Scholar: Shelby Barnes
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 63)
About Scholarship Recipient: Shelby says she is grateful for her Latina mother whom always emphasized the importance of education. Her mother was the first in her family to receive a bachelor’s degree and then went on to earn a master’s degree. Shelby knew she was going to study and pursue a career in physical therapy after she was first exposed to the field due to a soccer-related ankle injury she suffered in high school. Shelby went on to San Diego State University and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Pre-Physical Therapy; she was eager to continue in graduate school. She was drawn to CSUN’s Physical Therapy program because of the warmth and diversity of campus. During her time at CSUN, she has been involved in many volunteer and mentoring opportunities. She said she is honored to receive the scholarship and deeply values diversity and has a true admiration for those who attain excellence in sports. She is grateful to the Campanellas and the Dodgers for their generosity and will strive for excellence in the field of physical therapy to provide the highest quality of care while being an advocate for each of her patients. Shelby said she also takes great pride in following in her mother’s footsteps and becoming the first in her family to obtain a doctorate degree.
Scholar: Jacob Melgar
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 63)
About Scholarship Recipient: Jacob said that as a Latino student he is proud and honored to be the first in his family to graduate from a university. In middle and high school, Jacob participated in the C5 Youth Foundation where he was able to develop his leadership skills. These skills rolled over into his role at CSUN as part of the student leadership team for the Physical Therapy Pro Bono Clinic. He was also able to connect with the Filipino American Services Group to render pro bono telehealth physical therapy services during the COVID-19 pandemic. He and the team presented their telehealth clinical model at the Pro Bono Network Conference on behalf of CSUN.
Jacob said that receiving this scholarship is a tremendous honor for him and his family and he has been a Dodger fan since he was a child. He wants to be able to give back to the community and help people improve and maintain a greater quality of life in the future.
Scholar: Braxton Shapiro
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 63)
About Scholarship Recipient: Braxton’s journey to physical therapy school did not follow a traditional path. After graduating high school, he struggled academically and emotionally. He medically withdrew from college and entered rehabilitation where he was able to gain active recovery. He then enrolled at CSUN and pursued an undergraduate degree in psychology, hoping to help individuals struggling like he had been. While working at a substance abuse rehab, he saw many clients struggling with opioid addiction to manage chronic pain. Witnessing how physical and emotional traumas intersect, he wanted to be on the frontlines of pain management and healthy coping strategies. This led to his pursuit of physical therapy; the field allows Braxton to provide tools and guidance to those navigating the difficulties of physical recovery.
Braxton is grateful to receive this scholarship and hopes to promote the values of diversity and inclusion that it represents. He is thankful to the Dodgers and the Campanellas for their generosity and he feels honored to be a part of an organization that recognizes the importance of family and diversity.
Scholar: Sabrina Berger
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 64)
About Scholarship Recipient: Sabrina always knew that she wanted a career in a field focused on helping people. After attending physical therapy herself, she discovered it was erfect for her and she continued to become involved in the field. Prior to CSUN, she obtained her undergraduate degree from Fresno State University where she was involved in several volunteer opportunities and clubs. Sabrina is honored to be part of the Dodger family. She developed an appreciation for baseball at a young age because of playing softball and attending baseball games with her family. She is grateful to the Campanella and Dodgers Foundations for their generosity in helping her pursue her passion of helping others heal.
Scholar: Nicole Dubreuil
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 64)
About Scholarship Recipient: Nicole is a first-generation graduate student and she is honored to be part of a program that supports the community. As a second year student during a pandemic, she was unable to participate in her clinical rotations during the summer, but she was able to get in touch with her previous employer and work as an aide for their physical therapists.
Nicole enjoys working with children and recently became a mother. She has worked with children in the Northridge community with cerebral palsy by assisting them in advancing their motor skills through play therapy. She also enjoys volunteering with children and for organizations on-campus.
Witnessing her Greek family marginalized by healthcare providers was the experience that made Nicole passionate about serving individuals mistreated in the healthcare system. She is thankful to the Campanellas and the Dodgers for extending their generosity and helping her become a great healthcare provider in the community. The scholarship means so much to Nicole and her growing family.
Scholar: Billie He
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 64)
About Scholarship Recipient: Billie is a Chinese-American student and she is very proud to be the first in her family to attend graduate school. She has always enjoyed helping others. In high school, she volunteered for several different organizations and continued to do so when she joined CSUN’s Physical Therapy program. In the near future, she hopes to be even more involved in the CSUN community and be able to volunteer in additional outreach programs.
