STRETCHED Program - The University of Tulsa
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STRETCHED Program

UTulsa’s STRETCHED (STudents Reaching Excellence Through Collaboration with Higher EDucation) program is dedicated to increasing the representation of healthcare practitioners from under-represented groups. This involves forging collaborations among local institutions of higher education, community stakeholders, local school districts, and health care professionals to formulate effective strategies for exposing students to careers in medicine.

The program aims to offer early exposure of medical careers to high schoolers, encompassing mentoring and education on college admission requirements and financial support options. Additionally, STRETCHED strives to provide services and resources to assist higher education institutions in recruiting students from under-represented groups for allied health-related degree programs. Ultimately, STRETCHED aspires to be a community and regional leader that plays a pivotal role in developing and preparing the next generation of health care practitioners.

Ninth Grade: Kick-Start

  • Help students understand the important intrinsic motivators such as resiliency, diligence, perseverance, enhanced agency, and time management.
  • Emphasizes the importance of shadowing and participating in health-related clubs and networking events.
  • Personality tests to help understand how specific professions might fit with a unique personality.
  • Keynote speaker.

10th & 11th Grade: Career Exploration

  • One excursion in the fall.
  • Field trip to a small and large college/university, allowing students to see the campus environment of each institution.
  • Learn about health-related programs including physical therapy, medicine, nursing, dentistry, clinical psychology, and more.
  • Tour the facilities and meet students and faculty.
  • Meet a university financial aid adviser to learn how to make college affordable.

Summer Academy​

small groups of young people wearing beige t-shirts while seated at tables
  • Three-day camp.
  • Core Components: exposure to health care professions, standardized test preparation, financial aid and literacy, and a motivational speaker series.
  • Didactic exposure method that includes hands-on skills laboratories.
  • Field activities that provide exposure to student practitioners within their specific practice settings.
  • Partner with Saint Francis Health System, Ascension St. John Health System, Hillcrest Healthcare System, and Tulsa Bone and Joint Associates.
Application
small groups of young people wearing beige t-shirts while seated at tables

12th Grade: Next-Steps

  • Panel discussion with UTulsa pre-med students about making the transition from high school to college followed by a Q&A session.
  • Learn tips for preparing a college admission essay followed by a breakout session.
  • Keynote speaker.

Meet the Director Roger Kollock, Ph.D., AT, CSCS

Roger Kollock is an associate professor and director of the Biomechanics Research Laboratory within TU’s Oxley College of Health Sciences. He received his postdoctoral training at Auburn University’s Warrior Research Center. He holds a doctorate in human movement science from Old Dominion University. His research focuses on neuromuscular and biomechanical characteristics influencing injury risk in traditional and nontraditional athletes such as firefighters and military personnel. The aim of his research agenda is to develop evidence-based approaches for optimizing performance and reducing injury risk in athletic populations.

Contact 

STRETCHED Program Coordinator & Fellow

Zora Szabó

Program Coordinator & Graduate Assistant

Major: Sports Leadership
Hometown: Rowlett, Texas

I began working with Dr. Kollock through the Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge as an undergraduate research assistant in the biomechanics research lab. I found my passion for injury prevention and rehabilitation techniques from working with the military, local firefighters, and college athletes. From there, I became a STRETCHED Fellow to help expose medical career programs to students to promote a future healthcare career. I quickly grew passionate about the program due to being the first in my family to attempt a healthcare career and become a doctor, making me feel like a great mentor for students who are in the same situation as me. As a Graduate Assistant, I get the opportunity to plan, execute, and tailor events for students around their health-related interests and watch them excel and achieve their dreams.

Emma Robbins

Fellow

Major: Exercise and Sports Science major
Minors: Public Health, Women and Gender Studies, Psychology, and Health Sciences
Hometown: Rogers, Arkansas

I wanted to become a STRETCHED Fellow to help expose high school students to career in allied health. In high school, I knew I wanted to major in exercise science, but I had no clue how many different career paths it would offer. A program like STRETCHED would have exposed me to these careers earlier as well as shown me how many opportunities there are to perform research. After working in Dr. Kollock’s lab, I now realize my passion for performing research in graduate school and my future career.

Department News

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Events

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StartTU: Meet the Colleges

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

StartTU: For You Sessions (Faculty)

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM