When looking for a school to complete her Physical Therapy education, Madison Ward found Marist fit most of her needs. “The brand-new facility and technology were amazing, the faculty have gone on international service trips in the past and are very involved in the surrounding communities, and I had family in the area that I would be close to. Overall, I could just tell they put a lot of energy into making this the best program it could be, and it made me want to be a part of that,” said Ward. She also felt that Marist’s positivity kept her going. “All of the faculty want you to succeed and support you. Everyone has been willing to share their own personal stories and have inspired me to continue to work hard and strive to be the best Physical Therapist and person I can be.”

Highlights of the program? The White Coat Ceremony, where she was able to introduce her classmates to her family and celebrate their accomplishments together, and the faculty. “A professor that really had an impact on me was Dr. Sage-King. Her teaching techniques and passion for neuroscience has made me want to consider pursuing neurologic PT; a specialty I had not considered doing when I started the program,” said Ward.

When asked to give advice to prospective graduate students looking for a PT program, Ward said, “If you are willing to work hard and spend many hours in the library, while also having new adventures and meeting new people, then you are ready to apply for this awesome program!”