Community Engagement: Learning Beyond the Classroom
Our students have numerous opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom through community-engaged experiences that expand access to care, promote health through movement, and raise awareness of the physical therapy profession. Such experiences challenge students to raise their social consciousness, support ethical community engagement, and lead with humility. Through co-learning, reflection, and advocacy, students develop the skills needed to provide person-centered care and transform the communities in which they live, work, and serve.
Expanding Access to Care: Pro Bono Clinics
Access to healthcare remains a challenge for many individuals and families due to financial, social, or systemic barriers. Through participation in these pro bono clinical experiences, students help address unmet rehabilitation needs while gaining valuable experiences under the supervision of our clinical preceptors. Students learn firsthand how physical therapists can advance health equity while delivering compassionate, person-centered care.
DAWN Clinic:
DAWN (Dedicated to Aurora’s Wellness Needs) is a student-led, interdisciplinary free clinic that serves uninsured residents of Aurora, Colorado. Physical therapy students collaborate with learners from other health professions to provide comprehensive care while gaining practical skills in a team-based learning environment.
Stout Street Clinic:
The Stout Street Health Center responds to the health needs of adults and children experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Through our partnership with the Stout Street Health Center, students are exposed to the complex social, economic, and structural factors that influence health and gain a deeper appreciation for how the provision of care with compassion, empathy, and kindness can make a difference in someone’s life.
Mission Medical Center:
Mission Medical Center (MMC) has been serving the uninsured, under-served, and low income members of the Pikes Peak community since January, 2004. Mission Medical seeks to provide quality healthcare and rehabilitation services with dignity and compassion for individuals who, for whatever reason, are uninsured.
Promoting Health through Movement: Local and International Partnerships
As physical therapists, we are called upon to transform the health of society by optimizing movement. Through partnerships with local, national, and international organizations, students have several opportunities to promote health through movement, while learning alongside diverse communities.
Rusty Gloves:
The Corner Boxing Club, located in Boulder, offers the Rusty Gloves program which provides a much needed physical outlet and social connection to individuals affected by Parkinson’s Disease and the challenges of aging. This program uses research-based interventions to manage and combat symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases. Boxing delivers a uniquely effective combination of mental and physical benefits to help individuals living with Parkinson’s fight back against their condition. This holistic approach increases mobility, strength, confidence, and self-efficacy, while decreasing fall risk, injury, and isolation. Students gain experience supervising various balance, strength, and conditioning activities and supporting older adults in a fun and functional environment.
Special Olympics:
Students partner with Special Olympics Colorado to support Project ALL STAR (Active Life and Longevity: Special Olympics Transforming Athlete Results), a longitudinal initiative designed to better understand how participation in Special Olympics influences the physical, mental, and social-emotional health of athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Through Project ALL STAR fitness testing events, students assist with health and fitness assessments that measure areas such as strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. Working alongside athletes, families, coaches, and Special Olympics staff, students help create a positive and inclusive environment while gaining valuable experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
These experiences provide students with opportunities to strengthen their clinical skills, improve communication and adaptability, and deepen their understanding of inclusive healthcare. Students also contribute to a larger effort to evaluate and improve health outcomes for Special Olympics athletes, helping generate knowledge that can inform future programs and services.
By participating in Project ALL STAR, students learn the importance of accessible, person-centered care while advancing Special Olympics' mission of promoting health, inclusion, and lifelong participation in physical activity.
Costa Rica and Ecuador:
These immersive, faculty-led global health experiences offer students the opportunity to engage in cross-cultural learning and community-based rehabilitation activities in Costa Rica and Ecuador. Through structured pre-departure preparation, in-country experiences, and post-experience reflection, students explore the intersections of physical therapy, public health, and structural drivers of health in a global context. Students work alongside local partners—including rehabilitation students and professionals, educators, and community leaders—to observe and participate in service-learning activities, examine healthcare delivery in low-resource settings, and reflect on ethical global engagement. The courses emphasize cultural humility, ethical decision-making, and professional identity formation as future providers committed to health equity and global citizenship.
Raising Awareness of the Physical Therapy Profession: PT Moves Me
Physical therapists play a critical role in helping people move better, feel better, and live healthier lives. Through PT Moves Me and related outreach initiatives, students serve as ambassadors for the profession by engaging with schools, community organizations, and the public.These activities help increase awareness of the many ways physical therapists contribute to health and wellness while inspiring future healthcare professionals.
Students develop skills in communication, education, advocacy, and leadership as they:
- Introduce local youth to careers in physical therapy
- Promote healthy lifestyles and injury prevention
- Talk about the value of physical therapy across diverse settings and populations