accolades fall 2011

AccoladesAccoladesUNIVERSITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE MAGAZINE | FALL 2011UNIVERSITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE MAGAZINE | FALL 2011

OT faculty raises$25,000 for research

PT students and faculty take on Capitol Hill

USA continuing education co-sponsor hit during severe weather attacks

The Sky’s the Limit with USA’s Fourth PresidentThe Sky’s the Limit with USA’s Fourth President

OT faculty raises$25,000 for research

PT students and faculty take on Capitol Hill

USA continuing education co-sponsor hit during severe weather attacks

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to the fall 2011 edition of Accolades. This is my first opportunity to introducemyself to our alumni and University friends. I am delighted that the editor dedicated this issue to me, a humble physical therapist who came to theUniversity to teach 14 years ago. The opportunity to serve this great Universityas it’s president is an honor. I offer my thanks to the many mentors and supporters who have helped me in my professional journey.

We have been busy with growing our university, adding quality and innovation toour many offerings. For example, in this issue, you’ll read about the start of ourMaster of Orthopaedic Physician Assistant program, the only one in the country.We have also put together an online business series to support those who wantto enter the world of private practice. We are gradually adding to our staff, faculty and administration to support our growing university.

As you will see in this issue, the faculty and students on both campuses continueto be busy with research activities advocating for our professions, and providingdedicated service to our communities. What a whirlwind of activities!

I hope you are like me and enjoy reading the alumni news. To read of the successof our alumni means that the University is meeting it’s mission and core values. I see examples of professional autonomy, leadership, dedication to meetinghealth care staffing needs, and professional advocacy. Your advancementreflects positively on the university. Keep up the great work.

Wanda Nitsch, PT, PhDPresident and Chief Academic Officer

Welcome

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3 Accolades | Fall 2011


11501755005,000

Number of years we have heldthe USA 5K Health & Fun Fair onour St. Augustine Campus

Vendors and sponsors we had last year

Gracious volunteers that madethe event possible

Community participants duringthe race and fun fair

Amount raised in 2010 for theSalvation Army’s Feed the Hungryprogram.

2010 USA 5K Health & Fun Fair

-The Numbers-

Accolades | Fall 2011 4


Advocacy Forum

Physical Therapy Student Advocacy Forum raises money to boost national PT awareness



During the fall trimester, the Physical TherapyStudent Advocacy Forum began their participation inthe Pittsburgh-Marquette Challenge, a fundraisingcompetition among physical therapy and physicaltherapist assistant programs designed to raise moneyfor the Foundation for Physical Therapy. The stu-dents at USA recognized an opportunity to supportand contribute to research funding that would bene-fit their future clinical practices.

The project began with small, locally attendedfundraisers, including team jersey and t-shirt days onthe St. Augustine campus. With gradual increase, theevents held became larger in size and eventuallyincluded the participation of our San Diego campus.A small group of students from both campuses collab-orated to plan events and activities to raise money forthe challenge and achieved success in encouraging alarge percentage of their peers to both support andparticipate in the events. What started initially as agroup of two or three students who wanted toachieve something positive for their profession,turned into hundreds of participants spanning thenation in support of a greater good!

The main events on the St. Augustine campus includeda Halloween costume party, a flag football tournamentand the chilly polar bear plunge. The main eventsorganized on the San Diego campus included pennywars, golf-frisbee tournaments and jersey days.

A grand total of $4,970.15 was raised for thePittsburgh-Marquette Challenge. This resulted in theUSA team being among only 15 out of 62 schoolsnationwide to raise over $3,000, which earned theman Honorable Mention Award.

This award was presented to USA students at theFoundation Gala, held during the Annual APTA con-ference in National Harbor, MD in June. The moneyraised will be used to fund further research to supportthe profession. Beyond earning the award and beingrecognized at the celebration, the students at USAhave truly learned the meaning of teamwork. Theirpassion as advocates for patient rights shows theywant to provide the best care possible. They not onlyworked together with their peers to overcome obsta-cles, but they were lucky enough to surpass their orig-inal goals. The results were only a small reflection ofthe potential for change that is continually being pur-sued by the PT profession. USA students have shownthat both their passion and their pockets stretchmuch deeper than they knew for their future careers!

To make a tax-deductible donation to support physi-cal therapy research or get involved, please email [email protected].

