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Where are They Now? Hannah Thornhill

Hannah Thornhill danced at Huntington Academy her entire childhood and starred as the Sugar Plum Fairy her senior year in the Ballet Etudes’ youth company. She graduated high school in 2017 and attended university in Texas. She writes to us now to tell us what she has been up to and what her future has in store.

Hey y’all! I graduated from Texas Christian University on May 8th with a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training. During my time at TCU, I spent about 2,400 clinical hours working a variety of sports including football, track and field, swim and dive, and even at a local Texas high school. On top of a heavy work schedule, I also had to balance my intense academic load and my commitment to my sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, where I also held a leadership position. HAD definitely prepared me for college in the aspect of managing an extremely busy and committed schedule. It was always very important to me to remain dedicated to the things that I got involved in, and I was able to see that characteristic carry on with me to college. I also value the strong relationships that I built with my friends and my instructors. For example, my friend group from HAD has stayed in good contact since all of us graduated. Last month, most of us were able to connect in Florida to see one of our friends get married. I know that the connections I made with people from HAD are strong and that I can rely on them for many years moving forward. 

So, what’s next for me? I left at the end of May for a physical therapy internship at a sports performance center in Lexington, Kentucky. I spent six weeks there where I worked with patients on their rehabilitation programs and injury prevention strategies. After that, I moved to Missoula where I have accepted a job as a graduate assistant at the University of Montana. I will be working with the football team there while studying for my masters in Integrative Physiology in Athletic Training. I am looking forward to my new adventure here, as I have never been to the state of Montana. I think that I am well prepared, and I am excited to see where my skills can take me in the future. My long-term goal is to continue my education by getting my doctorate in physical therapy. 

I am extremely grateful for my time at HAD and for the characteristics they have given me to get me where I am today. A lot of my favorite memories include my time at the studio and with my friends there. Dance will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am happy to have an appreciation for such a beautiful art.