Sixteen High Point University physician assistant students provided hearing and vision screenings for approximately 60 children at the Carson Stout Boys & Girls Club in the city of High Point on Aug. 7. HPU PA student Ashley Diel smiled as she helped a child with headphones during a hearing screening.
HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 29, 2025 – High Point University students, faculty and staff frequently conduct, publish and share research and creative works in a variety of ways. Below is a recap of recent research and innovative initiatives.
Physician Assistant Students Provide Free Vision and Hearing Screenings
Sixteen physician assistant students provided hearing and vision screenings for approximately 60 children at the Carson Stout Boys & Girls Club in the city of High Point on Aug. 7. Community Collaboration for Children, Inc. (C3), a nonprofit, multi-agency collaborative dedicated to supporting children and families in need, coordinated the screenings that included two club sites. C3 planned to follow up with the children’s parents if their screenings indicate a need for more in-depth evaluation.
The screenings provided PA students with their first opportunity to work with pediatric patients while helping prepare local children to return to school.
“It’s nice to get some hands-on learning with the children. It’s so different from learning in the classroom. We’re putting it into practice,” said Megan Hoang, a first-year PA student from Houston, Texas. “I used to be a pediatric medical assistant so it’s nice to get back into that and practice all the skills of patient interaction. Also, the pediatric population is so different than the adult population that you use different communication skills, which is helpful. In addition, we’re getting to learn tips and tricks from the professors and older classmates here.”
McKenna Roof, a first-year PA student from Cleveland, Ohio, said the event brought back memories of caring for patients in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“I love children. Just being able to interact with them and see their point of view is an awesome experience to have,” Roof said. “With screening vision and especially with hearing, I could see they were a little anxious about it.”
Having a child’s vision and hearing tested during the summer provides an important window of time for further follow-up exams if the screenings indicate a potential medical issue, said Amy Maurer, assistant professor of physician assistant studies.
“This is very much a win-win for the children and the PA students because this is a needed service before the children go back to school,” Maurer said. “It can be difficult to learn when you can’t see or hear optimally. The PA students learn to provide hearing and vision screening services, but they’ve also learned about communicating effectively with the children, which is an important skill to have as they move forward in their career.”
C3 President Vicki Miller said the nonprofit will contact parents and offer free exam services, transportation to the medical office and glasses for their children, if warranted.
“We’ve been doing this for five years, and the reason we’re emphasizing it is that the school system no longer requires vision and hearing screenings,” said Miller, a former principal and adjunct HPU faculty member. “The parent must request it, and we’re finding out that a lot of kids are falling through the cracks. By coming here in the summer, we work with the Boys & Girls Club and HPU to at least ensure that the kids who are attending summer camp get a foot up on making sure their vision and hearing is good for the school year.”
Physical Therapy Students Assist Adaptive Surfing and Skating Clinic
Thirty-two Doctor of Physical Therapy students, two faculty members and a daughter of an HPU family recently joined more than 120 athletes and 550 volunteers to participate in an annual adaptive surfing and skating clinic at Carolina Beach, North Carolina.
Teaming up with Ocean Cure and Life Rolls On, nonprofit partners who host adaptive events on the East and West Coasts, presented an opportunity for physical therapy students to get hands-on skills in the adaptive sporting community for a fourth consecutive year. Together, they assisted children and adults with a wide range of physical disabilities who surfed the waves, skateboarded and biked.
“I think this year, the best thing I experienced was seeing DPT students realize the potential for anyone with different abilities to participate in sports,” said Dr. Rebecca Medendorp, an assistant professor and director of clinical education in HPU’s Department of Physical Therapy. “It did not matter if they arrived in a wheelchair, walked on crutches or could only lift their head: they all surfed. The DPT students learned not to put limitations on people just because of their disability. You must get creative about how they participate, and everyone can join in the fun!”
Being part of the two-day adaptive surf camp was incredibly rewarding, said Kara Marsh, a second-year DPT student.
“It was such a meaningful experience to work alongside each other and witness the joy we were able to help bring to the athletes,” Marsh said. “This experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the importance of getting involved in the community and providing support to individuals of all abilities. I know this experience will help me better advocate for and support my future patients as I continue my education and prepare for my career as a physical therapist.”
Life Rolls On was founded by Jesse Billauer, a three-time world adaptive surfing champion and a six-time U.S. national adaptive surfing champion. The foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people living with various disabilities through adaptive surfing and skating.
“As a practicing pediatric and neurological physical therapist and a faculty member, it is important that DPT students experience and see what is possible so they will never limit their future patients and instead work to empower them,” said Dr. Renee Hamel, associate professor and director of students in the Department of Physical Therapy. “Creativity, sweat equity, passion and courage to think outside the box are critical to the physical therapy scope of practice and the quality of lives of the people we serve.”
HPU Researchers Present Alzheimer’s Findings
An HPU student and a faculty member participated in the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2025 (AAIC) in Toronto, Canada, on July 27-31.
Dr. Lisa Zukowski, an associate professor of physical therapy, attended the conference with Christopher Phillips, a rising junior majoring in exercise science from Alpharetta, Georgia.
Phillips presented a research poster on an independent project he completed with Zukowski using data she collected in conjunction with researchers at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. This study provided new information about how subtle cognitive changes associated with neuropathological changes in older adults at elevated risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease impact the performance of everyday tasks that are cognitively demanding, such as grocery shopping.
“As a researcher who is starting to do more work on the topic of Alzheimer’s disease, it was great to be at a conference with so many international experts on Alzheimer’s disease, presenting the latest on risk assessment, diagnosis, prevention and care,” Zukowski said.
The premier annual conference attracted nearly 19,000 attendees and featured more than 6,400 scientific submissions from around the world.
Student Interns at Harvard Dental School of Medicine
Giovana Abe Mascoli, a senior neuroscience major on a neurobiology track, explored her research interests during the summer through a highly competitive internship at the Harvard Dental School of Medicine. She plans to pursue a graduate program in neuroscience after completing her undergraduate studies at HPU.
“I got valuable hands-on experience for what I plan to do in grad school,” said Mascoli, who is from Campinas, Brazil. “My ultimate career goal is to become a research scientist for neurodegenerative diseases combining aspects of the human microbiome focused on gut-brain-heart axis and how they interact with each other.”