Biology student Josh Melchior hopes to turn injuries into opportunities
Josh Melchior ’22 loved to play baseball, and he had always done so from the infield. But the summer he turned 14, he had to pitch and catch for the first time. After a nearly full season in this new position, his arm gave out during a game, and he had to spend the next several months on the bench and in physical therapy.
Josh suffered from injuries common to baseball players who throw excessively: a stress fracture in his elbow and tendinitis in his shoulder. He feared the injury meant he would never play baseball again, but his physical therapist offered a different perspective.
Josh’s physical therapist helped him see his injury as an opportunity to improve himself rather than hold him back. He was encouraged by his PT’s warm personality and compassion for others. “The minute I stepped into that office, I wanted to be better and stronger,” recalled Josh. “My physical therapist motivated me to have that mentality. After weeks of hard work, I realized he was right. I felt stronger than I ever had before.”
Josh’s experience of recovery caused him to discover his passion: helping athletes like himself heal from traumatic injuries. When looking for a college to help him pursue his calling, he decided Cairn would be the perfect fit. Now, Josh plays infield for the Highlanders baseball team and is one of the first students in Cairn’s biology programs.
Josh could have played baseball and studied biology at several other universities, but he ultimately chose Cairn because he wanted to further his knowledge and grow in an atmosphere surrounded by like-minded Christians.
“The science field is full of individuals who don’t recognize an intelligent Creator,” said Josh. “Studying biology at Cairn with Christian professors who hold Christian worldviews and teach at a high professional level has been a huge blessing to me. In my science classes, I am continuing to see how our world points back to a Sovereign God.”
Whether in the biology lab or on the baseball field, Josh is eager to use his gifts and abilities to help others and glorify God.
—Chea Kostbar ’20