JTC 24: Full Range of Motion for First-Gen Grad

She knows what a goniometer is, and she knows how to use it. Madison Cotten, a first-generation college student who anticipated attending medical school until she took a class required for a minor in recreational therapy at the University of Mississippi, will get plenty of chances to use one.

That class, SRA 262: Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation, taught by Kris Brasher, opened Cotten's eyes to an opportunity to improve people's lives in another manner.

"Professor Brasher's class made me realize how pursuing recreational or occupational therapy would allow me to establish meaningful relationships with my patients," Cotten said, "With OT, I realized I could help people perform their ADLs (activities of daily living) comfortably. I could really know my patients and make a difference."

Brasher, an instructor in health, exercise science and recreation management, called Cotten "an exceptionally bright student with enormous potential and a breath of fresh air in the classroom," and said, "She is always smiling, attentive and willing to help others who may need some assistance."

Cotten, a New Albany native, is not interested in brief interactions. She has a record of loyalty, intellectual depth and drive. A member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society with a perfect 4.0 GPA, Cotten graduates in May with an exercise science degree.

Then in August, she plans to start work on a doctorate in occupational therapy at Arkansas State University. She will be one of 15 in her doctoral cohort, and the possibility of a tight-knit group of aspiring OTs excites her.

A member of the university's Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, Cotten says her favorite part of the honors experience has been the small class sizes and class options.

For example, she loved her conversations course "on death and dying" with honors alumnus Dr. Sumner Abraham. In that class, Cotten and her peers explored their "beliefs about human nature, moral agency and one's vision of the good life."

Things hit a snag just a few months ago, though, when Cotten scheduled an Honors College exit interview with Timothy Yenter, associate dean for capstone. A former member of the Ole Miss Pride of the South marching band, she originally planned to conduct a capstone study to see how the season impacted band members' bodies and range of motion.

When that study did not pan out, she assumed she would not be able to finish in the Honors College.

"I was afraid to go to Dr. Yenter after my first capstone idea didn't happen," Cotten admitted, "I didn't want him looking at me like someone who had failed."

Of course, that did not happen.

"If I had to sum up Dr. Yenter in one word," Cotten said, "I'd choose 'encouraging.'"

That encouragement led to her honors capstone, "Proposals to Address Health Disparities in Occupational Therapy," wherein it should come as no surprise that Cotten recommends "cultural humility" and "understanding" as guiding principles for occupational therapists.

"Madison shows in her daily life and in her long-term commitments a deep concern with making the world more just, fairer and more inclusive," Yenter said, "She models empathy for all and passion for improving the world around her."

As a sophomore at New Albany High School, Cotten began working at a local restaurant as a dishwasher. For a couple of years, she tagged along with her dad and did what she could for his logging business.

Although she wasn't physically strong enough to engage in "heavy lifting," she understood the hard work and discipline her dad embodied, and she respected her mom for working at a distribution center.

"My mom had me when I was 22, and my dad was 21," Cotten said. "I know they chose work over college to support our family, and I knew it was my responsibility to not throw away the opportunities they gave to me."

Cotten was selected as a Luckyday Scholar at Ole Miss, which eased the financial burden of college. She loves her family and appreciates the knowledge she's gained as a first-generation student.

"I've made it very clear to my younger siblings that I am here, and I can help them," Cotten said.

In fact, Cotten chose to attend Arkansas State University in part because she wants to remain near her family in New Albany. The loyalty extends to her friends and, in particular, Jamie Lewis, her boyfriend of more than five years.

Lewis (BSEE 24) has landed a job as an electrical engineer in Savannah, Georgia. As they embark on a long-distance relationship, Cotten and Lewis embrace the challenge with their signature maturity and focus.

"To say that Madison is one of the hardest working and most intelligent people I have ever met would be an understatement," Lewis said. "She will never, ever admit it to anyone, not even to herself. She is a brilliant writer and always has been.

"She has been nothing but impressive throughout college and will forever astound me with what she is capable of."

During her undergraduate career, Cotten held leadership positions in Sigma Phi Lambda and worked as a UM research assistant and an adjunct band staff member at New Albany High School, among other roles. This semester, she was inducted into the Alpha Alpha Alpha national honors society, the university's first honor society for first-generation college students.

Just as Cotten knows a goniometer is an instrument that measures angle motion at a joint, she knows how much range of motion she has conquered on an intellectual scale.

"I hope first-generation students know they are achieving something that is a big deal," she said with a smile. "College is a big deal. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to re-route. Ask for help. We can do hard things."