(From Bowling Green State University)

At only 20 years old, McKenna Clark is now a Bowling Green State University graduate, earning a bachelor’s degree in applied health science with a pre-physical therapy track.

The Forest, Ohio, native credits her fast-tracked December 2024 graduation to the unmatched support she received in the Thompson Working Families Scholarship Program.

“Before I applied, my mom said I should go on campus, take a look, and see the overall vibe because you can’t choose unless you’ve been there,” Clark said. “When we went on the visit and stopped in with the Thompsons, I just knew this was going to be perfect for me.”

The Thompson scholarship is need-based but is far different from the standard scholarship program.

In addition to maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average, Thompson scholars are asked to make a difference in their communities through service and to be active members of the program, which allows them to benefit from and add to a robust support system.

The program includes one-on-one meetings with a scholarship advisor whose mission is to help Thompson Scholars succeed everywhere in their lives as they navigate college and beyond.

Clark said her meetings with her Thompson Scholarship advisor, Ashleigh Diefenbach, were instrumental in helping her find her way at BGSU.

“It wasn’t just an academic advisor talking about what classes you need to take,” Clark said. “It was more like having a life advisor – you could talk about literally everything. We talked a lot about how I could find myself in the community and at school and explore ways to put myself out there.

“It honestly felt like a second family, and they would be there for me no matter what.”

Clark also received a significant boost from College Credit Plus, which allowed her to transfer credits directly to BGSU and fast-track her undergraduate studies.

By the time she arrived at BGSU, she was already set to take coursework in her major, allowing her to quickly connect with expert faculty and take classes designed to improve her skills within her field.

“Skills practiced in labs help students like McKenna gain confidence in their abilities to interact with others from a variety of backgrounds and help people understand their bodies and what they can do to improve their health,” said Dr. Todd Keylock, an associate professor of exercise science at BGSU.

“Pre-PT students are often highly motivated to learn all they can to be able to make patient’s lives better, to become more mobile, and recover from injuries.”

Clark said practicing in the field confirmed that she was on the right path.

Helping physical therapy patients regain autonomy brought victories that made the work worth the effort, she said.

“Watching my residents get back to doing what they love to do, transition independently and get back to their previous life was really inspiring to me,” she said. “I remember feeling so proud of them because I saw how hard they worked.”

As a BGSU alumna, Clark said her comprehensive experience at the University gave her the knowledge to confidently enter physical therapy school and pursue a fulfilling profession.

“It really cemented for me that this is what I wanted to do,” Clark said. “And now I know I’m capable of doing it.”

(above pic courtesy of BGSU)