This kinesiology student and future physician's assistant works with OSU’s physical activity program for children with disabilities

Ian looks forward to Friday nights, when he helps local children with disabilities discover the joy of physical activities, whether it’s soccer, freeze tag or leaping off a diving board. For these children – some of whom use wheelchairs or walkers in their everyday lives – moving their bodies in new ways opens a world of possibilities.  

Through the college’s IMPACT (Individualized Movement and Physical Activity for Children Today) program, youth build confidence in their motor skills and socialize, which better prepares them to integrate into their communities, whether it’s at recess, community programs or in a future job.  

The program has given Ian invaluable lessons about the healthcare profession, too – lessons he might not have learned if not for scholarships, which afford him the time to volunteer instead of clocking more hours at his job.  

“For me, the best way to learn is by doing.”  

Ian remembers one child, limited in movement from the waist down, for his relentless optimism. “He never stopped trying. His positive attitude lifted mine during a stressful school year. That made me want to keep going with the program.”  

His experiences with IMPACT have solidified his commitment to providing inclusive care that accounts for the challenges that children with disabilities face, something he’ll take with him into his future career as a physician assistant in pediatrics.