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The first recipient of the esteemed Hertler-Stoodley Award, recognizing one of the top outstanding students in the School of Integrative Physiology and Athletic Training, is Sara Trotchie from Shelby, ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú. Bringing fourteen years of experience as a massage therapist to her academic pursuits, Sara enrolled at the ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú in 2020 to pursue a degree in Applied Human Physiology, driven by a desire to further her career in healthcare. During her time at UM, Sara has actively contributed to the Gerontology Society, serving as its secretary. Her engagement in undergraduate research under Dr. Bundle has been highly successful, culminating in an award-winning research poster presentation at UMCUR for her lab's work on motion capture systems. Sara's dedication to learning and her outstanding academic performance make her a truly deserving recipient of the Hertler-Stoodley Award.

The first recipient of the Walter C. Schwank Award, honoring an outstanding student athlete with a strong commitment to the School of IPAT, is Brooke Stayner. A dedicated track and field student-heptathlete from Missoula, ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú, Brooke balanced her rigorous training, often around 15 hours per week across multiple disciplines, with her academic pursuits. Brooke is an honors student in The Davidson Honors College and is pursuing medical school. Demonstrating exceptional dedication and academic achievement as an Exercise Science Pre-Professional major with a Biology minor, Brooke is graduating early, a testament to her drive and focus. Brooke truly embodies the spirit of the Walter C. Schwank Award through her athletic excellence and commitment to the School of IPAT.

Riley O'Brien was one of the two recipients of the 2025 Walter C. Schwank Award. From Huntington Beach, California, Riley was a dedicated member of the Griz women’s soccer team for four years, contributing to three championship victories and traveling extensively with the team. Balancing her athletic pursuits with academic rigor, Riley pursued a degree in Exercise Science Applied, with a minor in Sport Psychology. Her commitment extended beyond the field, as demonstrated by her internship at the Boys and Girls Club and her work at the ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú Imaging Center. Riley plans to pursue a radiology technician certification, setting her on a path for a future career in medical imaging. Riley's dedication both as a student-athlete and as an engaged member of the IPAT community made her a highly deserving recipient of the Walter C. Schwank Award.

This award is given to a student who has succeeded in the face of obstacles and has made important contributions to the University. For many of us, the path to graduation has been marked by challenges, but for Ashtyn those challenges have been the very things that shaped their strength. She faced hurdles that could have stopped many in their tracks — obstacles that tested her limits, that demanded an extraordinary amount of heart and grit. Ashtyn is a ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú native from White Sulphur Springs. She came to UM in pursuit of the accelerated pathway to achieve her career goal of becoming an athletic trainer. After admission to the MAT program in her 3rd year on campus, which is a rigorous curriculum with full time graduate studies along with assigned clinical rotations, Ashtyn learned that she was going to be a mom. April 28, 2024, she gave birth to her daughter, Westlynn, while still enrolled full-time in the AT program. She completed all the requirements, including coursework over the summer as a brand new mom, to successfully matriculate into her second and final year of the program. She moved to Billings to complete her immersive clinical experiences as that put her closer to family. A change in her partner’s job required a move away from Billings in the middle of her clinical rotation, requiring her and Westlynn to move almost an hour away from her clinical site to live with her grandparents. Ashtyn persisted, commuting back and forth to Laurel High School with Westlynn to successfully complete her clinical requirements before returning to Missoula in February. Ashtyn and Westlynn returned to Missoula and have been living with a friend to complete the final requirements of both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She has done all of this without having access to daycare. Ashtyn successfully achieved her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees concurrently. Ashtyn, time and again, has overcome adversity, embraced every challenge and saw it as an opportunity to grow. The late nights, the sacrifices, the setbacks — they are all part of a greater story, one of persistence and triumph. We recognize the courage it took to keep moving forward when the road seemed impossible, and the strength to rise after every challenge. It is for these reasons that Ashtyn was selected as this year’s recipient of the Thomas Whiddon Award.

The recipient of the 2025 Shamus McCarthy Award was Alex Zache from Madison, Wisconsin. Aspiring to a career in medicine, Alex consistently demonstrated the self-motivation and passion for learning that this award celebrates. As an Exercise Science, Pre-professional major, Alex immersed himself in the study of anatomy and physiology, serving as a teaching assistant in the cadaver lab at Missoula College. His dedication extended to collaborative work on the Legacy Project, developing instructional resources from cadaver prosections. Further exemplifying his commitment to healthcare, Alex served as a certified nursing assistant at Community Medical Center from January 2023 through May of 2025. He took the MCAT exam in May of 2025 and plans to apply to medical school at UW Madison for the fall of 2026, after attaining an MBA. Alex stands as a true role model, demonstrating the conscientiousness and selfless dedication that defines the Shamus McCarthy Award.

The 2025 recipient of the Brian Sharkey Award, recognizing an outstanding exercise science graduate student researcher, is Alejandro Rosales. From Chicago, Illinois, Alejandro's passion for exercise science was evident during his time running cross country and track at North Central College. Inspired by Dr. Ruby's WPEM research agenda, he pursued his graduate studies at the ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú, earning a master's degree in Exercise Science and a PhD in Integrative Physiology and Rehabilitation Science. His graduate work focused significantly on the critical area of physiological acclimation to various environmental stressors, including heat, cold, and altitude. Alejandro will be continuing his work in the WPEM lab for his post-doctoral studies under the guidance of Dr.’s Slivka and Ruby. His dedication to rigorous research within IPAT's laboratories makes him a highly deserving recipient of the Brian Sharkey Award.