- Student Advocacy Forum


< (Left) Pictured with Dr. Patla and Dr.Paris, students Nikki Huffman, TessJansse and Elena Madueno acceptedthe Honorable Mention award at theFoundation Gala on behalf of USA stu-dents.v (Below) Students David Lee and MitchGuberman pose while attending theHalloween costume party.v (Bottom center) USA students, facul-ty, friends and family gather beforeplunging into the ocean last February inSt. Augustine, FL.


New BeginniNew President, Dr. Wanda Nitsch, takes the University in



ningsin a new direction


We are excitedAs of April 2011, USA’s very own Dr. Wanda Nitsch was inauguratedas the fourth president of the University at the CommencementCeremony on the San Marcos campus. The University is excited tohave such a visionary leader during a time of great change. In herhonor, we have published her induction speech. She shares withus her passion, her vision and the people who have made animpact in her life. I have to share a dream that I had one night last week. Dr. Paris could notfind the medallion and the time for the commencement procession wasgetting closer and closer as several of us frantically searched this building.He kept saying, “I know I had it on the plane!” The time came to start theceremony and out of desperation we made a loop of elastic cord takenfrom the wellness center. What ingenuity! And I was proud to wear thissymbol of my profession around my neck. But doesn’t this look betterthen a piece of thera-tubing?

As I accept this mantle of leadership, I must pause to thank those in my lifewho gave unselfishly of their time, trust and wisdom to assist in my profes-sional journey. Although there are many, I refuse to let this sound like anacceptance speech on Oscar night, so I will keep it to just a notable few.

My predecessors, especially Dr. Paris, have done much in setting the stagefor my success as a leader. Dr. Paris pushed the envelope for advancementof our profession, both in the clinical world and the education arena.Through his leadership, today this university is financially healthy, has astrong management team, a collaborative faculty, a firm vision and an excel-lent reputation. There is nothing else I could ask for when stepping into thisrole. There is a Vietnamese proverb that says: "When eating fruit, remem-ber who planted the tree. When drinking clear water, remember who dugthe well." Dr. Paris, thank you for planting the tree and digging the well.

Personally, Dr. Paris has taught me to be creative in thinking, to be honestto myself and my values, have the courage to make a difference and aboveall, showing integrity in decision making. He paid for a portion of thetuition to earn my PhD. He did this during a period of financial strain on ourinstitution. I know there were times that paying that bill may have been atough choice. Yet, he knew the value of growing the person in order togrow the leader. Thank you for making that sacrifice and believing in me.

I also wish to thank those closest to my heart. • To my parents, who taught me that right thoughts and right efforts will

inevitably bring about right results. • To my younger sisters, who let me practice my leadership skills by being

the bossy big sister and still loving me many years later in spite of it.• I thank my sons, Paul and Phillip, for reminding me to forever remain

curious and that learning can be fun.

to announce...


Continued from page 8...

A special thank you to my husband, Chuck. His unwa-vering support of me and pursuit of my dreams hasgone way beyond those vows taken almost 30 yearsago. He has listened, comforted and humored me,offered advice, and let me be me. No one could do itbetter.

And one final word to the graduates. I believe thateveryone has the potential of leadership in them. AsI look back 32 years ago to that shy, unassuming newPT graduate sitting at commencement, there wasonly one thing I wanted...to be an excellent clinicianand maybe someday an educator. Becoming a uni-versity president was nowhere in that mix! In fact, Ipurposely steered clear of leadership opportunities inmy early career, predominately out of fear. What I didnot realize then is that leadership comes in manyforms and can be expressed in many ways. What isthe essence of leadership? After wrestling with thisquestion over the last several years and reading manybooks, I’ve come to a simple realization. It is morethan just a mastery of skills or accomplishments,growing responsibilities or community recognition. Itis more than a medallion around your neck. Instead,we lead by virtue of who we are. Anyone who isauthentically self-expressing and creating value isleading. Some lead by creating value through ideas,others through systems, others through people, butthe essence is the same. They are authentic andwhen they express that authenticity, they are leading.What makes leadership is what is within you.

We are all CEOs of our own lives. So, to be a goodleader, you need mastery of self, but it is up to you toachieve that mastery.

What I suggest is that you first find your purpose. Forme it was recognizing that I like to help people to suc-ceed. Once I found that purpose, I had the desire toexpress that in many ways. Through caring forpatients, working with students and faculty, develop-ing new programs and devoting time to members ofmy faith community, I was expressing my purpose.What is your purpose? What is your mission? Findingthis passion is what will inspire you into action.


