Almost all student-athletes take some time away from their sport in the summer to recharge before ramping up again. Some go away on trips or look for new hobbies to pass time, but others throw themselves into their careers. For Katie Manning ’25 of the Elmira College women’s ice hockey program, an opportunity to travel to a different continent and learn more about her passion was simply too good to pass up.
Early in the summer, Manning traveled to Mombasa, Kenya, with the International Medical Aid program to improve access to medical and public health resources in the world’s most impoverished areas through fully-staffed and strategically deployed mobile healthcare campaigns. The program Manning traveled with allows pre-med, PA, and physical therapy students to shadow and learn from doctors in their desired fields.
“The main focus of the trip was an internship with physical therapists,” said Manning. “I spent most of my days at the Coast General Teaching and Referring Hospital in Mombasa. I shadowed multiple physical therapists there and could rotate between surgical, medical, pediatric, newborn, orthopedic, and intensive care units. In each unit, I was able to learn something new about the importance of physical therapy and some of the duties of a physical therapist while also learning more about the conditions we were seeing and treating.”
Manning’s immersion into Kenyan culture began with an introduction to the languages the country’s people speak. Manning explained, “In Kenya, every person speaks three languages—[they speak] English, Swahili, and their mother tongue which comes from their native tribe. In addition, Kenya is an underdeveloped country and does not have a lot of the resources we do in America. This is something very prevalent in the public hospital. There was a great lack of resources but the doctors navigated their way through those challenges to provide the patients with the best care possible. I was also able to try some foods in Kenya such as ugali and chapati. It was important to me to be open to every experience and try any food that was a part of their culture as well.”
The amount of work and research that went into the trip with the program began the summer prior, in 2023, as Manning’s goal was to complete an internship abroad. A quick Google search of programs that allow interns to be matched with physical therapists was the first step in the process for Manning. When she came across the International Medical Aid program, she applied but was skeptical of her chances of being selected. After being interviewed and offered the opportunity to join the program for the trip, Manning was immediately all-in.
“This internship was so important to me because I got to connect with people across the world and learn about a culture so diverse from my own that it opened my eyes to so much of the world. In addition, I learned so much about the field of physical therapy and created meaningful relationships with the therapists I shadowed.”
Throughout the experience, Manning’s biggest lesson was to not take her life and opportunities for granted. She said she also found an appreciation for cultures all over the world and how important it is to be open and understanding of new experiences and cultures no matter how different they may seem.
While in Kenya, Manning shared that it was difficult to perform hockey-related training at the same intensity as she normally would back home. Luckily, she had met other student-athletes in the program’s living facility and the group would go for runs and other workouts that would keep their conditioning up to par in their current setting.
Manning also believes she can be a better teammate now, thanks to her experience with the Kenyan people. The senior blueliner stressed how important it is to be more understanding of her teammates, saying “everyone comes from different backgrounds and may experience a different life than my own. This is important to be a good teammate to be more understanding of where others may come from as well as create deeper relationships with my teammates despite differences outside of hockey that we may have.”
When asked if she learned anything about herself through the experience, Manning replied, “The trip taught me how much I love to learn. I have an even deeper passion for physical therapy, as that is a career I am pursuing and this trip instilled the passion I have. It also showed me how much I enjoy learning about new people and cultures. I always used to say my biggest weakness was not asking enough questions. After this trip, I no longer can say that. I went to Kenya with a goal to learn and I knew I would have to step outside of my comfort zone and ask questions to get the most out of the opportunity I had. This trip has taught me so much and given me a new appreciation for the people in Kenya because of their strength and culture. I hope to visit again one day.”
Head Women’s Ice Hockey Coach Greg Haney praised the senior’s confidence, saying, “It has been very rewarding as a coach to watch Katie’s confidence grow as a player and even more as a person. Her confidence has continued to grow since she first stepped foot on campus. It’s amazing to see how comfortable she has become in who she is.”
To see Manning and her teammates on the ice this season, check out the Elmira College Women’s Ice Hockey Schedule here.
