Crabtree plots a course for prosthetics

Mississippi University for Women senior Leah “Kendry” Crabtree will be trading the Friendly City for the Windy City following graduation as she joins the prestigious Prosthetics and Orthotics master’s program at Northwestern University in Chicago.

The program only admits 48 students a year, and it boasts a rigorous set of eligibility requirements.  

“The reason why I wanted to get into orthotics and prosthetics is because, in soccer, I’ve torn both my ACLs. Through that journey, I’ve been able to be a part of the physical therapy realm. During that, we had a lot of patients come in who recently were amputees and had just got their prosthesis and we’re learning how to walk,” said Crabtree.

This was the turning point for Crabtree, and she saw her path before her. She chose kinesiology as a major, and she set about making sure she had the proper experience to achieve her dream. This included shadowing with a variety of professionals for the last two years to help build her resume and knowledge base. This includes a position with Hanger Clinic, a nation-wide orthotics and prosthetic company which has roughly 500 clinics throughout the United States. She currently works as an intern at the Starkville and Tupelo branches.

Finding The W

The choice to attend The W was not as obvious to Crabtree, and it took some time to fully decide.  

Her family has a “history” with The W, as she put it. Crabtree has had a host of aunts and cousins who received degrees from the university dating back to the 1950s. That put the school on her radar, but visiting campus was what ultimately won her over.

“We actually have a long family history of women who went to The W. It never solidified until I came here for a tour one day, and ever since then, I was like, ‘Yes, this is exactly where I want to go.’  There was just a range of opportunities that it was able to provide. For me, The W was able to meet a lot of my goals that I had set for myself,” Crabtree said.

In fact, her younger sister, Erin, is a freshman at The W now, extending the legacy even further.

Since deciding to join The W family, however, she has not looked back. Quite the opposite actually.

In her time on campus, Crabtree has taken an active role in numerous organizations and activities.

She serves as vice president of the Student Government Association (SGA), plays soccer, works in the Office of Student Life and writes for “The Spectator,” the campus newspaper.

“The W has given me a lot of opportunities to expand my wings in the sense of being a part of a lot of different aspects on campus,” Crabtree said.

Her favorite memory from her time on campus actually stems from being involved with SGA.

“I loved setting up for the poetry slam on campus that SGA hosts. Preparing for that and having a fantastic turnout and watching that growth throughout the years and throughout my time in SGA is such an amazing opportunity. I love the growth that it’s had over the years,” Crabtree said.

During her time at the university, there has been no shortage of faculty who have made an impact on her. However, perhaps none more so than her adviser, Tyler Muddle.

“He has been with me ever since the very beginning. His personality and his knowledge about the realm have just made me very passionate about kinesiology, to the point where we can talk about prosthetics and orthotics and later on that day, he will send me emails of like articles about prosthetics and orthotics at different universities. So having that adviser and student relationship and teacher relationship is just amazing,” Crabtree said.

The future

As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end.” And so too will Crabtree’s time at The W.

However, she is already looking to the future and beyond.

“My plan ultimately is to continue working with Hanger Clinic. I would like to, after I graduate and pass all of my certification exams, move back down to the coast and become the clinical manager of the branches down on the coast,” said Crabtree.