AOTA/NCBOT
National Student Conclave
materials. It was a great event that showcased
many talented athletes. Volunteers were able
to gain information about Rancho Los Amigos
National Rehabilitation Center and spinal cord
injuries. We are looking forward to supporting the
annual Spinal Injury Games again next year!
Caleh Kim, OTS
On November 14th and 15th, AOTA and NBCOT
held the National Student Conclave in St. Louis,
Missouri. Students from all over the nation met in St.
Louis to share experiences and gain knowledge about
the current Occupational Therapy field. Candace
Chatman, Katie Henderson, Kristine Laird, and I
were awarded full scholarships by the Department
to go as representatives for CSUDH to bring back
the knowledge and share with the rest of our cohort.
We attended educational sessions led by experienced
Occupational Therapists in the field, new graduates
and AOTA’s President, Virginia Stoffel, PhD, OT,
BCMH, FAOTA, where we learned tips on passing
the NBCOT exam, how to land our first job, and how
to work with other professionals.
CSUDH Professor and Student
Receive OTAC Awards
Melissa Broersma
The OT Department is proud of the accomplishments of Professor, Dr. Diane Mayfield and
cohort 9 student, Sammi Itaya. Dr. Diane Mayfield was recognized by
OPTAC as Fieldwork
Educator of the Year.
Sammi Itaya received
the Oustanding Student of the Year Award
during the Awards
Event on October 3,
2015.
PTE Job Outlook Panel
Rachel Fein, OTS
Last November, Pi Theta Epsilon hosted its first
O T Job Outlook Panel for all MSOT students.
Panel speakers included Lisa Colburn, MS,
OTR/L, Alann Salvador, OTD, OTR/L, Christine
Lam, OTD, OTR/L and Melina Ramirez, MA,
OTR/L. Students
were able to gain
information about
what it is like to
work as a practicing
pediatric or mental
health occupational
therapist, including job prospects, salary expectations, and other real-world advice from practicing
therapists. It was a valuable and insightful evening! PTE’s next Job Outlook Panel will be held
in the late spring and will focus on the areas of
practice within the adult population.
Rancho Los Amigos
Spinal Injury Games
Kristine Laird, OTS
On Saturday September 13th, CSUDH OT students
volunteered at the Rancho Los Amigos Spinal Injury Games. This was an all-day event of wheelchair
sports. The sports included handcycling, basketball,
quad rugby, football accuracy throw, tennis and
many more! Volunteers participated by cheering on
participants, manning the water booth, passing out
snacks, setting up equipment and lunch, as well as
cleaning up at the end of the day. There was also an
opportunity to walk around to the vendor booths
and learn about products relevant to spinal cord
injuries such as assistive technology and wheelchair
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