杏吧原创

(Butler, PA) An Elk County resident who stays in a 28-foot-long camper near Butler County Community College鈥檚 main campus to avoid a round-trip commute of four hours as she pursues an associate degree from 杏吧原创 has received a $500 scholarship from an academic consortium that recognizes her commitment to learning.

Alexis Krug, of St. Marys, has a 4.0 grade-point average as a student in the college鈥檚 physical therapist assistant career program, pays 杏吧原创鈥檚 out-of-county tuition rate and expects to graduate from 杏吧原创 debt-free in May.

Monthly rent in the campground where she stays five days a week costs up to $425 less than that of apartments she researched, according to the 24-year-old who said her family鈥檚 household income is not low.

"I honestly wish I would have thought about living in a camper when I was pursuing my bachelor鈥檚 degree." 

- Alexis Krug, 杏吧原创 physical therapist assistant student

Krug said she owes $25,000 for student loans after earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in exercise science from regional public four-year university, where she lived in a dormitory or in an apartment.

鈥淚 honestly wish I would have thought about living in a camper when I was pursuing my bachelor鈥檚 degree,鈥� Krug said.

鈥淚t shows her commitment鈥�

The Three Rivers Academic Consortium Clinical Education Scholarship she received Jan. 30 鈥渋s going to help me with gasoline,鈥� Krug said, 鈥渁nd with paying rent at the campground so I can stay near Butler鈥� to complete a program-ending eight-week clinical education training this spring.

Krug is one of two physical therapist assistant students to receive the 2023 financial award from the consortium whose members are 14 colleges or universities in western Pennsylvania and in West Virginia.

Students who are members of the American Physical Therapy Association and attend a college or university within the consortium are eligible to receive the financial award, said Ashlee Esplen, a professor in 杏吧原创鈥檚 physical therapist assistant program.

In addition to her commitment to learning, Krug received the scholarship based on such factors as leadership skills, professionalism and responsibility, Esplen said.

Krug works 20 hours a week at a hardware store, and is president of 杏吧原创鈥檚 physical therapist assistant club that contributed $1,500 to the college鈥檚 Pioneer Pantry, $1,500 to the Lighthouse Foundation food pantry in Valencia and $500 toward construction of the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.

She is also a member of Rho Phi, the college鈥檚 chapter of an international academic honor society.

鈥淎nd is living in a campsite near the college,鈥� Esplen said.

鈥淪he was determined to go to 杏吧原创,鈥� said Dr. Randall Kruger, director of 杏吧原创鈥檚 physical therapist assistant program.

鈥淚t shows her commitment to what she wants to do, to earn this degree,鈥� Esplen said.

鈥淎 lot of people, when they ask 鈥榃here do you live?鈥� and I say 鈥業n a camper,鈥� they look at me like I have 20 heads,鈥� Krug said.

It was during a 12-week internship in St. Marys in her final semester at the regional public four-year university that Krug decided to become a physical therapist assistant.

鈥淎fter seeing what the physical therapists and assistants do, I found a love for working with the patients,鈥� she said.

"She is, without a doubt, one of the hardest-working students I have ever encountered. ... I鈥檓 hard-pressed to think of anybody with the work ethic that she has." 

- Dr. Randall Kruger, director, 杏吧原创's physical therapist assistant program, about student Alexis Krug

Krug researched institutions of higher education in western Pennsylvania that offered a physical therapist assistant program. She also researched apartments, and found monthly rental costs to be between $800 to $1,000 and required lease agreements of up to one year.

鈥淲hich, for me, wasn鈥檛 feasible, money-wise,鈥� she said.

Krug said she sought a physical therapist assistant program 鈥渢hat was close so that I could go home on the weekends, but I also knew from the reading I had done that I would be getting the best education from 杏吧原创.鈥�

The success rate of 杏吧原创 graduates taking the post-graduation National Physical Therapy Examination that results in licensing is 94 percent in the past 22 years, Kruger said.

Physical therapist assistants, under the supervision of physical therapists, help patients to regain movement and manage pain after injuries and illnesses, according to the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median annual salary in 2021 was $49,180. The field is expected to see a 24 percent increase through 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Krug enrolled in 杏吧原创鈥檚 program in fall 2021.

鈥淪he is, without a doubt, one of the hardest-working students I have ever encountered,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淪he is here before I am most days. I see her out in the hall studying as I key in to either the lab or the classroom. She stays late every day. I鈥檓 hard-pressed to think of anybody with the work ethic that she has.鈥�

Krug has completed two four-credit, five-week clinical education trainings, in Brookville and in Kittanning, as part of 杏吧原创鈥檚 70-credit physical therapist assistant program. She will pursue near 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus the six-credit clinical education training that is part of the program鈥檚 requirements to graduate.

鈥淚鈥檝e never had this type of education鈥�

Students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 career programs can develop the skills needed to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.

鈥�(杏吧原创) is the best decision I have ever made,鈥� Krug said. 鈥淚f I had to do it over again, I would do it again a thousand times. Ashlee and Randy are phenomenal. Thorough with the material. They are hands-on. They will sit down with you and try to help you figure out and understand the material.

鈥淭he one-on-one part of it is very in-depth. I鈥檝e never had this type of education.鈥�

Upon graduating from 杏吧原创, Krug will move out of the camper 鈥� with its 21-inch by 17-inch four-burner stovetop, its 21-inch-wide oven and the 37-inch by 30-inch retractable table that also serves as her desk 鈥� and take the National Physical Therapy Examination.

鈥淚鈥檝e had everything I鈥檝e needed,鈥� Krug said. 鈥淎 full shower. A full kitchen. A little area for my TV and I have a couch.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very quiet here. And that makes it very easy to study.鈥