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Philanthropy Council Q&A: Ben Gecewich

Ben Gecewich, a 2003 College of Health Sciences alumni and member of the Philanthropy Council, discusses his experiences at UK and why giving back to your alma mater makes a difference.

While at UK, you studied kinesiology and health promotion. At that point, what did you hope to do professionally?

I really didn’t know. I had only worked as an athletic trainer at the Division 1 collegiate level, and as much as I enjoyed it, I felt like I was missing something.  Dr. Scott Mair, our team physician for cross country and track at UK, completed the Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic. His time there and the relationships he built were integral for my interview process when I applied. Ultimately I was accepted into the Athletic Training Fellowship which offered experience in other settings – physician practice, secondary school, community events, and the physical therapy clinic.  I really enjoyed the physician practice environment and my first job after my fellowship was in that setting. Everything just grew from there. 

 Describe you current position for us and how your degree helps you in your work?

I've worked with  Greenville Health System in Greenville, South Carolina since May 2005.  I initially served in a clinical athletic trainer role, then moved into administrative and leadership roles, staying primarily in orthopaedics for the first 10 years.  I was responsible for starting up practices, relocating, designing, recruiting and hiring doctors, PAs, ATCs,  and staff while we built the department.  I spent the last 3 years in various cross-department roles and currently I am the Western Region Ambulatory Operations Director. I have operational responsibility for about 40 physician practices in three counties consisting of 12 specialties.  My time at UK taught me time management and flexibility.  While I was in grad school, we juggled full time academics, full time jobs as Graduate Assistants (including a significant amount of travel with cross country and track and field), engaged in research and completed our theses.  I quickly learned how to manage my time and that skill has been very beneficial to this day. 

My workday is never routine.  The ability to think critically and be flexible with situations is crucial. As ATCs we needed to improvise and modify treatments in order to stimulate our athletes' recovery. There's not a day that goes by where my schedule doesn’t change, and I always have a backup plan for work to do or calls to make or practices to visit. But most of all, accountability to do the right thing and get the job done was the most important value I have taken from my time at UK. 

 What do you value most from your education and experience at UK and with UK College of Health Sciences faculty and students?

I think what I value most is the camaraderie with my classmates. We were all going through the experience together, and early on in the program we had great influence over shaping it as it grew.  The ability to share that I am a UK grad also has opened up doors and relationships just by having that in common.  In my work in healthcare, I interact with many physicians and allied health providers who have a UK connection. It starts the relationship off on the right foot because of our shared experience and values.  The other relationships with faculty and staff of the College and Athletic Department are important in building our networks of not only alumni but mentors and friends.

 You currently serve on the College’s Philanthropy Council. What do you see as the value of helping your alma mater in an significant way?

Dr. Carl Mattacola asked me a number of years back if I was interested in being involved with the College in some capacity and I jumped right in. As the College developed more infrastructure under Dean Lephart, and consolidated and streamlined our Council, this area is one that I think we can all participate in our own way.  I look at philanthropy as more than just financial support. People are not always in a position to give money. But, we can always give feedback, time, talents, advice, and other non monetary support to the University and College that provided for us, and we have the opportunity to pay it forward for the next generation of students.  I am in a different spot in my life 15 years out of the program and able to support in a different way than I could have as a new graduate. I want other to feel as closely connected to UK as I do, and I feel it is part of my commitment to the program’s future to support it.

 What would you say to encourage others to become engaged as alumni?

Start with your local alumni group just to get connected with other graduates.  It may be more difficult the farther you move from Lexington, but we can always find a few Wildcats if we look for them.  Don’t be afraid to reach back out to the College proactively to see if college ambassadors who come through your area want an alumni to attend events. None of us, especially myself, would likely be where we are if it if it wasn't for this college's network. Harnessing the power of many years of program alumni can sustain a program for many years.

You have generously supported UK and the UK College of Health Sciences? What do you find most meaningful in giving?

Knowing that any contribution makes a difference for someone, whether I know the person I'm supporting or not, is probably the most meaningful. I may not know many of the people who supported my efforts at UK, but I was very fortunate to receive those benefits.  And knowing that I can play a role going forward for current and future students means a lot to me.