Faculty / Staff Resources Student Resources
University of Southern California
University of Southern California
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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Education
Education

Sophie Lovell MA ’23

Sophie Lovell MA ’23

Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Program: Entry-Level Master’s, Class of 2023

What brought you to occupational therapy?
My little sister had an extremely rare degenerative disease and my experiences with her led me to a love of working with children with disabilities. I hope to be able to share what I learned through my experiences and provide the compassion and support to others that was so integral to our family’s time with my sister.

What area of practice are you interested in?
My mind is open to all fields right now, but I am particularly passionate about pediatrics, early intervention, and sensory integration.

Describe your background before coming to occupational therapy.
My little sister was born with a rare degenerative disease called Sanfilippo Syndrome that affects 1 in 70,000 individuals. I grew up helping take care of her until she passed away in 2015. This led to my passion for working with disabled children and helping families navigate the fear and confusion that comes alongside a diagnosis. Therefore, I volunteered with groups that help individuals with rare diseases, was a substitute teacher in a special education school, became a hippo-therapy volunteer, visited children in the inpatient hospital, and much more. Through these experiences, I found occupational therapy and felt that this fit in exact alignment with my goals.

How do you plan to use Occupational Therapy in the future?
I am interested in starting my own OT practice for pediatrics and early intervention.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
I would love to go to New Zealand and just explore the area!

You have your own late night talk show, who do you invite as your first guest?
Betty White! The Golden Girls is the best!