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On October 28, the USP’s Department of
Occupational Therapy celebrated 10 years of its professional
program.
Alumni, faculty and former faculty, current students, and
University officials were among the over 90 people in attendance.
The program, which included a brunch, looked at the field
of occupational therapy from the past to the future. Dr. Penelope
Moyers, President of the American Occupational Therapy Association
(AOTA) and Professor and Chair of the Occupational Therapy
Department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was
an invited guest and speaker at the event where she helped
to provide a vision for the profession.
Dr. Margaret Kasschau, Interim Dean of the College of Heath
Sciences and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs,
gave insight into the inception of UPS’s program, while
Dr. Ruth Schemm, founding chair of the department and former
Dean of the College of Health Sciences, spoke about the history
of the profession and the excitement of bringing occupational
therapy to USP. The faculty, represented by Pamalyn Kearney
and Roger Ideishi, spoke about the growth of the program and
their work with community partners. In laying the ground work
for the future, Dr. Paula Kramer, professor and chair of the
department, discussed how far the program has come and plans
for future growth and scholarship.
Presenting AOTA ‘s Centennial Vision, Dr. Moyers talk
about how OT professionals must work together to make that
vision a reality. She shared how thrilled she was with the
enthusiasm and diversity of the USP students and looked forward
to seeing them as colleagues in the near future.
To conclude the event, Dr. Moyers assisted Dr. Kramer in
ceremoniously presenting pins to the students of the 2008
and 2009 graduating class. Dr. Moyers also noted how USP’s
faculty presented a fine role model for the future of the
profession and that she welcome the opportunity to come back
to USP at some time in the future.
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