September 22, 2025 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
A lifelong Gamecock, going to USC was a forgone conclusion for Michael Paslawski. Still, the smalltown South Carolinian found the flagship university’s size (both its population and sprawling campus) to be a bit of an adjustment his freshman year.
He found support in the Capstone Scholars and TRIO Programs and in the Arnold School as an exercise science major. Paslawski had been interested in the field ever since he tore his ACL and medial meniscus back in the eighth grade, which sparked his interest in physical therapy as well. His love of sports and weightlifting made him confident that he would be passionate about this career path.
In addition to funding from TRIO, Paslawski received an additional three scholarships throughout his tenure at USC (Palmetto Fellows, USC Valedictorian, SkyBest-Askins Legacy), enabling him to focus on his coursework and gain experience in other areas. He served as a tutor for the Opportunity Scholars Program Reading Lab at USC, joined the Exercise Science Club and Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, job shadowed at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, and interned at Vertex Physical Therapy Specialists, which is co-owned by two alumni of the Arnold School’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.
Paslawski may very well follow in their footsteps by opening his own physical therapy practice one day. The first step in this plan is his enrollment in the same DPT program this fall.
“I believe that this is one of the best programs for physical therapy in the country, so I am very proud and excited to be here again,” says Paslawski, who feels prepared for the challenge by the rigorous coursework and engaged faculty he encountered during his undergraduate program. “Dr. Raymond Thompson’s Anatomy and Physiology course challenged me and made me a better student, as well as a better learner. He always had his office open to help me learn when I needed it.”
He recommends similar lessons for current and future students. “Learn how to study and manage your time,” Paslawski says. “The main thing obtaining my bachelor's here taught me was to do those very things, and I hope that they will help me succeed in the future.”
With a degree in Exercise Science, graduates can choose to work in a variety of settings, either within the gym or in healthcare clinics. They have a large selection of populations to work with as well, from young children to older adults, from athletes to the disabled
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program prepares top-tier physical therapists to diagnose and treat individuals of all ages that have health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move through an individualized, high-quality, and high-value clinical program rooted in exceptional, evidence-based client care.
The Arnold School is proud of our 2025 graduates, who will go on to change the world locally and globally. Learn about some of the other outstanding individuals who completed one of our 34 programs this year.