Linda Arslanian ’71 Has Demonstrated a Passion for Helping Others
Linda Arslanian ’71, PT, DPT, MS, credits her educational experience at Springfield College as one of the main reasons she has been able to live out a passion of helping others.
By: Damon Markiewicz
Dr. Linda Arslanian ’71, PT, DPT, MS, has had a remarkable career within the physical therapy profession, including a tenure of nearly 20 years as the Executive Director of Rehabilitation Services at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. Navigating through all of her professional accomplishments, Arslanian credits her academic preparation at Springfield College as one of the main reasons she has been able to achieve her desire to pursue a career as a physical therapist.
“What I found during my time at Springfield College was the culture on campus is conducive and supportive for people to pursue the best versions of themselves,” explained Arslanian. “I tried to adopt that model as the foundation of my professional career. I always had a genuine joy of helping a patient identify their strengths, and building on those strengths as a way to allow them to get better.”
It was during Arslanian’s time as a student-athlete playing field hockey for long-time coach Dottie Potter Zenaty ’65, where she learned the importance of identifying a person’s strengths, and focusing on ways to enhance those strengths, and use them as a road map for success.
“I transferred to Springfield College as a Physical Education major for my undergraduate work, and I quickly found a community on campus playing for Coach Zenaty,” explained Arslanian. “She was one of my mentors who taught me to identify what a person does well, and leverage those strengths to benefit both the individual and the team. Coach Zenaty would put me in a position to use my speed and get the ball to my teammates, who were better stick handlers. This leadership model is one that stayed with me into my professional career.”
In the classroom during her time on Alden Street, Arslanian found inspiration through many faculty members, but especially professors John Brainerd and Peter V. Karpovich. Brainerd was a professor and Chair of the Biology Department for more than 30 years. Karpovich was a member of the Springfield College faculty from 1927 until 1969, and is widely considered the father of exercise physiology in the United States.
“Professors Brainerd and Karpovich were very inspiring because they had such passion for teaching and stimulating your mind with knowledge,” explained Arslanian. “They had an ability to make you understand why it was important to learn what you were learning, and again, identify your strengths as a student and grow those strengths. That type of teaching is inspiring, and it uncovered a passion for those sciences I wasn’t even aware I had.”
After graduating from Springfield College with an undergraduate degree in Physical Education, Arslanian would go on to teach for six years before her passion to keep learning and growing took over. Following a thirst for new knowledge, Arslanian discovered an interest in something new, and that curiosity led her into the health sciences, and specifically, physical therapy. She went on to complete her certificate in Physical Therapy from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She began her career as a physical therapist at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and became a clinical supervisor within two years.
“I was offered the job at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and it was a great situation because it also included free tuition to earn my master’s degree while working full time,” explained Arslanian. “This opportunity also linked my experiences at Springfield College with my new career path. The Exercise Physiology course I took for my graduate studies used Dr. Karpovich’s Physiology of Exercise lab experiments that we did. At that moment, it reminded me how impactful Karpovich was, and it demonstrated what he was teaching tied into the health sciences. I still had my old lab notebook from when I was taking Karpovich’s class as a student, and my notes were almost identical to what the professor was teaching. This really showed me again how important my time at Springfield College was as I was going down a new career path.”
Following her time at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Arslanian was able to return home to Eastern Massachusetts and serve as director of rehabilitation and ambulatory services at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. After a successful tenure there, she was recruited again, this time to join the Brigham and Women's Hospital team.
“It was exciting to return to Newton-Wellesley because that was the town I grew up in,” explained Arslanian. “It started out as a role as chief of physical therapy, but within a year, I replaced the director of rehabilitation. Next for me was Executive Director of Rehabilitation Services at Brigham and Women’s, which included oversight of the Physical Therapy, Speech and Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, and Orthopedic Technology. Interestingly, many of the orthopedic technicians were licensed Athletic Trainers, having taken Charlie Redmond’s Care and Prevention course while at SC, which gave me insight to their unique knowledge and skills."
The model of interprofessional work involving many different medical fields is a working environment that Arslanian really believes is valuable. During her time at the College, she witnessed a strong engagement between academic programs, and she believes it’s the culture at the College that helps facilitate this experience.
“I can speak from my own experiences, as I witnessed professors making sure they were connecting with all students,” explained Arslanian. “I think that is something that has carried with me to the present time. I was a Physical Education major, but I am now engaged with the College as a Physical Therapy professional. Again, it’s that culture of having different academic programs collaborate on a regular basis that allows for a seamless way to stay connected with the College.”
Arslanian’s dedication to the PT field has always been a priority, and her thirst for knowledge continued when she earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2003. During her time as a well-respected physical therapist, Arslanian was very active with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at both the state and national levels. She served the APTA in several positions, including Vice President, delegate and Chief Delegate to the House of Delegates, and also served on the Ethics and Judicial Committee of the APTA. These experiences connected Arslanian to the Physical Therapy faculty at the College.
“My work with APTA allowed me to find new ways to stay connected with Springfield College,” explained Arslanian. “I have been able to come back to campus and connect with Springfield College PT professionals, and take part in some lectures on ethics and the growth of the health sciences. These relationships have continued to grow with the opening of the new Health Sciences Center.”
Arslanian has been a long-standing supporter of the College, and she is proud to invest in the new Brown Cooper Health Sciences Center. She has financially supported a new study space for students on fourth floor that is a dedicated area for students to enhance and develop their knowledge as future practitioners. In addition, Arslanian views this space as a way to facilitate the mission of having students working together in a cross-collaboration fashion, a guiding principle that Arslanian believes in as a person, and as a professional.
“I think the Health Sciences Center really showcases the fact that there is long-standing history of cross-collaboration work within the different academic programs at Springfield College,” described Arslanian. “It’s part of the College’s DNA. The Health Sciences Center space allows for an environment that enhances an individual’s strengths, and brings out the best in people in a very intentional way. There really aren’t too many spaces like the Health Sciences Center that offer such a convenient way to promote interprofessional collaboration. This type of environment not only helps faculty and students with their educational experiences, but also emulates the experience of interprofessional collaboration, which is emerging as a more important attribute of the provision of effective healthcare in increasing complex healthcare environments.”
Arslanian's successful career is a testament to her commitment to excellence in physical therapy and her leadership in the field. And now as she enjoys retirement, she appreciates how the experiences at Springfield College guided her along her journey of life-long learning, and giving back to others.
“I could not have asked for a better foundation to my professional career than what Springfield College was able to provide,” explained Arslanian. “The professional success I was able to enjoy, I am not sure all of this happens without Springfield College in my life.”
