After graduating from Atkins high school, I began my college career at UCA in 1993. Initially a biology/pre-med major, I was involved extensively in research at both UCA and Children's hospital in the field of molecular biology. A change of heart after my junior year led me away from medicine and into the UCA physical therapy dept. There I received my bachelor's degree in 1997 and a master's in 1999. I began my career in Fayetteville and later took administrative jobs first in Little Rock and then in Hot Springs which would ultimately be my permanent residence. In 2006, after yet another change of heart I decided to cash in my resume building and do some traveling as a physical therapist. My first assignment sent me to Boston. The next stop was Seattle. This assignment would be cut short on June 21, 2006 by a catastrophic mountain bike accident resulting in a cervical spinal cord injury. I suffered a great deal of trauma after staying out over night in the Washington air. My body temperature was critically low, my lungs were barely functioning, and my hear had to be restarted 3 times. I spent 2 months in ICU at Harborview in Seattle. Two months of rehab at Baylor in Dallas trying to come off the ventilator. And then 2 months at Baptist in Little Rock for pneumonia after a few short days at home. One year later, things are much better. I've been guest lecturing and assisting labs at both PT and OT dept at UCA. I've also been helping with some grant writing. I received a gubernatorial appointment to the Board of Directors for the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission. I'm also developing two courses for the UCA Honors College which I plan to start teaching next spring.

Jon Wilkerson

June, 2007

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