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Mason earns educator of the year

Wesleyan’s Drew Mason, assistant professor of exercise science, was recently awarded the 2016 Athletic Training Educator of the Year Award by the West Virginia Athletic Training Association (WVATA) during the annual meeting in Flatwoods.

A 1996 graduate of Magnolia High School, the New Martinsville native has been with West Virginia Wesleyan College since 2009.

“I am humbled and honored by the award,” he said. “There are exceptional educators all over the state who are equally deserving of such an award. I had the pleasure of being educated by Wesleyan greats Jean Fruh and Jeremy Sibold. Those individuals set a very high bar in the profession and in the classroom.”

Submitted photo
Drew Mason, left, was named 2016 Athletic Training Educator of the year. He stands with former WVATA past president Dr. Vince Stilger of West Virginia University.

Stephanie Clark, head athletic trainer at Elk Valley Physical Therapy and alumna of both the undergraduate and graduate athletic training programs at Wesleyan, recommended Mason for the award. Mason served as Clark’s mentor during her time as a student, and she was impressed with how Mason approached the educational process.

“In the classroom, Drew provided real world information and made sure to use teaching strategies that were beneficial to everyone in the room,” Clark said. “Drew uses his real-life experiences to help students understand multiple athletic training concepts and makes learning interesting. I have also never sat in a class taught by Drew where he did not know a student’s name and some facts about them.”

Mason earned his bachelor of science in athletic training from Wesleyan in 2000 and his master of science in health and physical education from Marshall University in 2002. During his employment at Wesleyan, he has served as the athletic trainer for men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams, as well as the baseball team and women’s soccer team. He is the clinical coordinator of the athletic training program and aided the program director of the Athletic Training Educational Program (ATEP) in accreditation of Wesleyan.

“I see it as my duty to educate,” he said. “Our profession has be recognized as an allied healthcare provider by the American Medical Association (AMA) since 1990. However, there is still a large majority of the public that still does not know what we do. Every day, we are educating student-athletes, coaches, parents and others on injury prevention.”

The objective of the WVATA is to provide a mechanism whereby professionals can work to improve the field of athletic training and the quality of health care given to athletes and the physically active in the state of West Virginia.

For more information regarding Wesleyan’s athletic training major or master’s program, please contact Mason by email atmason_d@wvwc.edu.

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