources she received from faculty.  

When asked why she continued to pursue not one, but four degrees with SHHS, Troutman shared, “The faculty—at each stage of my educational career, the faculty at SHHS have been extraordinarily supportive.”  

Troutman graduates this month and will continue her journey within IU in a post-doctoral position in the IU School of Medicine, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension. The post doc will develop experience needed for her to become a faculty member in a DPT program—Troutman’s long-term career goal.  

SHHS faculty and staff celebrate Troutman’s educational milestone and thank her for being an exemplary member of the SHHS community—particularly her work as a graduate assistant, where she made a tremendous impact on other students. We’re confident she will extend her legacy as a future educator and researcher. 

Big Ten Football Championship Game creates big opportunity for sport management students

Posted on by T'Kai Isidahmen

Big Ten championship field at Lucas Oil Stadium

Every year, Indianapolis becomes a hub for sporting events, the Big Ten Football Championship Game being one of the latest major crowd-drawers. Just this year, more than 67,000 spectators flocked to the city to watch the showdown on Dec 7. With gameday events happening only a few miles away from campus, IU Indianapolis sport management students were in a unique position to gain invaluable experience through volunteer work.

Over a dozen sport management students signed up to work the game and be immersed in its inner workings, many learning of the opportunity through the Sports Management Club, Indiana Sports Corp (ISC), and sport management faculty. Through their experience, they gained exposure to all the moving pieces of a major sporting event—getting beyond the classroom and into practical application. Many were client-facing, working to seamlessly get fans into the building, while others took a more backstage role.

Kenzie P. poses in front of the Lucas Oil Stadium field.
Kenzie P. poses in front of the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“This opportunity with the Big Ten allowed me to see the behind-the-scenes of media for a large-scale sporting event,” said Kenzie Pittenger, senior and Sports Management Club president.

This learn-by-doing approach is what sets the IU Indy sport management program apart. With numerous chances to volunteer, sport management students get crucial resume-building experiences and opportunities to apply what they’ve learned in class to real-world scenarios.

Caleb P. (far right) poses with other volunteers.
Caleb P. (far right) poses with other volunteers.

“In my sports management classes, I’ve learned about event logistics, crowd management, and creating engaging fan experiences, all of which I applied during the Big Ten Championship Game,” said Caleb Prozanski, junior sport management student.

Faculty regularly encourage students to step out into the vibrant Indianapolis sports scene with the objective to network and get a feel for various areas of employment. Students often find themselves working alongside industry professionals in their internships and volunteer experiences—creating the perfect environment to form connections.

Cole Smith, first-year student, was able to hit the ground running by volunteering at the Big Ten game and see exactly why the sport management program is so unique.
“The sport management program is…very engaged in the sports world,” said Smith. “[It also] explains how the sports business operates outside of its athletes and the game they play.”

Given the multitude of volunteer and internship opportunities afforded to sport management students, plus the wide range of sports business–related courses they are required to take, there’s no limit on what career paths the students can pursue upon graduation.

With Indianapolis hosting annual showdowns like the Big Ten championship, it’s the perfect place for students to immerse themselves in all things sports and get hands-on experience. It’s not only the city they live in, but also their classroom.

If you would like to learn more about the sport management major at IU Indianapolis, please visit: https://shhs.indianapolis.iu.edu/academics/tourism-event-sport/bs-sport.html.

IU nutrition and dietetics graduate student serves up nutrition education for Hamilton Southeastern Schools

Posted on by Jill Jansen

girl poses for photo in the kitchen
Emma Sommers, dietetic intern at IU Indianapolis

Graduate students in the dietetic internship program at IU Indianapolis are getting career-ready in a place that’s familiar to them—grades K-12. For these future dietitians, going back to school means gaining valuable firsthand experience in managing food systems for Indiana schoolchildren.

“There’s a vital role to play in feeding kids that can be really powerful for our students; they feel valued because they know they’re contributing in a really meaningful way,” said JoAnne Whelan, Ph.D., RDN, LD, director of the IU Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Dietetic Internship Program. “That’s just one of the reasons the school rotation tends to be a favorite with our students.”

Dietetic intern Emma Sommers completed her school food service rotation this fall at Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools in Fishers. Serving more than 21,600 students in pre-K through 12th grade in 23 schools, HSE Schools is one of eight central Indiana school districts that partners with the IU Nutrition and Dietetics Program to offer the 64-hour School Food Service and Nutrition Education rotation.

“On my first day I attended a meeting where all of the school cafeteria managers had to create a meal for their school that met all of the USDA guidelines,” said Sommers, a student in the Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics + Dietetic Internship (MS+DI) program. “They brought kids, the superintendent and people on the school board in to taste and vote, and I got to help choose the winner.”

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IU occupational therapy teams up with nonprofit to empower addiction recovery

Posted on by Jill Jansen

Group of four occupational therapy students in a meeting room with a faculty member.
Victoria Wilburn meets with IU OT students regarding Heart Rock research.

A partnership formed from a shared mission is highlighting the value of occupational therapy (OT) in improving the lives of pregnant women and mothers in addiction recovery and their children.

Recognized for projects focused on adolescents in recovery, Victoria Wilburn, D.H.Sc., OTR, CLT, FAOTA, and Overdose Lifeline, dedicated to supporting people affected by addiction, are teaming up on novel research that incorporates occupation-based programming into recovery supportive housing. (more…)

The PARCS impact: stretching further than fitness

Posted on by T'Kai Isidahmen

The Physically Active Residential Communities and Schools (PARCS) program provides low-cost fitness and wellness services to urban areas in Indianapolis. Since 2005, PARCS has fostered a healthier Indianapolis through accessible fitness options. In partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and the Boner Fitness & Learning Center (the Fitness Zone), PARCS helps reduce barriers to physical activity in near-downtown communities. These collaborations offer residents a safe space to exercise, attend group fitness classes or receive personal training services.

Maddie Crisler, M.S., PARCS program director, leads a team of kinesiology students who work directly with clients to set health goals and develop personalized exercise plans tailored to their wellness needs. This hands-on experience equips the students with practical skills as they prepare to enter the workforce.

For clients, the program’s benefits are substantial. Thousands of Indianapolis residents have been working out with PARCS for over a decade. (more…)

IPREP fellows shine at national biomedical research conference

Posted on by Rafael Bahamonde

Fellows from the IU Indianapolis Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (IPREP) recently showcased their talents on a national stage during the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS).

ABRCMS is one of the largest, most prestigious events of its kind, bringing together aspiring scientists to present research, connect with experts, and explore opportunities with graduate and professional schools. This year’s event, held in Pittsburgh in mid-November, attracted more than 6,900 participants from across the U.S. and beyond.

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Reflecting on 20 years of leadership excellence: MSG Stephen Tatar

Posted on by Rachel Hammes

Headshot of MSG Stephen Tatar
MSG Tatar

Coming up on 20 years of service in the U.S. Army, Master Sergeant (MSG) Stephen Tatar has gained a wealth of experience and accomplishment. He has completed three combat tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan, received numerous awards, and served as senior military science instructor for the IU Indianapolis Army ROTC program over the past three years. Now, he prepares for his retirement from the Army.

Reflecting on his service, Tatar said that the proudest he’s been, and the most fun he’s had, was when he was a first sergeant at Fort Carson in Colorado.

“Being in charge of around 100 soldiers—their livelihoods, their training, their well-being—is one of the more satisfying jobs I’ve been able to have in the Army,” said Tatar about his time at Fort Carson.

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