Portrait of Mikayla Shea Heston

Mikayla Shea Heston

Kinesiology - General, BS

Oregon Health and Science University

What inspired or interested you about kinesiology?

As a person with a disability, I know how important it is for people like me to get rehabilitation and exercise. I have a vision to create a multidisciplinary rehabilitation center for people with disabilities.

What did you work on during your internship at OHSU?

I had the opportunity to learn about Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology to help create augmentative alternative communication (AAC) devices.

What do you see as the greatest value of your internship?

The greatest value of my internship was learning rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary field. People with disabilities should be able to thrive and do anything they put their mind to, but without the right support they will be forced to struggle through ableism.

What do you think of your experience at OSU? Any stand-out experiences?

I love the IMPACT program because it gets kids with disabilities to exercise from a young age.

More internship spotlights

  • Kinesiology and Ecampus student Roberto Lizarraga explains how physical therapy inspired his career path, reflects on his hands-on internship experience, and shares highlights from his study abroad in Finland.

  • Read about Robert’s journey from special education to kinesiology, his internship experiences in physical education and job coaching, and his goal of becoming an Adapted Physical Education teacher.

  • OSU kinesiology student Abigail Roth gains hands-on experience and builds communication skills as she works toward a career in athletic training and rodeo sports.