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This submit is a part of a sequence of interviews with previous interns about how Concussion Alliance impacted their lives going ahead. This interview follows up with Artwork Onwumere, who’s presently a senior gender and girls’s research main at Carleton Faculty. To study extra, see Arthur Onwumere’s profile. This interview was carried out by Ella Gullickson, a sophomore historical past main at Carleton Faculty, as a part of her December 2023 internship. See Ella’s profile.
Ella Gullickson:
Hey. I’m Ella Gullickson. I’m right here as an intern interviewing Artwork, who’s a previous intern at Concussion Alliance. Artwork, would you prefer to introduce your self a bit bit?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
Yeah. Hello. My identify is Artwork. I exploit he/him pronouns. I am a senior Gender and Girls’s Research main at Carleton Faculty. Yeah, and I used to be an intern in my sophomore yr of faculty.
Ella Gullickson:
Superior. So I’ve a couple of questions for you. When did you begin working with Concussion Alliance, and what drew you in?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
I labored with Concussion Alliance as an intern in 2020. I am virtually sure I had one thing to do with program administration or it was outreach, so I did quite a lot of the social media work. As a result of I knew little about images and modifying, I might make little presentation movies for Instagram and YouTube.
Ella Gullickson:
What had been a number of the highlights of your Concussion Alliance internship?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
I believe the most important spotlight was working with a number of the student-athletes and having that related understanding of enjoying a sport. I believe virtually all of us who had been interns at the moment had been earlier athletes in highschool or school and had skilled a concussion of some type enjoying a sport. One, it means you are not the one one that was doing this internship for a much bigger motive than, “Oh. I need an internship.” It was extra interpersonal.
Then, one other spotlight was acknowledging quite a lot of the consequences of concussions that also form of have an effect on quite a lot of us after we have gone by the protocols and having the ability to create a draft protocol for the Carleton Athletic Division with a present student-athlete.
Ella Gullickson:
Wow. Actually cool. What sport did you play, when you do not thoughts my asking?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
Yeah. I wrestled all 4 years of highschool. I do boxing now, and that is even worse by way of concussion danger. Even the little protecting helmets, I imply, it is by no means sufficient, however that is what I did.
Ella Gullickson:
Wow. Actually cool. What was your greatest takeaway from making these intros and outros for the YouTube channel?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
I believe if something, my greatest takeaway was simply presenting information and these assets in a visible method is simply as useful as one thing tangible, like a pamphlet or a handout. It motivated me to proceed making movies and completely different graphic designs for my very own Instagram and images enterprise and do video modifying for various organizations on campus.
Generally, that was a pleasant stepping stone to seeing that, “Oh. That is attainable when given clear instructions and aims and timelines,” and it is one thing that is nonetheless dwelling on. It has been like three years since I used to be an intern, so I am actually glad I used to be in a position to do this. It is one thing that’s nonetheless helpful now.
Ella Gullickson:
Yeah. It is actually highly effective to have that lasting impression. How, if in any respect, did the Concussion Alliance affect your plans for the long run?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
I believe it very a lot opened quite a lot of doorways for me by way of internships afterward at Carleton. I did an internship with the VA in Portland as a psychologist, like a psychology researcher, and we did quite a lot of analysis on affected person burnout and public coverage with regards to affected person orientation. It continues to gas my endeavors to pursue drugs. I believe it was a pleasant stepping stone to understanding neurology, and the necessity for these protocols.
I am a lot extra aware once I play sports activities, and I am rather more motivated to tell folks about taking their concussion protocols significantly, particularly when I’ve pals who’re student-athletes at Carleton. They’re going to discuss having a concussion prefer it’s the good factor ever. It’s extremely like, “Oh. I’ve a concussion. It is no biggie,” and I am like, “Please. If I may return to highschool, I want I took my protocols significantly.” So I believe there are quite a lot of social, interpersonal, and advocacy elements of the impression of that internship.
Ella Gullickson:
Yeah. Wow. That is cool about your different internship. That sounds fascinating. How did the internship show you how to extra broadly?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
I believe broadly, it helped me, perceive work in teams. Additionally, it helped me work out what I used to be focused on. I used to be a freshman, so I had no concept what I used to be going to main in, and simply desirous to do cognitive science courses and taking not less than the intro class motivated me to need to discover that avenue. I did not find yourself pursuing psychology as a serious, however I nonetheless really feel like it’s one thing that I’ve as a toolkit. I can discuss if I want to speak about it.
Ella Gullickson:
Yeah. For positive. I believe these roads that appear to have ended when making an attempt out careers are actually essential. As a result of you already know what you do not essentially need to do, however you continue to have these expertise to again it up.
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
Yeah.
Ella Gullickson:
Did what you discovered about concussions by the internship impression your relationship with others?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
Oh. Yeah. 100%. I believe it was one thing I talked to Mikki Showers about. Once I was working on the Rec, it was one thing we had been making an attempt to create, an precise concussion protocol draft that aligned with Division I establishments, such because the U of M and the College of Wisconsin, like Madison, simply making an attempt to make one thing that was sensible and lifelike in order that even after college students observe the recognized protocols, do follow-ups, do extra, I assume, neurological scanning of gamers, consider whether or not or not a participant’s truly able to play once more, probably speaking a couple of pupil must be suspended for a specific amount of video games, even as soon as they’ve cleared, as soon as they’ve gotten clearance. So, speaking to her, I felt very supported in that endeavor of making a draft. I not work for the Rec, nevertheless it was, for my sophomore, complete sophomore yr, one thing that we had been engaged on making an attempt to provide and making an attempt to get accredited.
