Grubb, of Barbourville, will receive the award at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada in February. This is the seventh year that a SCC student has won the award. Past recipients include: Bethany Smahaj, Winchester; Glenn Trail, Lexington; Chris Garland, Burkesville; Valarie Cooper, Jamestown; Barry Buchignani, Lexington; and Isaac Mills, Corbin.
Grubb serves as president of her class and is a member of several student organizations, including the SCC Physical Therapy Student Organization, the SCC Martial Arts Club and Phi Theta Kappa International Honorary. She was named the recipient of the James H. Anderson Award for Outstanding First-Year PTA Student and was selected by her peers to be the “Outstanding Physical Therapy Student Organization Member” for 2013. She was also named to the Kentucky Physical Therapy Association’s All-Academic Team for 2013.
Grubb is active in a number of charitable and community service activities including assisting with free health screenings at the Kentucky Special Olympics, teaching and mentoring young student in Camp Jump Start and the Governor’s Minority Scholarship Preparation Programs, and volunteering for the Polar Plunge. She has worked as a PT Aide at Total Rehab Center in Somerset.
Grubb was nominated for the award by Dr. Terry Randall of Total Rehab Center, who states, “Samantha has been an outstanding student, employee, classmate, and will soon be an outstanding PTA. Her potential for contributions to our profession are limitless.”
The nomination was supported by program faculty members Steve Hammons, Ron Meade, and Claudette Prather and by program students Rachael Adams and Jessica Lowe.
Grubb is the daughter of Tommy Grubb and Peggy Retherford and is expected to graduate with an Associates of Applied Science Degree from the Physical Therapist Assistant Program in May, 2014. She is the third student in the SCC PTA Program to be recognized nationally. Tyler King of Monticello was elected to the APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors in October; Briana Allen of Monticello was named the APTA Section on Geriatrics’ Outstanding PTA Student Award for 2014.
For more information about the SCC PTA Program, contact the director at ron.meade@kctcs.edu.