Rizing Tide Foundation Announces Inaugural Surge Scholarship Recipients

The foundation will award $30,000 in scholarships to students from various racial and ethnic backgrounds who are pursuing residency programs in physical therapy

PHOENIX, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rizing Tide, a foundation dedicated to inspiring more racial diversity and inclusiveness in the physical therapy (PT) workforce, announced today the first cohort of recipients for the Surge scholarship program. Three physical therapy students entering a residency program were selected to receive partial scholarship awards to help cover their residency expenses.

Each student will receive a one-time payment, up to $10,000 each, to subsidize their tuition, room and board, and fees that occur during their residency program. The Surge scholarship recipients were selected based on academic performance, their potential to impact the physical therapy industry, personal character, and the recommendation of their peers. The applicants were evaluated by the Rizing Tide Beachcombers, an esteemed panel of diverse professionals in the PT industry.

"Rizing Tide seeks to broaden the reach, impact and accessibility of the physical therapy profession, and we are thrilled to award these Surge scholarships to help aid in that mission," said Dr. Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, founder of Rizing Tide. "Many PTs see residency programs as a path toward leadership and enter with residual student debt from acquiring their DPT. This is a huge burden, and even an obstacle to entry, for many BIPOC students looking to further their careers. We are excited to help alleviate some of that pressure so these talented future leaders can not only succeed, but be a force to be reckoned with in the physical therapy industry."

The 2022 Rizing Tide Foundation Surge scholarship recipients include:

• Stephon Moise, who holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from The University of Central Florida and attends the AdventHealth Orlando Orthopedic Residency Program
• Nanami Mano, who holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and is a Geriatric Physical Therapy Resident at The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• Uzair Mohammed Hammad, who holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from The University of Central Florida and attends the University of Central Florida & Orlando Health Neurologic Residency program

"The selection committee is excited to award these recipients of the Surge scholarship who excel both academically and personally," said Efosa Guobadia, a Rizing Tide Beachcomber, CEO of FFITT Health, and co-founder of PT Day of Service. "We have no doubt that these three inspiring recipients will be a guiding beacon of change in the industry for years to come."

Rizing Tide is also excited to announce that applications for the 2022 Crest scholarship will open June 1, 2022. The Crest scholarship is awarded to PT students who identify as BIPOC and are pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Applicants must be either undergraduate students who are going on to attend graduate school, first or second year PT students currently enrolled in an accredited PT program, or PTAs entering a bridge PT program. Each Crest scholarship awards up to $14,000 to each student—and may be renewed twice.

For more information on the Rizing Tide Foundation, including scholarship eligibility requirements, how to apply, and the selection process, visit: www.rizing-tide.com.

ABOUT RIZING TIDE:
Rizing Tide was founded in 2020 by Dr. Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, to help bridge the diversity gap in the physical therapy profession. She is the co-founder of WebPT and a physical therapist with more than 25 years of experience in the rehab therapy industry. The foundation awards yearly scholarships to BIPOC therapists and PT students in an effort to make a meaningful, generational impact on the industry. Learn more at www.rizing-tide.com.

SOURCE Rizing Tide