An innovative training and mentorship program that brings together future occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech language pathologists can better prepare them for careers in school-based practice – and transform educational experiences for students with disabilities.
Bringing a focus on holistic health approaches, Glenda Watkins, OTD, OTR/L, NASM-PES, assistant professor of occupational therapy, has joined a team supporting the Mobile Health and Wellness Program (MHWP), an innovative care model for older adults in underserved communities across urban and rural Virginia.
Focusing on individuals with an average of 3.5 chronic conditions, MHWP aims to improve their health outcomes, reduce costs and promote independence through customized care plans developed collaboratively with faculty and students across various health professions. It is supported by several Health Resources and Services Administration grants, including the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP).
As the new dean of VCU’s College of Health Professions, Amy R. Darragh, OTR/L, Ph.D., FAOTA, is tapping into her extensive background as a leader and as an occupational therapy researcher to continue elevating research and learning experiences within the college’s highly acclaimed OT program.
As we head into 2025, there’s much to be excited about in the VCU Department of Occupational Therapy. To start, we celebrate that the new dean of our College of Health Professions is Dr. Amy Darragh, an occupational therapist by specialty and a nationally recognized researcher in pediatric neurorehabilitation, team science and virtual technologies. We know she will help shine a spotlight on the many great things underway at both our department and across the college.
A VCU occupational therapist, Brooke Dexheimer, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L, is a co-investigator in a groundbreaking multi-site study, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), to understand motor learning and brain stimulation in patients recovering from neurological injuries and stroke.
Nguyen, M* (class of 2024)., Ivey, C., & Andelin, L. (2024). Using a capstone experience to enhance inclusion and accessibility for individuals with sensory processing disorders. AOTA Sensory Integration & Processing Special Interest Quarterly. https://www.aota.org/publications/sis-quarterly/sensory-integration-processing-sis/sipsis-11-24
3 questions, 2 minutes, 1 lesson with Carole Ivey and Glenda Watkins, who co-lead a course with occupational therapy graduate students that might have you rethinking James Bond and Marvel movies.
We are thrilled to announce that our department has moved up in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, climbing to #14! This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence in education, research, and community engagement. We are proud to celebrate this milestone with our dedicated faculty, hardworking students, and supportive alumni.
At the Department of Occupational Therapy’s Pinning and Hooding Ceremony, Deanna Dambrose, OTD, OTR/L, QMHP-A received the Jayne T. Shepherd “Making a Difference” Alumni Award in recognition of her service to the field and the department.
Congratulations to Grad II Ashley Gros for receiving an AOTF Virginia Occupational Therapy Association Fred Sammons Endowed Scholarship. Ashley is so deserving of this highly competitive scholarship. Ashley is an exceptional individual who embodies the qualities and potential that the AOTF Scholarship seeks to nurture and support.
Brooke Dexheimer, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Health Professions Department of Occupational Therapy, has been awarded a grant from the 2024 VCU Quest Fund.
As we embrace the vibrancy of spring, I am thrilled to share some exciting updates and upcoming events from the Department of Occupational Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Occupational Therapy students Anne Franklin (left) and Erika Poole (right) (both Class of 2025) competed in the final round of the 2023-2024 International Interprofessional Case Competition, as part of separate interprofessional teams made up of learners across professions from institutions all over the world. This year's I2C2 event had 62 students from 11 universities in multiple countries assigned to 12 interprofessional teams representing a wide range of health professions managing a complex medical condition. The teams competed virtually to resolve a complex clinical case, and Erika’s team won the competition!
Dr. Virginia Chu was recently honored as part of the VCU inaugural class of National/International Recognition Award (NIRA) scholars. Fotis Sotiropoulos, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, created the NIRA in partnership with Marlon Levy, M.D., interim senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences. The award honors VCU faculty members who were nationally or internationally recognized for exceptional accomplishments during their current evaluation period. Dr. Virginia Chu, seen here with Dr. Ben Darter, Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, were the recipients from the College of Health Professions.
Dr. Stacey Reynolds was recently awarded an Applied Research Grant from the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). The project entitled Improving Access to Community-Based Occupations via a Rideshare Training Program is a 1-year project to train autistic adults to use Rideshare services (e.g., Uber, Lyft). “Transportation options are limited for those with divergent social, sensory, and cognitive abilities. This project will train autistic adults to use Rideshare services to better access leisure and employment opportunities in the Central Virginia area,” says Dr. Reynolds. This program was originally developed with a capstone OTD student (Ginger Belongia, OTD 2022) in the Department of Occupational Therapy. The training modules are freely accessible at the Safe Rideshare Program website This grant project is in collaboration with Alissa Brooke from the Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (VCU-RRTC).
The VCU Occupational Therapy department will be at AOTA INSPIRE | 2024 Annual Conference & Expo. With 18 sessions, an alumni reception (Friday), and the awards and recognition ceremony (Saturday), there are many opportunities to connect with us. Hope to see you there!
Brooke Dexheimer, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L has been awarded a Shirley Ryan AbilityLab research grant as part of the C-STAR Pilot Project Program to support her research quantifying fine motor deficits in early-stage Parkinson’s Disease.
The College of Health Professions expert recently completed a long-delayed Fulbright fellowship in Malaysia.