Meet a TAP Recipient
Meet TAP Recipient, Joe Alexander
The Talent Attraction Program (TAP) is a reverse scholarship that helps recent graduates pay back student loans in exchange for moving to downtown Hamilton and getting involved with the community. The program is aimed at increasing the number of young professionals in the city as well as connecting employers to up and coming talent. See page 33 for more details on TAP.
Joseph Alexander is a graduate of both Shawnee State University and Findlay University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and then a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, respectively. He applied for the TAP scholarship in summer 2019 and moved to Hamilton shortly afterward. He sat down to talk about his experience in Hamilton so far.
Where did you live before moving to Hamilton?
I’m originally from Northeast Ohio, I guess you would say Amish country. After school, I lived in Columbus for a while, and then I got accepted into a residency program at Mercy Hospital, splitting my time between Oxford and West Chester. I didn’t know much about the Cincinnati area, but I had some friends who mentioned Hamilton a few times. I did some research and I really liked what was going on, so I ended up coming here.
What drew you to this city?
Just reading about the difficulties this city has faced, and the fact that the community is trying really hard to bring back the arts, culture, small business, and young professionals, it reminded me of what has been going on in some neighborhoods in Columbus. I loved it in Columbus, and I figured Hamilton would have a similar feel. And then my mentor in my residency saw an article about the TAP scholarship, so I decided to look into it. I applied and got an interview within a couple weeks, so here I am.
Can you talk a bit about your job?
My position is a year-long physical therapy residency specializing in orthopedics. I see patients for about 32 hours a week, and also do a lot of reading, self-learning, presentations, and that sort of stuff. I also get mentoring hours with an expert who’s already a specialist, and they ask a lot of questions, which kind of shows how much I don’t know yet. In a good way, of course! It’s a great learning experience, and I’m really loving it. I have patients who range from Miami University athletes to 85 year old grandmothers, so I’m seeing it all.
How has the scholarship changed your options?
Doing the residency, I took a pretty big pay cut from my previous position. I knew that would be the case, but there was a lot of uncertainty, and I knew that my loan payments wouldn’t stop. Finding out about the scholarship and living downtown is a pretty big weight off my shoulders; it’s helped me have a little extra sense of security and I’m even able to pay off a bit of excess. TAP has helped me stay within my own timeline to pay my loans off.
What do you think about downtown Hamilton?
I was the first person who moved into the new Davis building apartments, and I like that everything is so walkable. It’s so easy to go to the downtown area, and if I need to get something quick, there’s a lot of places I can go nearby without having to drive.
What are some of your favorite places around town?
I love running and biking along the Great Miami River trail, and I walk down to Marcum Park a lot. The Casual Pint is one of my favorite places to go right now, to watch the game or just hang out on a Friday night. One of my favorite beers is the Cigar City Jai Alai, so I always get that when they have it. And obviously I love True West.
Have you gotten involved in the community since coming to Hamilton?
So far, I’ve been able to talk to classes of PT students at Miami University, and I’m helping out at Badin football games on occasion. I go and assist their athlete trainer, and if things get crazy, I’m there for support. I’ve also been to the Hamilton Community Foundation’s annual meeting, where I got to meet some of the donors as well as the other TAP scholars in Hamilton.
How was it connecting with the other TAP recipients?
It was cool to talk to them and find out what they did. There are people who work in marketing, teachers -- there’s not just one profession represented. There’s one guy who’s from just 15 or 20 minutes from where I grew up, so I was happy to see that it wasn’t just people from southwest Ohio.
What are your future plans?
I’d love to stay with the company I’m with now. They’re talking about some cool things in terms of first-line care, such as spinal care early intervention, which is exciting. I like the Davis Building and I like living downtown, so I plan on sticking around.
