ARCHIVES CORNER
Archives Committee Chairs – Kathy Preissner , EdD , OTR / L , FAOTA , Steven Taylor , OTR / L Ashley Stoffel , OTD , OTR / L , FAOTA
HISTORY OF GOVERNORS STATE UNIVER- SITY ’ S DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Dustin Hogan , OTS ; Mallory Winter , OTS Master of Occupational Therapy Students | Class of 2022 Governors State University
Governors State University ’ s Occupational Program celebrates 25 years of storied impact in the Southland Chicago region . Established in 1996 as a Masters in Occupational Therapy ( MOT ) degree , this program has long carried out Governors State University ’ s mission toward academic excellence , innovation , diversity , and responsible citizenship .
Occupational Therapy ( OT ) has long been a profession in demand and the development of GSU ’ s MOT was , in large part , a response to meet the demand by supporting Southland and surrounding rural communities with occupational therapists . When the program was founded , Governors State was a Junior / Senior college and the program set a professional trajectory for many students seeking to continue their education past an undergraduate level . While aiming to provide an affordable education for all , the program serves scores of nontraditional students from veterans , students with families , and those deciding to change careers .
Stability in leadership has been a hallmark of the GSU program . In 25 years , the program has only seen three department chairs . Dr . Beth Cada Ed . D , OTR / L , FAO- TA , joined GSU as the founding director in 1996 and established the Department of Occupational Therapy . She served as the department chair until 2012 when she was named the Dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Governors State . Dr . Cada was officially named the University ’ s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 2018 , and recently retired in 2021 . Dr . Catherine Brady Ed . D , OTR / L , served as the department chair from 2012 – 2018 prior to her retirement . Dr . Cada , and Dr . Brady currently serves the department as Professor Emeritus . Dr . Caren Schranz DrOT , MS , OTR / L , is the current department chair and Program Director and has been at the university since the start of the program in various roles from Community Advisor to Associate Professor . Under their combined leadership , the GSU OT program has graduated 23 cohorts of MOT students , sought and received grant funds to develop a state-of-the-art ADL lab , and remains one of the most cost-effective OT programs nationally . Dr . Schranz has been instrumental in generating millions of dollars for research and scholarships helping educate future professionals and propel the profession forward , as evidenced in 2020 when the Human Resource Services Administration awarded the GSU Master of Occupational Therapy Program 2.7 million dollars to support economically and environmentally disadvantaged students .
The department has also benefited from consistency in leadership within the faculty as two current faculty members ; Dr . Cynthia Carr , DrOT , MS , OTR / L ; and Patricia Kalvelage , MS , OTR / L , were the first hires into the program in 1996 . Dr . Cynthia Carr and Patricia Kalvelage ’ s distinguished experiences in rehabilitative treatment approaches , mental health promotion , and advocacy for holistic practice , diversity , equity , and inclusion have driven the program to new heights . The curriculum has always emphasized an appreciation of client centered practice and strives to impart an understanding of cultural identities and responses . Along with Dr . Carr and Patricia Kalvelage there are 4 other scholars and skilled faculty members who are faithful and diligent in the investment of the program and have exceeded the expectation of the department ’ s mission to produce occupational therapists who are innovators in the field .
The evolution of the program through the years encouraged the department to establish a post-professional DrOT program in 2009 , providing students with the opportunity to develop and / or refine academic , research , and clinical teaching skills . The program facilitates the advancement of skills and knowledge to enhance current practice and prepare practitioners to be innovators in both tradition-
11 Illinois Occupational Therapy Association | 2022 ISSUE 4