This year’s Adventist Association of Movement Professionals Conference included virtual presentations by Maleah Moses and Alden Wilfley, Walla Walla University senior exercise majors. Both students gained unique first-hand experience presenting professionally curated ideas to well-known figures within their field and networking with professionals and peers from around the world.
These students were chosen by the WWU health and physical education department faculty for the outstanding quality of their research and presentation. Rodd Strobel, chair and assistant professor of health and physical education, said, “Both Maleah and Alden are smart, curious, motivated and just really nice people. They are everything we work to foster in the next generation of professionals making a difference in the world.”
For his presentation, “Running Specific Prostheses: Advantage or Disadvantage?” Wilfley took a close look at the j-shaped carbon fiber devices seen in the Paralympics to determine if they provided an edge in running. He chose to delve into this topic because the effectiveness and ability of these devices are inherently interesting to him, and it is closely tied to his future field of study. After graduation, he plans on taking a gap year before enrolling in the Master’s in Orthotics and Prosthetics program at University of Washington.
Moses’ presentation, “Virtual Reality in Physical Therapy,” focused on how VR makes physical therapy more immersive and engaging, which helps patients work harder without even realizing it, often reducing their perception of pain and boosting motivation. Though it won't replace conventional therapy, VR physical therapy is a powerful and effective tool that can fill the gaps where traditional physical therapy may fall short.
After graduating, Moses plans to start the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at University of Texas Medical Branch. She said, “Presenting at the AAMP Conference was incredibly valuable for my overall professional development. Preparing the content was one part of the experience, but actually presenting and responding to challenging questions pushed me to think on my feet and communicate more effectively. It also deepened my passion for the topic — being surrounded by people who were just as interested as I was made it even more enjoyable and rewarding to share.”
For more about the WWU department of health and physical education, visit wallawalla.edu/HPE.
