Kelsey Robinson, a third-year DPT student, won a national essay contest sponsored by the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy. The instructions asked students to describe an experience that significantly impacted their professional growth and identity with respect to the public health crises of racism and/or COVID-19.

In her essay, Robinson confronted an uncomfortable personal experience that had haunted her for months. She described the steps she took to turn the effects of a crippling racist remark by a student at another college into a positive force for self-discovery. Rather than repressing her pain and self-doubt, she used the incident to become an advocate for diversity.