Ella Gullickson:
That is actually essential work, particularly with the danger components in second impression or persevering with enjoying proper after a concussion. That is actually essential, and I simply have one final query. Have you ever ever skilled a concussion?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
Yeah. I need to say three. One in every of them was actually severe that, truthfully, I did not know what I used to be going by. I used to be a senior in highschool, and I refused medical care. There have been paramedics on standby at this event, and I had gotten, basically, thrown onto the aspect of my head. The mats each event we ever had, we’d bounce on the mats purposely simply to really feel how comfortable or stiff they had been, and this was a really stiff mat. So there wasn’t a lot recoil. It was simply straight into the mat.
I bear in mind my coach saying, “You went out and in. We began asking the fundamental questions, like your identify, date of delivery, and the identify of your dad and mom. You had been talking, however you were not opening your mouth.” As soon as I used to be in a position to discuss, I used to be like, “I do not need to go to the hospital. I do not want any consideration.” In order that they ended up calling my dad, and he needed to drive and take me to the hospital. It was identical to quite a lot of issues occurring as a senior in highschool, and I believe in my head, I knew I had a concussion. I did scans, they usually had been like, “You could have a concussion.” The one query on my thoughts was, “When will I be capable to wrestle?” As a result of I needed to go and compete in regionals and state, and I did not need that to be a hindrance.
Actually, I rushed it. There are quite a lot of issues that, since that concussion, it is one thing that also impacts me now. It is like I am a lot older, and I am conscious of it. So it is like if I see it at different tournaments once I come again dwelling to Houston and I’m going to wrestling tournaments. I am simply form of like, “Anyone ought to go and verify on that child,” or, “Hey. Truly, let’s cease the match.” There are quite a lot of issues like that. So even in boxing, it is one thing I am very … I prioritize my head. Even once I put on the little padded helmet, I’ll take a success earlier than I take a success to my head. So I prioritize each different a part of my physique getting hit once I’m boxing earlier than I take a headshot or one thing. So yeah.
Ella Gullickson:
Do you suppose that your new perspective with regards to concussion is due, not less than partly, to your expertise with Concussion Alliance?
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
100%. The conversations I’ve with my pals who’re athletes, the best way that I am aware now that I do boxing, that internship actually gave me an eye-opener. I used to be working to supply this info and likewise studying on the similar time. I did not are available there as an professional. I simply got here as any individual who had a concussion, who has skilled that, who performed sports activities, and who did not have a powerful protocol again in highschool. I nonetheless observe Instagram, so it is stuff like that, the place I used to be simply as a lot getting educated as I used to be being any individual informing others.
Ella Gullickson:
Oh. I am so glad that you have continued informing others. I believe that is essential. I additionally had a concussion in highschool, and I’ve additionally had too many concussions simply usually, and-
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
What do you play?
Ella Gullickson:
I used to play soccer. That is all it’s worthwhile to say actually, I believe.
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
I already know. Yeah. Wrestling’s bizarre. We have now headgear, nevertheless it’s to not defend your head. It is to guard your ears. So even when you get hit on the mat or slammed, I imply, your entire neck and backbone, all of that’s being jolted at God is aware of how briskly, after which any individual else’s physique weight. So yeah.
Ella Gullickson:
Yeah. All these G forces, for positive. My head stored getting snapped again from getting soccer balls or inertial accidents didn’t appear to be too large a deal, however I am not realizing till now with this internship how a lot I didn’t take it significantly.
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
In highschool, it wasn’t even like a … The protocol was two weeks of no display time, no energetic mat, no energetic wrestling. You may do warmups, and I used to be identical to, “Why would I even trouble making an attempt to focus on one thing like a warmup?” So yeah. Quite a lot of stuff in highschool, I believe it is highschool, so you do not actually take into consideration that stuff.
Ella Gullickson:
You are invincible till you are not, after which whenever you’re not, you do not know search assist. That is why I believe Concussion Alliance is essential.
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
Yeah. I want they might come to Carleton and do a pop-up, I do not know, not like a pop-up store, however like a pop-up useful resource honest or one thing with the athletes, as a result of … And even us who do IM. You’ll be able to play Intramural soccer, flag soccer. That is harmful nonetheless. There’s rugby groups. There’s quite a lot of sports activities which can be chartered sports activities, however they are not like NCAA sports activities. However they’re nonetheless harmful. Rugby is harmful. I do not play, however I’ve at all times needed to. However I see them at apply. I get scared.
Ella Gullickson:
Oh my gosh. I work as an EMT for the rugby video games. They legally want an EMT there as a result of somebody at all times will get significantly injured. I am like, “Oh my God,” however I assume it is gratifying and enjoyable. In order that’s onerous to handle, like, “I do not need to get injured, however that is enjoyable. That is what I get pleasure from doing.”
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
It was identical to wrestling. The concept is that you’d go right into a match, and the aim is to win and never get injured, however although … I’ve seen folks dislocate their shoulder, make it to finals, and pop the shoulder in, and return right into a match. It simply did not matter to quite a lot of us. Like I mentioned, concussion, I used to be like, “When can I wrestle once more?” As a result of the state was in March, and I did not need to be hindered by that as a result of my head simply hit the mat onerous. ? So yeah.
Ella Gullickson:
Effectively, that is all I’ve. Thanks a lot. This was a stunning dialog.
Arthur (Artwork) Onwumere:
Yeah. Yeah. I loved the dialog, too. Thanks for emailing, as nicely.
Ella Gullickson:
Sure. After all. Thanks for responding. I actually admire it.
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