Zac Ormond DPT'23 and Alicia Wilson DPT'24 were recognized at the 30th annual Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards Celebration on April 22.
Zac Ormond DPT’23 and Alicia Wilson DPT’24 were recognized at the 30th annual Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards Celebration on April 22. These students were nominated by faculty and staff members of Elon University as students who excelled.
Wilson was presented the Service Award which recognizes a Black student who has demonstrated a sustained commitment in one or more of these community engagement forms beyond Elon’s campus: volunteer service, political engagement, social action and activism or advocacy — the student who has shown exceptional passion and commitment towards helping others.
In nomination letters, Wilson was described as having “contagious energy and a commitment to equitable healthcare.” In her time here at Elon, Wilson is a active member of the Health Outreach Program at Elon (H.O.P.E. Clinic), Student Board and has volunteered over 125 hours.
She is known for using her breaks and free time to oversee the scheduling and intakes of patients weekly, coordinate monthly meetings with administrative staff, and facilitate scheduling of interpretation services for patients who do not speak English as their primary language. Wilson has also aided in the expansion of the pro bono services at the CityGate Dream Center of Burlington. At the Dream Center, she is involved in the soccer program, serving as a role model to girls and women in sports and promoting wellness.
Additionally, she facilitated the donation of youth soccer jersey’s and baby diapers. Wilson is a co-writer of a grant in the North Carolina American Physical Therapy Association aiming to financially support and expand health services at the Dream Center.
Ormond was presented the Leadership Award which recognizes a Black student with exceptional leadership qualities demonstrated through sustained and progressive involvement and participation in university or community organizations. The student has shown the ability to lead, influence, and guide other individuals and/or organizations.
In nomination letters, Ormond was described as a “leader and advocate.” He is the chair of the Elon School of Health Sciences Student Diversity Committee. He has facilitated and coordinated the creation of over 25 monthly Diversi-teas for faculty, staff and students to interact with guest speakers on topics of DEI in health care, LGBTQIA+ ally training for healthcare professionals, Islamophobia and its impact on health, and Black American health disparities.
He has been described as leading this committee with “curiosity and open-mindedness to diverse issues.” Ormond also volunteers his time to the H.O.P.E. Clinic not only as a Physical Therapy student, but also as a Spanish translator for clinicians and patients. He received the H.O.P.E. Clinic’s Elon PT of the Month Excellence Award (EPiTOME) for his “exceptional leadership and creativity with his patients.” He has co-authored a peer-reviewed poster at CSM in 2023, serves as a peer mentor for two members of the Class of 2025, and volunteered to assist in the photoshoot for the third edition of the PT textbook, “Mobility in Context,” and was selected by the publisher to be on the cover.
In addition, the Academic Achievement award was presented to students. This award recognize a Black/African American student who has excelled in academic excellence and possesses the highest-class GPA.
The following Doctor of Physical Therapy students were recognized:
- Jordan Waite (DPT 23′)
- Alicia Wilson (DPT 24′)
- Raya Coley (DPT 25′) & Jazmyne Davis (DPT 25′)