Brysan Redwine
Health and Exercise Sciences
Norman, Oklahoma
My goal is simple: I want to give back to my state, my university, and most importantly, the communities that gave me the opportunity to pursue higher education and step into a career where I can positively impact lives and be part of something bigger than myself.
For Brysan Redwine, an OU graduate who grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, some of his best memories originate from the University of Oklahoma before ever stepping foot on campus as a student: Baker Mayfield’s 2017 season that earned the quarterback a Heisman Trophy, Buddy Hield’s dominance on the basketball court in 2016, and Trevor Knight leading the Oklahoma Sooners to victory against the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2014.
“Growing up, I dreamed of playing sports at OU like a lot of kids here do,” Brysan said. “That path changed after I broke my leg before high school. I see that now as a divine intervention.”
In eighth grade, Brysan’s life flashed before his eyes when he lost control on a ski slope. He was on a black diamond route, an expert level ski run, but Brysan was only an intermediate beginner, and he mistakenly believed the route matched his experience.
“As I was going down, I lost control,” Brysan said. “In that moment, everything slowed down. I thought I was going to die, but I ended up hitting my leg in a way that spun my body just enough to miss a direct collision with my head. It reminded me how short life can be and how important it is to make the most of it.”
To make a full recovery, Brysan had to relearn how to correctly walk over the course of several months through physical therapy.
“It was one of the most challenging and humbling things I had ever faced, both physically and mentally,” Brysan said. “But it was also what sparked my passion for pursuing a career in physical therapy.”
Growing up, the health and exercise science graduate was unsure if costs would limit his ability to attend OU. Despite everything, Brysan couldn’t shake the feeling that OU was exactly where he belonged.
So, Brysan took the leap: he applied to OU, was accepted, and then filed his Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As part of his financial aid package, Brysan was offered Federal Work-Study funds. The Federal Work-Study Program is a need-based program that allows eligible students to earn money by working part-time while in school.
“Coming to OU was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Brysan said. “My freshman year was a grind. I balanced 18 credit hours while working in the Oklahoma Memorial Union to pay for room and board. It was a challenging season but looking back, it taught me strong time management skills.”
Brysan was also selected as a recipient of the Dodge Family Scholars program, a financial need-based scholarship opportunity that gave him financial and programming support.
“It was a doorway to everything I’ve accomplished here since,” Brysan said. “Because of it, I met Kaitlyn Armon, the director of Student Success in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences. What makes OU special is people like her, she wasn’t just an administrator but a mentor who made sure each of us had the resources we needed to succeed.”
Through the Dodge Family Scholars program, Brysan was able to study abroad twice. He spent the summer between his sophomore and junior year in Puebla, Mexico, and as a junior, he lived in Arezzo, Italy — where his Italian improved and he gained hands-on experience as a physical therapy intern at Istituto Fisioterapico Michelangelo.
“It made me more adaptable because I worked with people who primarily spoke Italian,” Brysan said. “Learning how to provide health services in a clinic where English is not the primary language helped me grow many of my soft skills and form so many relationships in a place I never imagined I’d visit.”
It made me more adaptable because I worked with people who primarily spoke Italian,” Brysan said. “Learning how to provide health services in a clinic where English is not the primary language helped me grow many of my soft skills and form so many relationships in a place I never imagined I’d visit.
With his undergraduate journey officially complete, Brysan will return to the OU Family as a student with the OU College of Allied Health in Oklahoma City, where he will earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
“I am interested in working within the Indian Health Service system here in Oklahoma and help expand access to physical therapy in communities where those resources are limited,” Brysan said. “My goal is simple: I want to give back to my state, my university, and most importantly, the communities that gave me the opportunity to pursue higher education and step into a career where I can positively impact lives and be part of something bigger than myself.”
