Ashley Sanchez

An esteemed professor in the future UNCG School of Health and Human Sciences, Dr. Rosemary McGee made a meaningful difference in the educational journey of Mary Miller Carson ’58. Carson’s Woman’s College experience, along with McGee’s influence, resulted in her successful career in collegiate athletics and physical education, including 26 years as Associate Director of Athletics at Boston College. McGee’s dedication to teaching inspired Carson to establish a scholarship in honor of her cherished professor, thesis-advisor, and friend.

A current HHS mover and shaker, senior Ashley Sanchez is an undergraduate research assistant studying kinesiology. As a recipient of the Rosemary McGee Scholarship, Sanchez’s goal of becoming a licensed physical therapist moves from the realm of possibility to probability.

Recognized by the UNCG Alumni Association for excellence in academics and service, Sanchez is a 2017-18 Spartan of Promise. She exemplifies energetic initiative through award-winning kinesiology research and leadership as a member of the Spartan Orientation Staff. In a field that inherently encompasses service to others, Sanchez gives back, her work reaffirmed by the discovery that what goes around, comes around:

“The extraordinary process of having someone believe in my passions and dreams is an unimaginably astonishing feat. While writing a thank you letter to my gracious donors, I had noticed the address was at a nursing home in which I have volunteered my time at the physical therapy clinic. This moment of enlightenment helped reaffirm that I am actively making a difference in the world through my passion for physical therapy, further bringing my scholarship to life.”

Sanchez and fellow kinesiology collaborator, J.D. Manzo, were third place award winners at the Carolyn and Norwood Thomas Undergraduate Research Expo in Spring 2017, presenting “Virtual Reality Obstacle Crossing Training for Potential Rehabilitative Advancements.” This work was also recognized by Lee Phillips, director of the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Office, at UNCG’s 55th annual Student Honors Convocation in May 2017.

Sanchez’s accomplishments illustrate her exceptional motivation. She presented her UNCG VEAR (Virtual Environment for Assessment and Rehabilitation) lab research in a lead-author presentation at the 2017 Southern Conference Undergraduate Research Forum. Sanchez recently earned recognition for her work, receiving UNCG’s School of HHS Marjory W. Johnson Pre-Physical Therapy Research Program Award. Established to support undergraduate research concerning prevention, evaluation, and treatment of movement-related injury and disease, this award will facilitate Sanchez’s project, “Examining the Role of Feedback on Virtual Reality Obstacle Crossing,” in Spring 2018.

Sanchez’s visionary rehabilitation work brings together virtual and actual reality, and the Rosemary McGee Scholarship helps her put research at UNCG into motion.

Story by Zoe Dillard