With an interest in athletics but the misfortune of being an accident-prone child, DaVonna Cola, MS (’21), LAT, ATC, FNS, found a different way to fulfill her athletic competitiveness: athletic training.
“I liked being around athletics and knew I wanted to work in healthcare, but I didn’t want to be confined to an office,” DaVonna said. “Being an athletic trainer allows me to care for my athletes no matter the office space or scenery.”
Originally from Denver, Colorado, DaVonna graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training and a dream of working at the Division I (D1) level.
“I knew if I wanted to get to the point in my career where I could work at a D1 university, I would need to get my master’s degree,” DaVonna explained. “When I started my first job out of college working with the middle and high school students, I also started my degree at Logan.”
DaVonna enrolled in Logan University’s Master of Science in Sports Science and Rehabilitation (MS-SSR) program, where she could enhance her skills and confidence needed to be an expert in human movement and athletic performance. Through rigorous courses in anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanics and injury rehabilitation, the online program offers a flexible workload that allows participants to complete their degree on a schedule that works best for them.
“I wanted an online program with structured courses and flexible professors and that’s exactly what I found,” DaVonna said. “I had the freedom to do school work while working at the same time.”
DaVonna describes the MS-SSR faculty and staff as incredible and very hands-on, even though the program is fully online.
“The professors were so understanding and the advisors were incredibly supportive,” DaVonna shared. “My advisor, Stacia Rosen, was helpful and encouraging. After helping me throughout the program, she made sure to find me at graduation and congratulate me.”
Following her graduation from Logan in 2021, DaVonna found a track and field athletic trainer position at a D1 university in Georgia, fulfilling her goal.
Her passion then took her to Alabama State University, another D1 university, this time as an assistant athletic trainer for football and men’s basketball.
“Around that time, I saw an article about a [Historical Black College and University] having difficulties covering all their sports teams because of COVID-19 and being short staffed,” DaVonna explained. “I saw a need to give back to my community by doing my part in making sure those student-athletes received the best care possible.”
DaVonna found an additional passion at Alabama State University, working with students aspiring to be athletic trainers.
“Mentoring students interested in athletic training is something I plan to continue as my career continues to grow,” DaVonna said.
After two years at Alabama State University, DaVonna saw a hiring call for a new head athletic trainer of Morgan State University’s football program.
“I was excited when I saw the job posting because being a head football athletic trainer was something I always wanted to do,” DaVonna said. “So, I took a leap of faith; decided to apply and I got it!”
While football season has not started yet, DaVonna explains summer conditioning is currently going on and she is spending time getting to know the student-athletes and earning their trust.
“There are over 100 football players, so I am working on learning everyone’s names and making sure I know their history, while also ensuring we have all the supplies ready to go as we gear up for fall camp,” DaVonna said. “I love seeing my athletes do what they do best and helping them improve or get back on the field after an injury.”
DaVonna says her experience in Logan’s MS-SSR program gave her the education she needed to continue furthering her career and the confidence in her abilities.
“If you want to pursue a career in sports medicine and feel like you need an extra push of knowledge and/or comfort in your abilities, this program is perfect for you,” DaVonna explains. “I’ve referred all my friends interested in pursuing higher education to Logan and truly only have good things to say about the University and MS-SSR program.”
Learn more about Logan’s MS-SSR program here.