WPT Fund

Student Scholarship Awards

The application deadline is August 1, for which all PTA students are eligible, and DPT students in their final year of their DPT program are eligible.

Purpose

To provide financial assistance to physical therapist or physical therapist assistant students in their last year of professional education in the state of Wisconsin. The goal is not only to assist students in financial need but also to reward students who demonstrate well rounded personal attributes and who make contributions to the community and/or to the development of the physical therapy profession. Assistance is provided in the form of a scholarship. Amounts are determined by the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Fund Board of Trustees in the Spring of each year.

Students may fill out one application for all of the possible scholarship awards.  Include any relevant information in the appropriate sections for consideration for the Chris Crivello Community Service Award as well as the Tracy Rasor Scholarship.

The applicant must:

• Demonstrate financial need
• Be a student in good standing at an accredited college, university or technical college accredited by CAPTE
• Be a member of APTA/APTA Wisconsin
• SPTs may apply as they are approaching their final year of education in an accredited Wisconsin PT program (E.g. students applying over the summer of 2024 should be graduating sometime in 2025)
• SPTAs may apply once anytime during the 2 years that they are attending an accredited Wisconsin PTA program
• Submit a completed application to APTA Wisconsin by August 1.
• Submit two letters of recommendation by August 1. Your application will not be considered if we do not have 2 letters or recommendation by August 1.

• Financial need of the applicant
• Assessment of the two letters of recommendation
• All applicants will be considered for a WPT Scholars award which is based on financial need
• In addition, students can apply for EITHER the Chris Crivello Award OR the Tracy Rasor Award (both of which also consider financial need in addition to accomplishments)
• A student may only receive one scholarship (WPT Scholars, Chris Crivello or Tracy Rasor)

Dates and Deadlines:

1. Applications and letters of recommendation are due August 1 each year.
2. Online Application
3. Letters of Recommendation should be submitted using the following link: https://wptf.wufoo.com/forms/q45d2je1hmpixn/
4. Applicants will be notified by mid-April whether they will receive an award.
5. Checks will be sent directly to students prior to the end of the year.

Tracy L. Rasor Sports Medicine Scholarship

Tracy was an inspirational role model and mentor in the field of sports medicine physical therapy.  Tracy received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Ohio State University in 1980 and her Master of Science in Physical Therapy in 1985.  In 1994, Tracy completed her athletic training certification and went on to co-found Advanced Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine in Appleton, WI.  She was an active member of the APTA WI, serving on APTA Wisconsin Nominating Committee and the Autonomous Practice Committee.  Tracy was a vibrant, caring person who positively impacted the lives of all that she touched.  Her clinical skills, wit, and dedication to her patients led to her being honored as the 2010 APTA Wisconsin Physical Therapist of the Year.

In 2010, her friends and family established the Tracy Rasor Scholarship to be awarded to a student physical therapist in Wisconsin who has demonstrated an interest in sports medicine physical therapy.  The Wisconsin Physical Therapy Fund is privileged to adminster this scholarship in honor of Tracy, an outstanding role model and member of our profession.

 

Chris Crivello Community Service Award

Chris was a role model for hope, inspiration and dedication to the practice of physical therapy for aspiring young professionals through her service to the community and to the profession.  She received her bachelor of science degree in physical therapy from Marquette University.  She was a chair of the APTA Wisconsin, Southeast District; treasurer of the American Physical Therapy Association Community Health Section and co-editor of the Community Health Section Quarterly Report.

In 1993, a scholarship was designed in her memory.  The Chris Crivello Community Service Award is given to a student who demonstrates not only high academic standards, but also a commitment to community involvement.  This award is administered through the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Fund.

The following tribute was given by Reenie Kavalar at the funeral of Chris Crivello.

April 13, 1993
By Reenie Kavalar

I’m not sure when or where we met.  As often occurs in the work environment, our paths crossed in the line of duty.  Chris and I became colleagues as we helped each other provide services to home care patients.  Chris treated patients and managed the therapy services for We Care, I did the same for RSW.  As our services grew, we developed a community of home care therapists.  Many of you are here today.
In 1987, as Chris was recovering from her first bout with cancer, she called to ask if I knew of anyone in the PT community looking for a manager who couldn’t treat patients.  Her reputation as a hard worker, manager and clinician had preceded this call and I knew before I’d hung up the phone that I wanted her to be part of my team.

Chris quickly proved to herself and to the rest of us that she was an invaluable asset.  Within weeks of joining our staff, barely having time to get oriented to her home care management job, she was in a nursing home half time, managing me, the acting staff therapist.  We both skipped the fact that she had never done any nursing home work before.  From there the Crivello/Kavalar team did several short stints at other nursing homes on the temporary circuit.  I think we were both a bit surprised at the amount of patient care that could be accomplished as we worked as a team.

RSW became InSpeech and then NovaCare, and as it did our job responsibilities changed and expanded.  Chris faced each new challenge with determination and was always there to pick up the pieces that I couldn’t balance.  I never asked - things just got done.  Some of those pieces included volunteering for positions in APTA Wisconsin and the Community Health Section of the American Physical Therapy Association.

During the past six years, Chris has shared with us her inner strength and fortitude in the face of multiple adversities.  In all that Chris did, she demonstrated her organizational skills and professionalism, as well as her sense of independence accompanied with sincere gratitude.  Ever present was her sense of humor.

In 1989, Chris was recognized by the Marquette University Physical Therapy Program “as a role model of hope, inspiration and dedication to the practice of physical therapy for aspiring young professionals”.  In November of 1992 she received the NovaCare Chairman’s Award for her commitment to the Pursuit of Excellence.

To me, Chris was a role model of hope and inspiration and dedication to excellence.  We learned from each other.  Chris was my partner and my friend.  I will miss her.

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DEI Advocacy Scholarship

The DEI Advocacy Scholarship was started in 2022 to honor a student who demonstrates activities that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the physical therapy profession.