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Shannon Westerberg MA ’19

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I spent a lot of time volunteering for the Special Olympics program during high school. I absolutely fell in love with the program and knew that Occupational Therapy was the right path for me. I will always cherish my time spent there and the relationships I built with the athletes!

What area of practice are you interested in?
I haven’t yet narrowed down one specific area of practice that I would like to work in. The exciting thing about OT is that profession is extremely broad and there are so many options and opportunities! I am excited to see what the program has to offer and take it from there!

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I love snowboarding, listening to music, watching football, dancing, playing soccer, traveling, hiking, and, of course, eating!

If we opened your fridge, what would we see?
Avocados, blueberries, cookie dough, barbecue sauce, eggs, and hopefully some leftover pizza.

What are two truths and a lie about yourself?
I have broken my arm, nose, and leg. I am allergic to oranges. I love sharks.

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USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. All states require licensure to practice; a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® OTR certification examination or attain state licensure. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.