Student Blog
Beginnings and Endings

The time has come . . . ⟩
May 13, 2015, by Brenda

Beginnings and Endings

While I am excited to be graduating in two short days, I am saddened that today will be my last day in the office. I have had such an amazing time working as a Student Ambassador. Kim Kelton and my fellow team members have made this experience so special! A big thank you to them and all that I have had a privilege to work and communicate with. Until next time . . .

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Time is going by too quickly! ⟩
January 31, 2015, by Bindi

Beginnings and Endings School/Life Balance

Time is going by way too fast! It was just a few months back when I moved to a new country to pursue my master’s degree in occupational therapy, and here I am today looking for hotels and making reservations for my family to attend my graduation, which is in a couple of months!

I understand why time is going by so quickly though — I am busy, I am occupied and I am enjoying it. This semester has a much heavier workload compared to the first semester. Most people cringe at the thought of more work, but not me. The more productive I am the better I feel about myself. I don’t see many of my classmates anymore as we are immersed into the electives with the rest of the second-years. We are being pushed out of our cozy comfort zone, and finally interacting with the other occupational therapy students.

A lot of good things are happening this semester, as we slowly edge towards reality. I bought a car to help me commute to Torrance thrice a week for the Sensory Integration Certification Course at Pediatric Therapy Network. It is hard to believe that in a couple of months we are going to be sitting for the NBCOT exams and looking for a job as licensed and registered OTs and also a certified SI therapist. It is going to be an exciting time and the light at the end of the tunnel is keeping me going!

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Hey, hey, hey check out our NEW name! ⟩
September 26, 2014, by Kristy

Beginnings and Endings Community International

As you have seen, or heard, or maybe not, our division recently received a large donation in which a renaming ceremony took place. We are now called the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. It was such an honor to be a part of this historic ceremony! And I do really mean HISTORIC, this is the first time any division of occupational therapy has been given a monetary amount of this multitude. We all at the Division feel very lucky that the Chan family donated money to our division to expand the research of occupational science and occupational therapy, and also increase our international relations, specifically with our colleagues in China.

Historic moments are nothing new to our Division. Did you know USC had the first post-professional degree program in occupational therapy in 1947? Or that in 1962, USC established the nation’s first two-year entry-level master’s degree? Or in 1989, USC created the world’s first doctoral program in occupational science? It is no wonder that we have remained ranked the #1 occupational therapy graduate program in the nation for more years than all other educational programs combined! For more on history of USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, visit this link.

Fight on, Trojans! Fight on!

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New name, new initiative! ⟩
September 26, 2014, by Claire

Beginnings and Endings Community International

Last Wednesday was a super exciting day for USC OT! With a $20 million dollar naming grant, our division is now called USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. Students, faculty and many distinguished guests including former AOTA President and USC alumna Mary Foto, who I had the honor to escort. President Nikias came to make the announcement, along with our marching band (it’s not a big event without our Trojan Marching Band)!

As students, we received the invitation to attend the “historic announcement” a couple weeks before the event. Leading up to the announcement, we were all wondering what it would be: a new building? a new program? TUITION WAIVED?!

It was really inspiring to hear USC Trustee Ronnie Chan share his vision to unite efforts with USC to expand OT to others areas in the world, such as China. We could all tell this was a very special moment for their entire family. Having studied abroad in China during my undergrad and interned at an occupational therapy department in Taiwan, I would really love to see occupational therapy and East Asia come together even more closely. Our global initiative has really taken off with the MAI program and this past summer’s first international language exchange program, and I’m excited to see how this outreach will continue to grow!

This event made it to our USC headline news, and it was also really exciting to see how this announcement is gathering a lot of attention from other USC students. “Oh you study OT? Didn’t you guys just get a huge donation? That’s awesome!” It has been a great way to have a conversation about what OT is and why it’s awesome!

Because of our new name, all of our social media usernames are also being updated. If you haven’t been following, you can check out all the social media links on our website. We like to Instagram. 😊

Also, how does everyone like our new website? The photos are of our actual students and faculty — many of my classmates were going through and finding themselves on the website. (Leila made it in! Can anyone find her? 😛)

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One year down, one to go! ⟩
August 21, 2014, by Kristy

Beginnings and Endings Classes Fieldwork

As I begin my first level II fieldwork, I slowly make the transition from a “first year” to a “second year” — you’re kidding right?!? As you may know, the program here at USC is just over two years, in which we spend our first summer in a intensive kick start to grad school, fall and spring in two immersions, second summer in our first level II fieldwork, followed by our last immersion in the fall, a spring semester full of electives, and then our last summer level II fieldwork. Not too shabby! (Follow this link for an in-depth description.) I just cannot believe that I have already finished up my first year here! Let me tell you, time flies when you’re having fun, especially in occupational therapy! The “second years” always seemed so knowledgeable, and always knew what was going on in the world of OT; I was in awe of them when I started the program and asked a million questions! Now I realize I will be the one getting the questions and providing answers. Am I ready to pass on the knowledge I have learned in the program from my courses, from my professors, from my fieldwork experiences, from student organizations? I think so!

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