ACS hero: ACS Hillingdon alumna Ruth Fedor ready to help

Ruth Fedor attended ACS Hillingdon between 1989 – 1992 from Grade 8-10 before heading back with her family to Virginia, USA. Ruth attended Shenandoah University (Winchester, Virginia) where she received a bachelor’s degree in health sciences (minor sports medicine), and both master and doctoral degrees in physical therapy. Ruth has been working full-time as Director of Rehab and Physical Therapist for Genesis Rehab Services since 2001.

Ruth currently works at Canterbury Centre in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where the majority of caseloads include short-term post-surgery rehab clients, or they have other medical complications that are too complex to return to home from an acute hospital stay. The residents have become like a second family and Ruth is honoured to have helped them to maximize their capabilities. Due to the spread of COVID-19, Canterbury Home has been on quarantine and this has greatly impacted the social, emotional and spiritual connections of the residents. Ruth continues to give the best quality care she can as a physical therapist, maintaining rigid infectious control protocols at work and home to protect those she cares about.

"ACS Hillingdon will always hold a dear part in my heart including the friends I made, the memories of ISST [International Schools Sports Tournament], the various clubs and organisations, the intimate family-like environment and the charming school grounds. The educational opportunities are unparalleled to those offered in the United States, not just academically. ACS provides such an international enrichment that cannot be compared in an ordinary institution.

"Mrs Leonard was one of the most memorable teachers I had! She had such a profoundly eccentric personality. Her passion for history was consummate. Of course, it helped that she also procured the infamous gummy bear ice cream on special occasions. I absolutely adore history, and the UK has such a beautiful backdrop for an avid explorer. Mrs. Learnard brought much of that history to light, exuberantly; and it was contagious."

"I believe ACS helped prepare me for advanced education in areas of IB Biology and it would have expanded me in other areas had I attended until 12th grade. IB Biology was much more practical in application towards real world scenarios and in the field application. 

The science assisted in preparing me for the physiology, microbiology and anatomy steppingstones I needed to enter university in order to become a physical therapist."

ACS Hillingdon alumna, Ruth Fedor (1989/1992)