Rizing Tide Foundation

Rizing Tide Foundation Our vision is to broaden the reach, impact, and accessibility of physical therapy by advancing diversity and inclusiveness in the PT workforce.

Empowering a new generation of leaders in the PT profession through scholarships and community. 💪🏽🧡

2026 Crest Scholarship application window now open!
🌊https://rizing-tide.com/apply-now Rizing Tide is a charitable foundation that offers scholarships, mentorship, and networking connections in an effort to empower a new generation of BIPOC leaders in the physical therapy profession. Founded in 202

0 by Dr. Heidi Jannenga, physical therapist and co-founder of WebPT, Rizing Tide is working to build a better, more inclusive healthcare landscape for patients and providers alike. Want to learn more about our scholarships? Here's the most important info:

🌊Crest Scholarship🌊
Awarded to students of underrepresented racial or ethnic descent who are entering their first or second year of DPT school. Each Crest scholarship awards up to $14,000 to each student—and may be renewed twice. The 2023 application window runs from April 1 through June 30, 2023.

🌊Surge Scholarship🌊
Awarded to graduating DPT students or licensed physical therapists of underrepresented racial or ethnic descent who are entering a residency program. Each Surge scholarship awards a one-time payment of up to $10,000 to each student. The 2023 application window runs from July 1 through September 30, 2023.

04/23/2026

Think back to all the medical textbooks you've used before—either in DPT school or for a quick refresher in the clinic. When you referenced the info about damage to the skin (think wound management or interpreting bruises), how diverse were those visualizations? Did you see examples on multiple skin tones?

This is one of those quiet gaps in education that can have a huge impact on real-life care. On Saturday, April 25, at 11:00 AM EDT / 8:00 AM PDT, Rizing Tide will host a PT Pod webinar with Dr. Devon Morris, PT, DPT, OCS. Drawing from her research about the limitations of the Wells Criteria, Dr. Morris will discuss how accounting for skin color can help physical therapists provide more equitable, informed care.

For clinicians and students looking to strengthen how they evaluate, treat, and advocate for all patients, this is a conversation you can't miss. Reach out to learn how to sign up for this webinar!

04/20/2026

Leadership opportunities can change how a professional tries to influence and improve their profession.

For many Rizing Tide scholars, attending professional gatherings means meeting clinicians from across the country who share similar passions and goals. These connections build community and remind them that they belong to a community beyond their own clinic or classroom.

In this video, scholar Dr. Bridget Ochuko, PT, DPT, MPH, shares a takeaway from this year's Graham Sessions: why community, collaboration, and representation matter in the future of PT.

04/14/2026

Cardiopulmonary PTs often work in complex care environments where clinical reasoning and adaptability matter day to day. The work is dynamic and deeply collaborative.

For PTs who pursue this path, cardiopulmonary specialization can offer advanced training, board certification, and long-term growth within health systems and specialty care.

It’s a specialty that attracts clinicians who value problem-solving, lifelong learning, and impact beyond a single episode of care.

04/10/2026

One of the most powerful moments for an early-career clinician is realizing the value in their perspective.

Through Rizing Tide's conference grants, scholars have the chance to speak up, ask questions, and share their perspectives alongside clinicians who have led the PT profession for years. Those environments serve as powerful reminders that new voices matter.

In this video, scholar Dr. Thomas Samaan, PT, DPT, reflects on the Graham Sessions: an experience that reinforced his desire to step forward and influence the conversations shaping physical therapy.

04/07/2026

Cardiopulmonary physical therapy is a specialty where representation matters.

African Americans face the highest risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and Native American and Alaska Native communities experience the highest mortality rates related to cardiovascular conditions. Yet cardiopulmonary physical therapy remains one of the smallest and least diverse specialties in the profession.

As the need for clinicians skilled in complex cardiac and pulmonary care continues to grow, so does the importance of a workforce that reflects and understands the communities most affected.

For Rizing Tide scholars considering their next steps, cardiopulmonary PT offers a chance to enter a niche field, support patients with complex needs, and help shape a more inclusive future for physical therapy.

04/04/2026

Winning a Crest Scholarship is a huge deal financially—but the community and overall support takes this opportunity to a whole new level. For many scholars, Rizing Tide became a space where they found mentorship, unrivaled career opportunities, and lasting relationships that will continue well beyond PT school and their early careers.

The 2026 application cycle is now open, so watch this video, and listen to our scholars reflect on what this community means to them.

04/03/2026

Leadership skills don't magically appear overnight. They're nurtured slowly (and intentionally) over time. What starts the process? When early-career clinicians are invited to join conversations that guide the profession forward.

Through Rizing Tide's conference grants (funded by generous professionals like you!), scholars can open doors and participate in discussions where real decisions are made about the future of physical therapy. Seeing how leaders approach challenges in real time gives scholars a clearer picture of what leadership in this profession actually looks like.

In this video, scholar Dr. Cortez Espinoza, PT, DPT, OCS, shares a key takeaway from the Graham Sessions: an experience that gave him a new perspective on leadership in physical therapy.

04/01/2026

What would you do if DPT school was suddenly free?

It’s a fun question… even if just for a moment.

Watch this.

While it may not be reality, support like the Crest Scholarship is helping make DPT school more accessible for students across the country.

If affordability has been on your mind, this is worth exploring:
https://rizing-tide.com/scholarships/crest

03/31/2026

It's almost time to apply for free money—I mean scholarships! 🎓

The Rizing Tide Crest Scholarship application window opens April 1. Each year, Rizing Tide awards 20 scholarships to underrepresented incoming, first-year, and early second-year DPT students. Ten Crest scholars receive awards of $14,000 (renewable annually up to $42,000), and ten Rizing Star scholars receive $5,000 (renewable annually up to $15,000).

It's a pretty sweet deal—and we're about to make it even sweeter. To help you ace the application process, we compiled advice from previous scholars who totally knocked it out of the park. Listen to their tried-and-true advice in this video.

03/25/2026

🚨 The Crest Scholarship application window opens April 1. 🚨

Thinking about applying? We certainly hope so! Get a head start on your application prep by checking out this advice from scholars who have experienced—and totally aced—the process. They share what helped them stand out, how they approached the application, and what made a difference in their interviews.

Mark your calendar! It's almost go-time. 🚥

03/24/2026

Live performers like actors, dancers, and musicians face unique physical demands—performing onstage requires repetition and high outputs of energy for hours at a time. So how can a PT meet these patients' needs?

On Saturday, March 28, at 11:00 AM EDT / 8:00 AM PDT, Rizing Tide will host a live Tide Pool webinar featuring Dr. Hanwen Wong, DPT, OCS, whose work focuses on performing arts physical therapy.

Together, we’ll explore what it means to work with dancers, musicians, and other performers—and how PTs help patients return to the stage when their body is also their livelihood. All members of the Tide Pool are welcome to join! Register for the webinar inside the Tide Pool under "Events."

Hope to see you there! 🩰🎭

03/18/2026

What happens when early-career physical therapists are invited into a room where people discuss the biggest challenges facing the PT profession?

You get candor, transparency, and a whole lot of ideas about how to shape the future of PT!

This year, through the support of the Rizing Tide community, scholars had the opportunity to attend the Graham Sessions where they listened, learned, and contributed alongside experienced clinicians and leaders. In this video, scholar Dr. Lena Parker, PT, DPT, OCS, shares a takeaway from her experience that gave her a broader view of physical therapy and the conversations shaping its future.

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4545 N 36th Street, Suite 109
Phoenix, AZ
85018

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