Berry College will expand its graduate offerings with a new degree in athletic training made possible by a $500,000 donation from Atrium Health Floyd.
The Master of Science degree in athletic training will focus on serving both rural and urban areas across Georgia with classes beginning in 2028. Berry’s program is building on its health science and athletics collaboration with Atrium Health Floyd in the region, across the state and in secondary and post-secondary schools.
“Working together with Atrium Health Floyd represents an exciting step forward for Berry College as we expand our graduate offerings to meet the growing healthcare needs of communities across Georgia," said President Sandeep Mazumder. "Our upcoming master’s program in athletic training will build on Berry’s longstanding commitment to educating the head, heart, and hands, preparing students to deliver exceptional care in schools, clinics, and organizations throughout both rural and urban regions. This is Berry at its best—innovating, collaborating and investing in the people and places we are proud to serve.”
Athletic training is a recognized allied healthcare profession dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. National projections show strong demand, with job growth expected at 14% through 2032. In Georgia, employment levels and salaries exceed national averages.
The program builds on the college’s momentum in nursing, physician associate studies and exercise science, while enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration across health programs. The curriculum will require significant hands-on patient care experiences across diverse clinical settings, demanding strong partnerships and placement coordination.
“As demand for high-quality care continues to grow, it is critical that we strengthen the pipeline of skilled caregivers in fields such as athletic training,” said Kurt Stuenkel, president of Atrium Health Floyd. “Much like our support for Berry College’s Health Sciences Building, this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to care and preparing the next generation of health professionals. We look forward to working together to create new opportunities for students and enhance access to high-quality care in our community.”
The Atrium Health Floyd-Polk Foundation donated $2 million in 2024 which was used to support Berry College’s Health Sciences Building, which added classroom space, laboratories, an advanced simulation suite and student housing.
Berry and Atrium Health Floyd will collaborate with local schools and regional athletic organizations. Atrium Health Floyd athletic trainers currently serve a total of 3,800 high school athletes in Floyd County, Polk County, Chattooga County, Bartow County, Rome City and two private high schools in Rome. They also support the YMCA by providing coverage for soccer tournaments.
At the college level, Atrium Health Floyd trainers work with 1,200 athletes at Berry, Shorter University and Georgia Highlands College.
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About Atrium Health Floyd: With a more than 150-year history of serving the needs of patients and communities, the Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic family of health care services are a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. More than 5,200 teammates at Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic provide care throughout the region, offering more than 40 medical specialties at its hospitals in Rome and Cedartown, Georgia, and Centre, Alabama. It is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the nation’s third-largest nonprofit integrated health system with Wake Forest University School of Medicine as its academic core. Patients have access to the resources of a preeminent academic health system at the forefront of clinical excellence, innovation and research. Nationally recognized for expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, Advocate Health is also a pioneer in the delivery of virtual health care. It’s accelerating discovery by making research participation part of the standard-of-care through its one-of-a-kind National Center for Clinical Trials, plus two affiliated life-sciences-focused innovation districts and is home to one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs, with an experiential learning focus and specialized residencies to help protect the long-term sustainability of rural health care in America.