I recently watched a movie about the life of AmeliaEarhart. I enjoyed the movie so much that it inspiredme to read a biography of her life. What hit me wasthe quote at the very end of the movie: “Everyone hasoceans to fly, as long as you have the heart to do it.”Amelia’s passion was flying and that was her purpose.That was the source of her leadership in bringingwomen into aviation.

Once you find that purpose, or we could call it yourpersonal power, you want to turn that into resultspower. Do you remember the term in physics “kinet-ic energy?” For those who have been away fromphysics awhile, kinetic energy is the energy an objectpossesses due to its motion. It is a transformation ofone kind of power into another form of power. Inphysical therapy we learn that muscles, when exercis-ing, convert chemical energy from food into musclecontractions and create movement. This same thinghappens when you take personal power and turn itinto results power. Things start to happen. You beginto make authentic contributions in all of your spheresof influence. You provide momentum to create achange in ideas, in systems, and in other people bybeing yourself and living your purpose. You sit herewith the excitement of a new beginning. And I sharethat same excitement with you in my new beginning.I know there are many external forces affecting high-er education and healthcare at this time that willbring new challenges and opportunities for us. Thereare changes within our clinical and educational insti-tutions that I am certain will bring triumphs and set-backs to us. And as some of us have experienced inthis past week, there will be events that inspire andevents that cause despair. No matter what comes ourway, we will use our purpose and our kinetic energyto propel us forward.

Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal tell us that: “Theessence of leadership is not giving things or even pro-viding visions. It is offering one’s self and one’s spir-it.” It is my privilege to offer myself and my spirit tothe success of the University of St. Augustine. Goodluck to all of you as you develop your leadership skillsin the quest to meet the healthcare needs of society.

Thank you and good cheer.



Dr. Wanda Nitsch has been a phys-ical therapist for 32 years, graduat-ing with a Bachelor of Science inPhysical Therapy from the StateUniversity of New York at StonyBrook. In 1997, she completed her

Manual Therapy Certification. She earned her Master ofScience in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy from theUniversity of St. Augustine in 2000. With a strong interestin administration, Wanda completed her PhD in Educationwith a specialization in Higher Education Leadership fromCapella University.

BioBIOGRAPHY



The University is proud to announce that thefirst cohort of students were accepted andhave begun coursework in the Master ofOrthopaedic Physician Assistant (MOPA) pro-gram. This inaugural class is enthusiastic abouttheir profession and the opportunities that arepresented when creating new frontiers. Theywill be establishing a student OPA organiza-tion and attended their first professional con-ference. They will be joined in September by anew cohort.

Faculty for the fall term of the programinclude some veterans and some new faces:Dr. Dan Lofald, Mrs. Kathy Hagy, Mr. RobertAdams, Dr. Sue Curfman, Ms. Lindsay Holmes,Dr. Bonnie Decker, Dr. Kurt Hubbard, Dr. Tony Chase, Dr. Jude Nwoga, Dr.Catherine Patla and Dr. Erin Conrad. More new faces will be added soon. We lookforward to the continued growth of the MOPA program!M

OPA

Faculty Involved in National StudyThe results of the “Locomotor ExperienceApplied Post-Stroke (LEAPS)” research trialwere recently published in the NewEngland Journal of Medicine. This studywas the largest rehabilitation study everfunded by the National Institute of Healthat over 13.5 million dollars. The study wasa phase-three, single-blinded, multi-site,randomized, controlled trial investigatinginterventions to improve walking followingstroke. This trial was lead by PamelaDuncan, PT, PhD, Katherine Sullivan, PT,PhD and Andrea Behrman, PT, PhD.

“It takes a village to run a project like this,” principal investigator, Dr. Duncan says. “Part of the amazingvillage that worked on this study were faculty members of the University of St. Augustine.” Dr. JodiLiphart, Dr. Debra Gray, Dr. Karey Ledbetter, Ms. Kristen Johnson and Dr. Scott Getsoian were activelyinvolved in the trial as blinded assessors, collecting all the critical outcomes data. Dr. Joann Gallichio wasthe Site Team Leader who oversaw the trial.

