August marked the fifth year of a collaboration between Nebraska Wesleyan University and the UNMC College of Nursing – Lincoln Division to provide comprehensive sports physicals for NCAA Division III student-athletes.
Three clinic events on the NWU campus saw 564 student-athletes across 11 sports receive physical assessments.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between NWU’s athletic training team and UNMC’s Family Practice Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program in Lincoln. This year’s FNP students, Michelle Kieny and Tiffany Graves, worked alongside experienced faculty including, LeAnn Holmes, DNP, Sheri Rowland, PhD, Dawn Tassemeyer, DNP, Anna Swartzlander, Binaca Lowe, DNP and Janice Luethje, DNP.
Students consistently report that the repetition of assessments helps build clinical confidence and skill, while the supportive environment fosters professional growth. Jason Ensrud, assistant athletic director and director of sports medicine at NWU, praised the collaboration, saying, “You and your staff are amazing!”
The partnership not only streamlines the pre-season preparation for NWU athletes but also strengthens interprofessional education and community engagement, making it a model for other institutions.