Jeorgia Sanders, a University of Arkansas athletic training student from Evanston, Illinois, has received a scholarship from the Southwest Athletic Trainers' Association.

She received the WB Carrell Memorial Clinic/Dr. Robert Vandermeer Memorial Scholarship to help with school expenses. The entry-level master's degree in athletic training is offered by the College of Education and Health Professions at the U of A.

Sanders said she became interested in athletic training while she was in high school.

"I did a career exploration for two months where I observed a sports medicine facility," she said. "From then on, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I enjoy giving back to others and through this profession I am able to help those who can't help themselves. One of the best feelings is watching an athlete go from surgery to full recovery and gain back their confidence, and you knowing as the clinician that you aided in that process."

Sanders is completing a clinical rotation with the U of A women's soccer team this semester. She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Performance-Teaching from Texas Southern University in Houston.

She is also attracted to the always changing field because it will require she learn new things throughout her career.

"I love that, because this is such an evolving field, I will constantly be continuing my education, and I get to learn just as much from my patients as they do from me," she said.

After graduation, she wants to work in either a collegiate or a professional setting to build experience, and then to one day be able to develop or assist in developing an accredited master's degree in athletic training in a smaller Division 1 institution with limited resources similar to her undergraduate alma mater.

"I spent this past summer working at Northwestern University's sports medicine program mainly working with their football team where I received one of the best clinical experiences since I began my journey," Sanders said. "I was able to learn by assisting with their transition to a brand new athletic training facility and observe how an immersion program works at a D1 university."