To read the primary results paper, please see: Duncan PW, Sullivan KJ, Behrman AL, et al. Body-weight-supported treadmill rehabilitation after stroke. N Engl J Med 2011;364.2026-36.


Mildred Elson AwardDuring the opening ceremonies of theWorld Confederation of PhysicalTherapy (WCPT) in Amsterdam, Dr.Stanley Paris accepted the 2011 MildredElson Award, the highest honor given bythe Confederation.

Presented every four years, the MildredElson Award was created to honorElson’s lifetime of devotion and serviceto the profession of physical therapy.

The announcement stated in an earlier letter from SecretaryGeneral Brenda Myers read:

“ Your resume is truly impressive and illustrates your broadbased commitment to physical therapy as an internationalprofession. As stated in the nomination, you have served asan outstanding role model and leader in the physical thera-py profession.”

Dr. Paris was accorded a four minute response during which hestated that as a profession physical therapists were under appreciated. He also stated the daywould come where evidence would support an expanded role for the profession which would beboth cost effective and in the best interest of the patient. What an amazing honor bestowed uponDr. Paris!

Richard W. Bowling & Richard E. Erhard Orthopaedic Clinical Practice Award

Catherine Patla, PT, DHSc, OCS, MTC, FAAOMPT, received the Richard W. Bowling& Richard E. Erhard Orthopaedic Clinical Practice Award during the CombinedSections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association this year. Thisaward is given to an individual who has made an outstanding and lasting contribu-tion to the clinical practice of orthopaedic physical therapy as exemplified by theprofessional careers of Richard W. Bowling and Richard E. Erhard. A huge congrat-ulations to Dr. Patla for her dedication and contributions.


AWARDS

“Our MENTORS and our MENTORING, never forget how you made them feel.Through our self development many of us have sought mentors to guide andassist in our growth. I have been so fortunate to have studied in the clinic withsuch persons as: Freddy Kaltenborn, Olaf Evjenth, Stanley Paris, and many,many others. Our mentors have made us humble and guided our inquiriesbeyond even their experiences. They made us feel good about our growth andfuture.”

- Dr. Catherine Patla

“Our role in restoring, main-taining and enhancing physical performance is the key to ameaningful and productive lifefor all citizens.”

- Dr. Stanley Paris


USA was well represented at the APTA National Conference in Washington,DC this past June. Representatives from our St. Augustine and San Diegocampus locations represented both the California and Florida Delegationsin the APTA governing body House of Delegates. In addition to discussing29 motions over a four-day period and participating in the national elec-tion, the 400-member House engaged in an in-depth discussion about thegovernance of the APTA.

During the conference, Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) addressed approximately 1,000 physical therapists, physical therapistassistants and students of physical therapy on Capitol Hill. USA representa-tives also participated in a rally that was followed by visits to legislativeoffices to meet with designated legislators and deliver written information.The Medicare cap, student loan forgiveness and the role of physical thera-py in concussion management were among the topics of the day.

Part of the annual scientific meeting, which was also held in DC, includ-ed educational courses and poster/platform presentations. USA was

represented by three faculty members who presented posters dur-ing the meeting.

Much excitement was had at the awards ceremony and theFoundation Gala, where USA students were recognized fortheir contributions to the Pittsburg-Marquette Challenge.The student co-chairs from both campuses received aplaque of honorable mention for raising money to sup-

port the Foundation for Physical Therapy, whichencourages and supports research in physical therapy.

PT Students and Facult



lty take on Capitol Hill


Above: Dr. Eric Chaconas, NikkiHuffman, Dr. Catherine Patla andElena Maduero on Capitol Hill. Left: Students Nikki Huffman,Elena Maduero and Tess Janssewith honorable mention plaqueawarded during the Gala.Right: Group of faculty, studentsand APTA members posing at thecapitol.


When Jeanne Ross Eichler joinedthe faculty at St. Louis University inlate 2009, she agreed to split herjob between teaching and workingin an OT pediatric faculty practice,which consisted of several sensory-based social skill groups for school-aged children. Familiar with the"sensory scene" and loving thegroup concept since her days as amusic therapist prior to attendingUSA, Jeanne was up for the chal-lenge. Where that would lead sur-prised everyone.

