Holynn Bruner ’26, Madelyn McCall ’26, Naomi Thallman ’26 and Timothy Yashchenko ’26 are taking their Asbury preparation into the next chapter of their calling as future physical therapists.
Four recent Asbury University graduates walked into their first day of physical therapy school together this fall and marked an exciting milestone for Asbury’s growing preparation of students for careers in health care.
Holynn Bruner ’26, Madelyn McCall ’26, Naomi Thallman ’26 and Timothy Yashchenko ’26 began the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the University of Kentucky. Together, the Asbury alumni represent four of just 60+ students in the incoming class, selected from more than 100 applicants.
Asbury University recent alumni represent four out of a class of 60+ new students in the DPT program at UK."
“A significant milestone under the leadership of Dr. Kearns. Praise the Lord!”
The students previously studied within Asbury’s Shaw School of Sciences, where faculty prepare students for competitive graduate programs through rigorous coursework, hands-on learning and personal mentorship.
Having four Asbury graduates enter the same competitive UK DPT cohort demonstrates the strength of Asbury’s preparation for students pursuing advanced health care education.
Associate Professor and Department Chair of Exercise Science Dr. Elise Kearns said watching students reach this milestone reflects both their hard work and their desire to serve others.
It is a blessing for me to have the opportunity to teach and lead such wonderful students in their preparation for DPT programs."
“They undoubtedly will contribute to the health and wellness of many people in the future with their knowledge of science but also in their compassion and care for all of God’s people.”
That combination of academic preparation and calling has shaped the students’ journeys.
“God has placed a call on my life to provide holistic care for underserved people groups, and physical therapy is a great way to do that while building encouraging patient-focused relationships,” Thallman said. “In the future, I want to pursue physical therapy internationally.”
McCall similarly credits her Asbury professors with helping her discern her path.
“My professors at Asbury have helped prepare me for a future in physical therapy and have cultivated my interests and guided those toward my vocation,” McCall said.
The impact continues beyond graduation. Dr. Susanna Hall ’18 Heinss, an acute care physical therapist at UK Chandler Medical Center within the pulmonary ICU, said Asbury’s rigorous academics prepared her well for graduate study.
Asbury’s courses were extremely thorough and covered advanced materials that directly applied to my courses in physical therapy school."
“The professors held me to a high standard of academic excellence that prepared me for graduate school.”
For Bruner, McCall, Thallman and Yashchenko, the first-day photo together captures more than the beginning of graduate school. It represents years of preparation at Asbury — and the beginning of four new journeys toward serving others through physical therapy.
The Asbury University Shaw School of Sciences includes five departments: Biology & Chemistry, Equine Studies, Exercise Science, Mathematics & Computer Science, and Nursing.
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