From the Desk of the Chair
Carole Ivey, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

VCU’s Occupational Therapy team has long been committed to elevating how we prepare the next generation of practitioners – and we’re honored to see our efforts recognized as we rose to No. 9 in U.S. News & World Report’s graduate programs rankings released this week.

This accolade reflects the innovation we’ve brought to teaching, including advancements in our simulation lab that give students early hands-on experience, as well as research, where we’re conducting basic and implementation science to inform direct practice with clients. At the same time, we’ve invested in full-time student support, which is proving essential in helping them launch successful careers.

Our impact as a department is a direct result of faculty and staff contributions, as well as how our students seize those opportunities.

We’re also committed to serving our field at both the state and national level, and the rankings announcement comes on the heels of the AOTA INSPIRE 2025 Annual Conference. My time there reminded me of the strength of our VCU community: how we show up to lead, learn and shape the future of occupational therapy. We’re proud to see so many faculty, students and alumni contributing to this year’s national conversation on practice, research and education.

At the conference we watched Audrey Kane, Ph.D., OTR/L, take her role as the incoming chair of AOTA’s Academic Education Special Interest Section (AESIS). She brings impressive expertise and experience to this leadership role, and I encourage you to read on for her goals and commitment to advancing collaboration. Another conference highlight was having work by Lauren Andelin, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, on data-driven decision making recognized when Roseann Schaaf, Ph.D., of Thomas Jefferson University delivered the Slagle Lecture.

Meanwhile, we’ve completed a five-year research initiative that is driving innovation in how we prepare students for school-based practice — which often doesn’t get enough attention in traditional curricula. With support from a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, we led the Interdisciplinary Training for Inclusive Practices (ITIP) project, which implemented an inclusive curriculum for future occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech-language pathologists.

Programs like ITIP underscore the power of collaboration – not just across disciplines, but across institutions – and we’re proud to have played a role in shaping more inclusive and responsive services for students with disabilities.

As always, thank you for your support and for continuing to move our profession forward with heart, knowledge and purpose.

Warm regards,
Carole Ivey, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy
Virginia Commonwealth University