LAKELAND, FL (May 9, 2011) -- Jerry Hamlin, a senior majoring in athletic training at Florida Southern College, has been accepted as an intern with the athletic training staff for the Arizona Cardinals. Hamlin was chosen by Tom Reed, head athletic trainer for the Cardinals, from more than 100 applicants for the position. 

Hamlin will report for his internship duties the third week of July for the NFL training camp and continue with the team through the fall semester, helping players prevent, treat, and rehabilitate injuries. He will be involved in all athletic training aspects of a professional football team. Jerry will work alongside the Cardinals' athletic trainers and team physicians  at practices and games. Hamlin will gain invaluable professional contacts while still an undergraduate.

"Jerry Hamlin is a cheerful hard-worker and one of our rising seniors," said Mick Lynch, clinical education coordinator and professor of athletic training.

Both Lynch and Sue Stanley-Green, athletic training education program director and associate professor of athletic training, emphasized that while Hamlin's internship is incredibly impressive and prestigious, it is just one of many such opportunities for FSC students.

"Jerry is the latest success of our athletic training internship program," said Stanley-Green. "The goal of an internship is to help the student gain the education and experience necessary to be successful in whatever his or her next step is.  We've been extremely successful in securing fantastic internships for our students."

Athletic training majors at Florida Southern must complete a semester-long internship as part of their senior year. This ensures that every graduate of the program is afforded top-notch experience as they put their classroom and clinical education into practice with real-world scenarios.

Along with off-campus experiential learning, athletic training students at FSC have the opportunity to work with the College's various athletic programs.  Hamlin served as an athletic training student with the men's basketball team this year under the supervision of Al Green, head athletic trainer and associate athletic director. This on-campus practice, along with three years of clinical education assignments at local high schools and sports medicine clinics, provided Hamlin with significant hands-on experience in athletic training before his NFL internship begins this summer.