The Michael E. Nesbitt Athletic Training Scholarship was formed to enhance the education of students in pursuit of their degree in Athletic Training. \u00a0Students who demonstrate exceptional quality, both academically and clinically, in the Athletic Training Program at NAU can earn a substantial scholarship. Typically, this scholarship equates to a full year of in-state tuition.<\/p>\n
Mike Nesbitt served as the Head Athletic Trainer at Northern Arizona University for 36 years\u00a0from 1970-2006, and he oversaw tremendous growth in the department. With just five sports \u2013 football, men\u2019s basketball, men\u2019s track & field, baseball and wrestling \u2013 when he first started at NAU, Nesbitt was the leader of the Lumberjack Athletic Training department as the university broke ground with the addition of women\u2019s athletics, progressing through the ever-changing landscape of the Big Sky Conference.<\/p>\n
Mike is highly renowned and respected in the athletic training community at all levels, having been inducted in the National Athletic Trainers\u2019 Association (NATA) Hall of Fame in 1994, the Arizona Athletic Trainers\u2019 Association (AzATA), the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers\u2019 Association (RMATA) Hall of Fames in 1996, and the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame (the only athletic trainer to ever be inducted) in 2019. He played a pivotal role in the state of Arizona, helping implement athletic training programs in state high schools. He served as AzATA President in the 1980s, on the NATA Board of Directors representing the states of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico into the 1990s, and is still a member of the NATA Hall of Fame Selection Committee.<\/p>\n
But Mike was more than an athletic trainer. At NAU, where he is a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame since 1992, Nesbitt was an educator who helped establish a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. Having elevated to Associate Professor of Athletic Training Education from 1990 until his retirement in 2006, Nesbitt was an esteemed member of the NAU Faculty, having been recognized with the Distinguished Faculty Award in 1985. Mike was also instrumental in establishing licensure in the State of Arizona.<\/p>\n
The establishment of The Michael E. Nesbitt Athletic Training Scholarship is truly the embodiment of Mike\u2019s legacy. It is his wish and ours that this scholarship <\/i>continue to be awarded, annually, to a deserving student.<\/p>\n
The first recipient of The Michael E. Nesbitt Athletic Training Scholarship was awarded in 2010, and since, 18 more students have earned the prestigious award.<\/p>\n
Previous Award Winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n 2010 – Sam Diaz<\/p>\n 2011 – Ashley Schultejann & Senecca Allred<\/p>\n 2012 – Amanda Silberschlag & Carolina Quintana<\/p>\n 2013 – Daniel Gundy<\/p>\n 2014 – Ben Kmetz<\/p>\n 2015 – Chris Marquez<\/p>\n 2017 \u2013 Janae Anderson<\/p>\n 2018 \u2013 Bobby Gragston<\/p>\n 2019 \u2013 Sara Chatham and Jillian Hacker<\/p>\n 2020- Julia Marino<\/p>\n 2021 – Kelly Koppy<\/p>\n 2022 – Brandon Porter and Bre’Anna Bush<\/p>\n 2023 – Arturo Ramirez and Laura McDowell<\/p>\n 2024 – Lauren Donnelly<\/p>\n 1st Year NAU MSAT Students MUST BE NOMINATED for this scholarship by either a clinical preceptor or MSAT faculty member.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 If you would like to nominate a student for this prestigious award please send your nomination and statement letter on the nominee to Lanny Bradford at landon.bradford@nau.edu. <\/a>\u00a0Nominations are due by Jan. 1 of each. calendar year.<\/p>\n The minimum qualifications for the award are as follows:<\/strong><\/p>\nNomination Process<\/h4>\n
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