Student Blog

Dos Mujeres Fuertes ⟩
April 8, 2013, by Ricky

Community Getting Involved

This weekend, I had the honor of volunteering at Mujeres Fuertes. As those of you who read her blog may already know, my co-ambassador/classmate, Kendra, has co-founded a community-based program for at-risk women. The program takes place every other week in Boyle Heights. I mentioned to Kendra, several times, that I lived right down the street from the place — I think I might have finally worn her down because she and her co-founder, Jane, invited me to help-out yesterday. 😊 Oh my goodness!!!!! Jane sent the volunteers an email this morning saying how she was “impressed, humbled, and very proud” of our participation. Well, I cannot tell you all how impressed, humbled, and super-very proud I am of these two young ladies! I didn’t know how powerful one hour every other week could be, but yesterday I met some women who have made some marked progress in their daily lives. Even during the session, these women were experiencing some profound personal growth, and being drawn to tears. These girls have brought some real value to this community. I was floored by their level of professionalism, in how well prepared and creative they were, and how therapeutic and receptive they were. It seemed like they had been running the program for several years. Again, so proud of you gals.  Keep it up!

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OT Month Kick-Off Celebration ⟩
April 4, 2013, by Alisa

Getting Involved

On Monday we had a kick-off party on the quad for Occupational Therapy Month. There were many students from various disciplines. This was great visibility for occupational therapy. We provided lunch, buttons, bookmarks, skits, et cetera. Happy OT Month! Fight on!

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Faculty Dinner ⟩
April 4, 2013, by Alisa

Community School/Life Balance

Last week a group of students were able to enjoy dinner with faculty at California Pizza Kitchen in support of a fundraiser for OTSC (Occupational Therapy and Science Council). It was great to be able to see faculty outside of class and got to know them on a more personal level. I love being able to learn more about their histories, passions, and experiences both OT and non-OT related. Shout out to Dr. Clark, Dr. Cermak, and Dr. Solomon for making time for students despite their busy schedules.

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Externship in Thailand ⟩
April 3, 2013, by Alisa

Externships International School/Life Balance

I can’t believe I got a rare opportunity to spend 3 weeks in Thailand. Of course, I took it and ran with it. 2 weeks of externship and a week of spring break. The goal of the externship was to learn leadership skills, so I reached out to my aunt who is the owner of Sammie and Sandy Beauty Spa and the chairperson of a non-profit organization, Zonta International (Bangkok 7 region). Some of the highlights of my externship were that I got to table a booth for my aunt’s company at the Bangkok International Hair Show and a golf course. Those were two different populations, but I had to utilize my people skills to engage potential customers in our services and products. It was a tough crowd I have to say, but it was still a valuable experience. Zonta International had a Rose Day, where all of the regions met up to represent different ASEAN countries. I got to dress up in Thai traditional clothing and networked with the members through an evening of great food and music while learning about ASEAN countries and potential business opportunities there.

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Rest and Relaxation ⟩
March 26, 2013, by Amber

Living in LA School/Life Balance

During Spring Break last week, I took the opportunity to unwind and take time for rest and relaxation. It was good timing, coming on the heels of my two-week externship, which was a wonderful challenge and learning experience. I used my break to spend quality time with my friends and family while having fun! For the first half of Spring Break, I traveled to my family’s vacation home in the Sierras near Yosemite National Park. My sister brought my 12-month-old nephew and I got to witness his first snow experience! We cooked meals together and played games. We also hit the slopes for a day of skiing.

For the second half of break, I returned to Southern California and my aunt flew down from the Bay Area. We spent a long weekend in Newport Beach at a beautiful resort, soaking up the sun and exploring the area. We shopped, swam in the pool, ate delicious meals, and explored several beaches. We even rented an electric boat to cruise the harbor, which broke down and resulted in us being towed back to the resort by the county sheriff! It was a fun adventure and a silly way to end the weekend. My experiences over the break were rejuvenating and put me in a wonderful refreshed state of mind. Now I am back at school and the countdown is on to graduation! The next several weeks are sure to fly by, and I will be a graduate before I know it!

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