It all started with a request for asocial competency evaluation from17-year-old Joe. "You have just gotto start something for me, other-wise I'm going to have to move toCalifornia for the summer."Unfortunately, the practice had noteens in their database and theoutlook seemed grim. Touched bythe fact that the teen himself wasasking for help, Eichler and herteam sent 17 letters to people whowere previously in the program, aswell as therapists and teacherswho might know some teens. Theresult created over 100 responsesin 3 days and the calls have notstopped. College and career-boundteens who have Asperger Syndrome

revealed as a highly underservedpopulation and Teen Connection toSocial Competency was born.

The first group consisted of sixteens, all experiencing great diffi-culty making friends. Eichler andher summer assistant, a first yearmaster's student, developed anoccupation-based program, Real-Life, Make-It-Big, grounded on theUnwritten Rules of Social Relation-ships by Temple Grandin and SeanBarron. The program for teens wasdeveloped using occupation-basedprinciples, group therapy strate-gies, teen and parent collabora-tion, and community involvement.It became evident that in order toget teens to want to participate,they would have to help createwhat they wanted, and Eichler andher assistant used that feedback tocreate a program that has continu-ally grown. Starting with 10 teensin the fall and 17 more in thespring, the summer programexpanded to 35. The numbers keptgrowing and the waiting list for thegroup is growing into the hun-dreds, with inquiries on the groupcoming from all over the country.Parents are required to remain on-site during the group activity,

which is unusual for people accus-tomed to dropping their childrenoff for therapy. Eichler insisted onthis aspect, as parent education,support and networking isextremely important for the suc-cess and development of the pro-gram. There were a few com-plaints the first week, but now theparents look forward to it andhave formed important friend-ships. They have gained supportfrom other parents with children inthe same age group with similarchallenges.

Eichler also enlisted St LouisUniversity students to serve as vol-unteer "navigators." These stu-dents experience the group ses-sions blended with the teens in thegroup, often appearing to be actu-al peers of the teens. Teens enjoythe involvement of the college stu-dents, who create a safe environ-ment to develop social competen-cies, provide a sounding board forcurrent challenges and a model fornavigating through their own expe-riences. The students benefit aswell. Forty percent of the studentparticipants are members of theOT department, and the remainderare from other areas of campus

USA occupational therapy alumna creates a group thathelps teens function with Asperger Syndrome

Teen Connection to Social Competency



who study law, drama, business,engineering, computer program-ming, social work and publichealth. They are more likely thanOT students to encounter col-leagues who have similar chal-lenges in their own future workand school environments, and aredeveloping strategies to facilitategrowth and maximize the poten-tial of these individuals, possiblyequipping themselves for leader-ship roles within their owncareers.

“Occupational Therapists are agreat fit for serving people whohave difficulty with social skills.When we stick to the guiding prin-ciples of our profession and centerour programs on real occupations,rather than just talking about orsimulating scenarios, amazingthings happen in a short period oftime,” said Jeanne Eichler, MOT,OTR/L, MT, CP-BC. “It all seems so

simple and so natural, whichmakes the group feel more like aclub and less like a therapy group.”

Joe has moved on from the groupafter graduating from high school,although he continues to remainan inspiration to many of theteens and their families. He has afull-time job and plans to attendcollege in the fall, eventually hop-ing to become an athletic traineror physical therapist. His parentsstate that the group has changedall of their lives. Another groupmember was chosen to serve as arepresentative to the Governor'sCouncil on Disability this summer.Several group members havestarted dating, attending schoolsocial functions, obtaining jobsand are emerging as leaders forother teens. Eichler hopes to con-tinue to develop theprogram toinclude more overall wellness, self-advocacy, leadership, advanced life

skills away from home and jobhunting skills.

Whether they are learning to tosspizza crusts at a local pizzeria,bowling with friends, participatingin a dance party or even creating acomedy improv with the dramahonor society on campus, the goalof the group is to build life skills.These teen are learning to createbridges that help make lastingfriendships possible and provideglimpses of what the future couldhold with effort, motivation andoccupation!

-Jeanne Eichler, MOT, OTR/L, MT, CP-BC USA Alumna 2001


< Fall dance party co-hosted by the SLUStudent OccupationalTherapy Association andTeen Connection.Teens,volunteer navigators andstudents from acrosscampus line dancedtogether. For many ofthe teens, this was theirfirst experience at adance, many decided togo to homecoming afterthis experience. Somestudents even broughtdates, an unexpectedresult for teens whostruggle with makingfriends.


