The Howard Payne University Payne athletic training department announced on Tuesday (Aug 12) that junior Kristin Haman received one of twelve memorial scholarships from the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association.

Kristin Haman received the Alert Service B.J. Alfona Memorial Scholarship for the fall semester of 2014. Kristin was one of twelve athletic training students chosen for the scholarship award. She was chosen from athletic training students from all over Texas and Arkansas.

“We’re proud of Kristin for getting the scholarship from SWATA,” said HPU head athletic trainer Gene Kirkpatrick. “The scholarships are competitive to win, so having an athletic training student from Howard Payne receive a scholarship is a compliment to Kristin and the HPU Athletic Training Education Program.  It has been many years since a student from Howard Payne University has received a SWATA scholarship.”

There were award winners from Division I through Division III and Kristin was one of only two D-III athletic training students to receive a scholarships.

“I am honored to receive the scholarship,” said Kristin Haman. “I love the athletic training program at Howard Payne. I want to thank the HPU athletic training staff and educators for their recommendations for this award.”

The scholarships from SWATA are awarded for merit and any college student pursuing athletic training as a profession is eligible to apply for a scholarship from SWATA.  A committee of athletic trainers across District 6 of the NATA (Texas and Arkansas) review the applicants and rank the applicants to determine who receives the limited scholarships.  SWATA is District 6 of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association representing Texas and Arkansas.

A junior athletic training major from San Angelo, Texas, Kristin is the secretary of the Howard Payne Exercise and Sport Science club and also participates in intramurals.