Don Bagnall: 40 Years with the Hopkins Community

Don Bagnall serves as Director of Medical Services, Head Athletic Trainer, and Associate Director of Athletics at Hopkins.

Nearly 40 years ago on Martha’s Vineyard, Don Bagnall packed up everything he had in his Volkswagen Beetle and headed to New Haven to join Hopkins as an athletic trainer.

“Coming from a small close-knit community on the Vineyard, I saw a lot of similarities to Hopkins,” says Bagnall, who has since spent four decades as a beloved member of the Hopkins community. Back when he arrived, there was no Malone building, no Heath, and the dining hall lived in Lovell Hall, among other changes. Bagnall says some things, however, have never changed.

“Hopkins is and has always been a family. The people here will do anything for each other. You can’t find that in most work environments.”

Now the Director of Medical Services and Head Athletic Trainer for Sports Medicine, chances are, if you’ve ever had a bump, bruise, or needed emotional support here at Hopkins, you’ve come to see Bagnall.

“There aren’t a lot of things more important in life than caring for kids when they need it most. It’s a stage in their lives when they face a lot of challenges, so taking the time to give them space, an ear, or a pat on the back is crucial,” says Bagnall.

Bagnall spends his spare time as a long-distance runner, most recently completing two major marathons. He says he has enjoyed his 40-year tenure at Hopkins so much that it hasn’t felt like a marathon at all. While he looks forward to a new fall each year so he can greet staff and students alike, it is graduation day that he cherishes the most.

“As hard as things can be at times, when you see a student that you helped, mentally and physically, walk across that graduation stage, it’s all worth it. That’s a special thing,” says Bagnall.

This article first appeared in the Winter 2021-2022 edition of Views from the Hill.