Mark Marchildon9|18|1966 - 3|01|2011

We havestarted a newexercise pro-gram with ourSt. Augustineo n - c a m p u sP a r k i n s o n ’ sDisease group.The exerciseprotocol iscalled LVST®BIG. It is atype of therapy

that improves mobility and may slowdisease progression through an evidence-based early and intensiveexercise program. Melanie Lomaglio, PT,MSc, NCS, and Alison D’Alessandro,7th semester student, both attendeda continuing education course andboth became certified to teach BIGthis year. To learn more about BIG, visit their website athttp://www.lsvtglobal.com/.

This exercise group is part of theNeuromuscular 3 (NM3) curriculum.It runs for 8 weeks each trimester.Each week a group of students fromNM3 leads theexercise groupwith assistancefrom Lomaglio,D’Alessandroand Kerry Mallini,PT, MPT, NCS.What a wonder-ful communityservice!

In Memory of...

Brian Wrigley 12|06|1987 - 4|13|2011


Studentsin Action

physicaltherapy


The following USA alumni andfaculty members were recog-nized for achieving clinicalspecialist status at theCombined Sections Meetingof APTA in February 2011:

Erin Conrad, OCSScott Getsoian, OCSRenae Gorman, OCS

Jeri Hartzog, OCSClay Holland, OCS

Katherine Houston, OCSDeborah Jackson, OCS

Rebecca Jehn, OCSJason Kral, OCS

Rene Strobl, OCSPaige Trammell, OCSDaniel Watson, OCS

Douglas Wix, OCSAnthony Yengo, OCS

Laura Yengo, OCSSarah Anderson Ison, GCS

Melanie Lomaglio, NCSJoan O’Brien-Gilmore, NCS

Congratulations to our newspecialists! We also extendcongratulations to any of ouralumni or faculty memberswho were awarded a re-certi-fication.

Students SupportLife Rolls On!

Life Rolls On (LRO), a subsidiaryof the Christopher & DanaReeve Foundation, is dedicatedto improving the quality of lifefor young people affected byneurological injury, especiallyspinal cord injury, and utilizesaction sports as a platform toinspire infinite possibilitiesdespite paralysis. Founded byJesse Billauer, LRO offers pro-grams to individuals with dis-

abilities such at They Will Surf Again and They Will Ski Again.

On Saturday, June 4th, students from USA volunteered for They WillSurf Again, held in Jacksonville Beach. They Will Surf Again, theflagship of LRO, is a no-cost program that allows individuals withspinal cord and/or traumatic brain injuries to gather together for aday of surfing, camaraderie and inspiration.

Through the hard work of more than 100 volunteers, over 40 indi-viduals were able to hit the waves and experience the thrill of surf-ing. Many thanks to all of the student volunteers from USA. Theevent organizers were impressed with the number of USA studentsthat came out to lend a hand. What a great turnout from USA!


This year at theC a n a d i a nP h y s i o t h e r a p y

Association’s Congress/AnnualMeeting the Legacy Lecture wasintroduced. This lecture hasbeen presented to symbolizeand represent some of the finework of our late colleague, PeterHuijbregts. This was the firstLegacy Lecture given and it wasprovided by Michelle Sterling.What a wonderful honor to acolleague who is missed by all!


Donation Given to the American

Occupational TherapyFoundation to

Support OccupationalTherapy Research

The Occupational Therapy Programat the University of St. Augustinewas very pleased to present a gift of$25,000 to the American OccupationalTherapy Foundation. The donationwas given in support of interventionresearch as outlined in theAOTA/AOTF Occupational TherapyResearch Agenda (2010). Specifically,the University is interested in supporting research intended toevaluate the efficacy of occupationaltherapy interventions in controlledconditions.

Dr. Stanley Paris, Founding President,believes that universities like oursthat are focused primarily on teach-ing clinical skills have a responsibilityto also support research. Donationssuch as this are evidence of theUniversity’s commitment to supportthe professions offered throughUSA’s educational programs.

Dr. Charles Christiansen, Presidentof the American OccupationalTherapy Foundation, stated that hewas interested in dialoging with thefaculty of the Occupational Therapyprogram before decisions weremade concerning allocation of thesegreatly appreciated funds. He sug-gested that post-doctoral fellow-ships could be an avenue to explorein regards to supporting evidenced-based research. Way to go OTs!


