Student Blog
Jen

Occupational Therapy and Science Council ⟩
February 4, 2014, by Jen

Getting Involved

This time of year gets very busy with the Occupational Therapy and Science Council (OTSC), which means as Council Co-Chair I have quite a lot of responsibilities. OTSC provides students with an opportunity to network, interact, fundraise, and develop leadership skills. Some events we have planned that are coming up include the International Forum, philanthropic activities during OT Month in April, and the End of the Year Party. These events take a lot of planning and would be impossible without the effort of the entire OTSC board. Positions on the board include the co-chairs, treasurers, secretaries, GSG Senators, fundraising chairs, social chairs, professional development chairs, international relations chair, historian, philanthropy chairs, faculty liaisons, AOTA representatives, and OTAC representatives. I am so proud to be a part of such an awesome organization.

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Electives! ⟩
January 28, 2014, by Jen

Classes

The first two weeks back at school flew by. The course I’m taking this semester are:

• Hand Rehabilitation
• Dysphagia Across the Lifespan: Pediatrics Through Geriatrics
• Leadership Capstone
• Advanced Seminar in Occupational Science
• Contemporary Issues: Occupational Therapy in Early Intervention
• Independent Study at California Children’s Services (CCS)

What is so great about this semester is that the majority of courses I am taking are electives, which means I was able to customize my schedule to my interests. In my Early Intervention class, we had an assignment that involved us reading an autobiography written by a person who grew up with a disability. The story I read is titled “I’m Walking as Straight as I Can: Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond” by Geri Jewell (who had a role in the show The Facts of Life). I found the story to be extremely interesting. Geri Jewel has cerebral palsy (CP) which is a motor impairment syndrome that arises during the early years of a person’s development. I am also getting a chance to work with numerous children with CP in my independent study at CCS. It is great to get to learn about a topic in class, read about a person’s actually experience, and also have the opportunity to have hands-on experience.

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Group Projects ⟩
January 22, 2014, by Jen

So far this semester, I feel like I have had a number a group projects. The great thing about USC being such a large program is that with each new project, I generally get to work with someone new! I enjoy this because each person in the program has something different and exciting to offer. Everyone in the program has I different background, I’ve become friends with people who were professional dancers, writers, teachers, accountants, and more! I am glad that I went straight from undergrad to grad school because I never had a chance to get out of the “school mode,” but my peers that did work before starting grad school have brought such great experiences and knowledge with them . . . and I’m fortunate that they are always willing to share their knowledge with me!

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Holiday Break Balance ⟩
January 10, 2014, by Jen

Living in LA School/Life Balance

With almost 4 weeks off from classes, I made sure to catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation. I spent the beginning of the holiday break in my hometown in the bay area. I was able to catch up with friends and families as well as engage in some of my favorite occupations: hiking, playing with my dog, and eating. After spending time in Northern California, I flew down to visit more of my family in San Diego. It did not feel like winter in San Diego’s 70-80 degree weather and I enjoyed every moment of my time there. For New Year’s Day, I went to the Rose Parade in Pasadena. I had never been before, but because I now live in Los Angeles it made it very easy (and fun) to attend. One of my favorite floats was the Cal Poly Universities Float (although I am a little biased since I attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo for undergrad). The float, titled “Bedtime Buccaneers”, won the Crown City Innovation Trophy. I was very proud of the work they did. Since the New Year, I’ve been spending time with friends and preparing to return to school. My break was full of balance which is one of the most important things to have.

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Preparing for Electives ⟩
November 21, 2013, by Jen

Classes

In USC’s MA-II program, the final semester predominantly consists of elective courses. The classes offered include: sensory integration theory, ergonomics, hand rehabilitation, dysphagia, and many more. There are so many fantastic choices, that it is going to be difficult to decide which courses to take. I plan to work in a pediatric rehabilitation setting upon graduation, so I am going to take electives that best support my professional development in that area. It is hard to believe that graduation is only 5 short months away. It feels like just yesterday that I was sitting in kinesiology meeting my classmates for the first time!

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