Billie said it is an honor to receive this scholarship and that she and her family are deeply humbled. She said that her parents have sacrificed a lot for her to be where she is today and she understands what a privilege it is to have all the experiences and support her parents afforded her throughout the years. She would like nothing more than to make them proud and repay them for all the years of love and support. She is sincerely thankful to the Campanella family and the Dodgers for their generosity and she will do her best to pay it forward.
Scholar: Taylor Johnson
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 65)
About Scholarship Recipient: Taylor is a first generation college student who has spent several years involved in different clubs, internships, and volunteer opportunities. In his undergraduate program, he was involved in two internships that worked with providing fitness for the CSUN community through exercise. One was the Commit to be Fit program, where Taylor assisted in coaching staff, faculty, friends and family. In the iFit program he was paired with other CSUN students on the autism spectrum to help them engage in exercise and to increase their social interactions by building a sense of community.
Taylor said receiving this scholarship is a huge honor to him and his family. He has been a Dodger fan for as long as he can remember and has fond memories of attending games with his grandfather and uncle. He said the scholarship means so much to him in continuing his journey and making his family proud. Helping people is his biggest passion in life, he is grateful to the Campanellas, and the Dodgers for providing him with the opportunity to continue his dream and for making him part of the Dodger family.
Scholar: Mingyoung Lee
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 65)
About Scholarship Recipient: Mingyoung is a Taiwanese American student who is the first in his family to attend graduate school. During his first semester in the Physical Therapy program at CSUN, he created a server as a safe space for students to mingle during the pandemic. Mingyoung said he wants to serve to bridge the gap for minorities such as the Chinese speaking community. He said receiving the scholarship has been a tremendous honor for him and that Roy Campanella’s story is inspiring and he is grateful to the Dodgers for carrying on Roy’s legacy.
Scholar: Roland Ramirez
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 65)
About Scholarship Recipient: Roland is a first-generation Latino student and the first in his family to attend graduate school. He said that after graduating high school, he had one goal in mind, to become a physical therapist. Since then, he has taken on mentorship roles in youth programs to help guide young runners through their first marathon and has worked in both outpatient and inpatient physical therapy roles, helping many clients and gaining valuable experience. Roland said that despite the pandemic and distancing from fellow students, he and his peers have managed to form strong relationships in an online environment. He is grateful for this opportunity and knows that without the support of family, friends, peers, and professors he would not be where he is today.
Roland said it is a great honor to receive this scholarship and it is a tremendous help in achieving his dreams of becoming a physical therapist. He grew up in a LA sports centered household and that makes this scholarship that much better. He said no words can describe his level of appreciation for the award and is thankful to the Campanellas and the Dodgers.
Scholar: Nicholas Taylor
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Class 65)
About Scholarship Recipient: Nicholas said he was raised in a low-income family household of new Americans, is a first-generation college graduate, and is the first in his family to pursue graduate studies. During his undergraduate studies, he was committed to learning as much as he could both academically and experientially. This led him to volunteer in hospital settings, work as a physical therapy aide, and study abroad in several countries. Nicholas’ passion for health science corresponds with his desire to serve others. He hopes to place service and patient-centered physical therapy at the forefront of his future sports rehabilitation clinic. He is wholeheartedly grateful to receive this scholarship and understands the significance of this support in his future accomplishments of becoming an agent of change in the lives of others.
About the Scholarship: Roy “Campy” Campanella was a catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers and one of the first African Americans to play Major League Baseball; he was also a three-time National League MVP. In 1958, he was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, ending his baseball career. He started physical therapy which helped him gain enough mobility to become a guest instructor at the Dodgers’ spring training camp, offering lectures to young catchers. Roy passed away in 1993, a year later his wife Roxie began donating money to physical therapy programs and she continued to do so until her passing in 2004.
The scholarships at CSUN are made possible due to a generous contribution from the Campanella Family. In 2005, the Roy and Roxie Campanella Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation partnered to dedicate scholarships to CSUN physical therapy students. Roy and Roxie’s daughter, Joni Campanella-Roan, has enhanced the partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers and continues to be actively involved with the College. The partnership has grown to add more scholarships, and since 2010, each year the Dodgers have invited a CSUN physical therapy student to intern with the team’s medical staff.