Occupational

Therapy

USA students, led by Dr. Erica Kiernan, were recipients of a$3,000 donation from Don’s Friends 5K Run, which supports stu-dents who participate in Alternative Break programs. Don’sFriends was established in tribute to a young college studentwho died in 2009 at the age of 22.


USA’s Occupational Therapy program had a strongshowing at the 2011 American OccupationalTherapy Association’s (AOTA) conference inPhiladelphia, PA. An impressive six submissionswere accepted on a variety of topic areas. These top-ics ranged from educational issues to clinical tech-niques/assessments. This speaks volumes to thededication of our faculty and the supportive natureof USA in facilitating faculty research.

Dr. Karen Howell and Dr. Cindy Mathena, along withMs. Tammy LeSage, presented Defining the Reality:An Analysis of Clinical Practice and Occupation-Based Treatment. This was a timely presentationrelating to the fieldwork environment that OT stu-dents participate in during their education. Themain finding was that students perceived that theirlevel II supervisory OTs were using occupation-basedinterventions a majority of the time.

Ms. Anne Hull presented Online Social Networking inHigher Education. She identified 10 current trendsrelated to the use of social networking sites and theprimary impacts on graduate education. One inter-esting result relating to the increased use of onlineeducation is that there is a trend towards the role ofthe educator shifting from the person of “authority”to “transparency” and from “expert” to “facilitator.”

Dr. Kurt Hubbard and Ms. Julie Watson collaboratedon a presentation investigating the Use of a Blended

Learning Modelin OccupationalT h e r a p yEducation. Whatthey found wasconsistent withthe existingresearch, reaf-firming that out-come measuresin a traditional

learning format and a blended learning format aresimilar.

Dr. Hubbard and Dr. Erica Kiernan presentedPerceived Barriers vs. Actual Barriers for FacultyInvolvement in Service Learning. This topic aimed tobetter understand the importance of scholarly activ-ity within the occupational therapy profession.

Dr. Hubbard continued to investigate the studentexperience while at USA in his presentation titled:The Impact of Stress and Anxiety and Effects ofProgressive Muscle Relaxation on AcademicPerformance in Occupational Therapy Students. Thispilot study found that progressive muscle relaxationwas an effective technique in reducing stress andanxiety among the students.

Another presentation by Dr. Hubbard, Using AFunctional Outcome Menu To Facilitate ClientIndependence In Traumatic Brain Injury: OptimizingOccupational Therapy in a Transitional Living CareFacility, indicated that individuals receiving OT, usingthis assessment tool as a guide, improved clientsabilities in all functional areas measured.

It is very apparent that the OT faculty has been busyinvestigating innovative ways to further the educa-tional experience of their students, as well as addingto the clinical literature. We would like to invite all ofour alumni to stop by during the next AOTA meeting,to see what your former faculty members are up to.This could even lead to further collaboration as pro-fessionals in the future!

- Kurt K. Hubbard, PhD(c), OTD, OTR/L

National Presence from our OT Faculty



USA Co-Sponsor Directly Impacted by Missouri Tornadoes

It was sad to hear of the devastating weatheraffecting so many areas of the country over thepast several months. The University has had along-standing relationship with a health systemin Springfield, MO, which is located approxi-mately an hour and half from the hard-hitJoplin, MO, area. The St. Johns Health/MercyHospital system stretches over the southwestarea of Missouri and was directly impacted bythe devastation.

After inquiry, we received word from MarkHuslig, PT, that their health system sufferedextensive physical damage which led to dis-placed co-workers.

Mark shared with us that in addition to several PTs and many others losing theirhomes, the condition of the Joplin area hospital made it necessary to treat inunusual places, including hallways and the cafeteria. The immediate impact ofthe storms was felt all over the area.

Just recently the local shelter was closed, and those individuals without home-owners insurance, have little or no opportunities. If you would like to donate tothe relief efforts, please contact Mark Huslig via email at [email protected].


“Clean up activitiescontinue to progresson schedule and theongoing relief needsfor displaced individ-uals is financial assis-tance. As the datesince disaster length-ens peoples needsarise even more asdisaster relief organi-zations begin toexit.”

- Mark Huslig, PT

Photos provided by Mark Huslig


PresortedStandard

U.S. Postage

PAIDJacksonville, FLPermit No. 877

1 University BoulevardSt. Augustine, FL 32086


accolades fall 2011

Documents

augustine magazine fall

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growing university

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