Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Thomas Blakeslee; I am from Claymont, Delaware, and currently live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I graduated from Bellarmine University in 2022 with my Master of Science in Athletic Training.
What made you choose Bellarmine?
Bellarmine’s Athletic Training program had a high pass rate for the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC) exam, had excellent clinical sites and encouraged students to seek out additional experiences and internship opportunities.
What drew you to this field?
I played sports for my entire life and always had an interest in the medical field. Athletic training provided the opportunity to help people while still being around athletics.
What do you do now?
I am currently a certified athletic trainer at the University of Utah and I absolutely love it. I am working with the men’s lacrosse team as well as the spirit team. As the athletic trainer with the spirit team, I had the opportunity to travel with the spirit team to the Pac-12 football championships as well as the 2023 Rose Bowl.
Did you have any experiences outside your typical classroom instruction that helped you learn more, make connections or gain real world skills?
While at Bellarmine, I completed clinical rotations with the University of Louisville, Bellarmine University, the University of Delaware, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. One of the standout moments of my clinical experience came while at the University of Louisville, where the women’s basketball team was ranked #1 in the country for the first time in program history. Outside of my clinical experiences, I also got to work with the US National Deaf Soccer team during their training camp in Louisville as they prepared for the 2022 Deaflympics.
What did you appreciate most about the MSAT program at Bellarmine?
The thing I appreciated the most was how caring the professors were. They truly care about every one of their students and want to see them succeed.
Was Bellarmine, overall, a good experience for you?
Bellarmine was a great experience for me because of the education and experience that I received while in the athletic training program as well as all of the wonderful people that helped me along the way.
Is there anything else we should know about your experience at Bellarmine?
I would just like to specifically thank Dr. Myra Stockdale and Dr. Chelsey Franz for being such incredible people and mentors. The Athletic Training program at Bellarmine is such an amazing program thanks to all of the time and effort that they put in.
Click here to learn more about Bellarmine University’s Master of Science in Athletic Training program.