My name is Danielle Mandile and I am a physical therapy student in the graduate portion of the 3+3 PT program at Quinnipiac University. I graduated in May 2018 with a BS in Health Science and minors in Biology and Psychology. Throughout my education here at QU, I hope to learn the skills and knowledge I need to be a helpful, professional physical therapist so that I can better help others to live more fulfilling lives. As a gymnast, I witnessed a lot of injuries and a lot of long, oftentimes difficult, recoveries. I have always been interested in how the body works, and the countless hours I committed to gymnastics helped me to foster this interest. One injury I had, in which I sprained my ankle, caused me to be out of the sport for weeks. Not being able to participate in something that I had dedicated so much time to and grown to love, while at the same time watching my friends do gymnastics, was devastating. Luckily for me, I had a coach who really pushed me to my limits and motivated me to continue to work hard every day. Even when it felt like there was nothing I could do, he would prove me wrong, and this had me back in the sport much quicker than if I had not had this same motivation. This coach helped me to realize that having someone who believes in you and who motivates you by your side can really make all the difference. I hope to be this person in the lives of others so they too can continue to do the things they love in life. In addition to my committment to my academics, I am also participating in co-curricular experiences that will help me to achieve my goals. I am a part of the Physical Therapy Club, QU Snow, Community Action Project, and I took part in Relay for Life.