Cristina R. Garcia OS Minor ’19

What brought you to USC?
Being from southern California, I have always been interested in USC. But when I came for Explore SC day in the spring, I knew that it was the place for me. I love how passionate everyone is in their area of interest, how strong of a community USC is, and all of the resources that are available for students to ensure a successful and fulfilling college experience!

Describe your favorite occupational science minor course.
My favorite occupational science minor course has been OT-251 Across the Lifespan: Occupations, Health and Disability. I love how we looked at health and occupation from a holistic lens and considered the person across the lifespan. The class was structured in such a way that in teams, we had to collaborate and come to solutions to deal with certain issues our patients faced. This approach was very helpful in applying the concepts we learned in our readings to real world situations that we would once day be challenged with as occupational therapists.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
Some of my favorite occupations include being active in nature and practicing art. I love combining my love for sports and the outdoors; I enjoy trail running, swimming in the ocean, and anything else that gets me moving in fresh air. I also like to draw and paint, and have most recently been practicing watercolor techniques.

Tell us about your favorite memory at USC so far.
One of my favorite memories at USC was when I helped film Olympic track and field medalist, DeeDee Trotter, for a promotional video. I have admired the athlete for years and was so excited to not only meet her, but become friends with her through the project.

What song can you sing entirely by heart?
“Fotografía” by Juanes and Nelly Furtado. It is a song that I love and can’t help but to sing along to it whenever I hear it play.

What are some small things that make your day better?
I love unexpectedly running into old friends, receiving mail from my family, and having enough time to just sit and admire campus and the day.

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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.