Students Step Up to A Challenge Like No Other
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By Carolyn Schmitz, SPT, Theresa Grimes, SPT
This is a time truly unlike any other. The COVID-19 crisis has created extreme challenges for all of us in the physical therapy community, both personally and professionally.
Over the past 30 years, more than 300 schools and thousands of PT and PTA students have participated in the Marquette Challenge – an annual student-led fundraiser that benefits the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research (FPTR). Over the years, the Marquette Challenge has raised more than $4.3 million for research. FPTR depends on these funds to award grants, scholarships, and fellowships.
Like many nonprofits, FPTR has been affected by the health crisis and economic disruptions. These disruptions also impacted the 2019-2020 VCU-Marquette Challenge, which was suspended when campuses moved to distance learning. The Challenge is FPTR’s largest annual fundraising effort representing 30% of the overall fundraising budget. Due to the suspension of this year’s Challenge, FPTR faces a budget shortfall.
Today, student fundraisers are more important to FPTR’s mission than ever. Though this year will be different, we are asking students to rise to "A Challenge Like No Other” in our times. I hope you will connect with physical therapy research in a meaningful way by fundraising for the 2020-2021 VCU-Marquette Challenge.
PT/PTA students and faculty have been staunch supporters of FPTR, and every donation is critical to the success of the Challenge. Over the years, the Foundation has funded 14 researchers from the state of Virginia. FPTR remains appreciative of the commitment of PT and PTA students from Virginia in supporting physical therapy research.
Please join me and other students in supporting the 2020-2021 VCU-Marquette Challenge “A Challenge Like No Other.”
Faculty and students in the state of Virginia are encouraged to visit the Marquette Challenge website at marquettechallenge.com to learn how they can support FPTR and physical therapy research through the 2020-2021 VCU-Marquette Challenge. Or, they can go directly to FPTR’s giving tool and create an online fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/search?q=FPTR.
About the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research
The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research was established in 1979 as the only national, independent nonprofit organization solely dedicated to funding physical therapy research. Since its inception, FPTR has awarded more than $19 million in research grants, fellowships, and scholarships to more than 640 promising researchers. Many of today’s leading physical therapy researchers, clinicians, and academicians began their careers with this support. Foundation-funded researchers have gone on to secure more than $845 million in follow-on funding. www.foundation4pt.org/donate
