PSU Athletic Training Team Provides Lock Haven Graduate Student with Fully Immersive Experience

*NOTE: This is part of a series of stories written by Lock Haven University graduate students about their athletic training full-immersion externships this spring.

Maria Mosquera, of Harrisburg, graduated from Lock Haven University in May with a Master of Science in Athletic Training. During her time at LHU, she served as the graduate assistant coach for the women's soccer team.

The last semester of her program required a full immersive experience at a different institution or setting. Through the vast network of LHU's athletic training program, Mosquera's academic advisors helped make her Penn State University full immersive clinical experience dream come true.

The immersive experience gave Mosquera the opportunity to strengthen her acute and chronic evaluation skills, injury prevention techniques, immediate care of athletic injuries, organization and administration tasks and lastly, network with all the different non-athletic "team" members that enable training sessions/lifting sessions to run smoothly.

MARIA MOSQUERA, LHU RECENT GRADUATE, WITH JAMES FRANKLIN, PSU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, DURING HER TIME WORKING WITH THE PSU ATHLETIC TRAINING TEAM.

Spring football is a time where the athletes can work on any kinks or knocks that happened during the season. It is a time to recondition and strengthen. Lastly, it is a time for some of the new recruits to early enroll and begin their college experience early. All three of these factors offer a unique exposure to different injuries, rehabilitation planning and social interactions.

The graduate assistant coach is extremely thankful for the opportunity to have been submerged within the professional environment that Penn State University.

"Every single staff member has their own unique role," Mosquera said. "And when everyone comes together for a practice session, the outcome is electric ... WE ARE!!"