Alumni Association Newsletter Volume 2 Issue 12 From the Chair Summer 2007 ….Dr. Shelly Lane Shepherd if interested in hearing more about the program (jshepherd@vcu.edu). Greetings from the very busy faculty at VCU! We now have another academic year under our collective belts, having completed our first year with the OTD, along with another year for the Postprofessional and Entry-level masters and our PhD students! Let me give you a brief recap of the year… Our new OTD program was officially begun in Fall, 2006. This program is designed for therapists interested in clinical leadership rather than research. Our inaugural class is a dynamic group of students who worked through the scheduling challenges of a first year, alongside the professors, and made it highly successful. Although many of these students will be taking at least one summer course (offerings include Advanced Neuroscience Applications to Occupation taught by Dr. Shelly Lane and Clinical Reasoning II taught by Dr. Marie Anzalone), the official start to Year 2 begins in August. We look forward to a slightly smaller, but no less dynamic, cohort beginning this coming Fall. We will be accepting additional OTD applicants for the Spring of 2008. Please contact Jayne The Post-professional Masters program also continues to be strong, with more new applicants this year than we have had in the recent past. We see this program as the way to begin a research career path and encourage therapists to apply to this program if they have an interest in either clinical research, or pursuing a Ph.D. at some point in the future. We have a great incoming group, beginning this summer with Advanced Neuroscience Applications to Occupational Therapy (alongside the OTD students). Continuing students are working on their thesis proposals and the completion of other course work. Jayne Shepherd heads up this program as well, and she can be reached at jshepherd@vcu.edu for information. We have entered three new occupational therapy students into the School of Allied Health Professions interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, more than in any single cohort to date. This program does not follow the typical academic calendar, but rather runs with two 6 month semesters each year. This means the ‘Fall’ semester begins in early July, and ends in December. The addition of 3 occupational therapy students makes this the largest new OT group we have had in this program. They will take courses alongside students from PT, Rehabilitation Counseling, Patient Counseling, Gerontology, Health Administration, and Nurse Anesthesia for the first 2 years of the program, then branch off to do their research in OT. And last, but certainly not least, our Entry-level Masters is alive and quite well! We welcome a full class of students on June 11, when they will take Nature of Occupational Therapy, followed by Gross Anatomy. Our summer curriculum is a challenge, but we know they are up to it! As has been the case for the last several years, students transitioning from first to second year have a summer off; we know they will return in the Fall ready to roll into year 2. Our fieldwork students will begin sometime between May and July in their first level II fieldwork, and will complete their second by mid-December. We will then have the opportunity to see them again in a post-fieldwork seminar in January, just before they get ‘real jobs’. This final on-campus time has become a great tradition, one we all look forward to. Congratulations are extended to our faculty member Stacey Reynolds, Assistant Professor, who was awarded the Jeanette Bair Writer’s Award at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual conference. The article written by Ms. Reynolds is entitled, "Get in the Game! Participation in Sports for Children on the Autism Spectrum". It focuses on how children with autism can participate in sports, enhancing their motor and social skills. It also reviews OT's role in facilitating this participation. In March we held what we hope will be the first “Bridges to Practice” conference. Several local therapists, and many of our OTD students, attended this one day workshop on Neuroscience taught by Dr. Shelly Lane. It was well received and well attended. Topics included systems serving motor control and movement, executive function, neurotransmission, and neuroplasticity. We revisited the hoola hoop, made our names in cursive from wire, played memory games, and ate jello brains! A heartfelt thanks is extended to all who participated and made the day a huge success. This is saying a great deal too, since it took place on a gorgeous day in early Spring. Our plan is to make this an annual event, so look for another Bridges conference in Spring, 2008. Our other big piece of news is the upcoming move to new digs! We will be relocating from the VMI building (where we have been since 1977 or perhaps the dawn of time) to Theater Row, at 730 E. Broad Street in Richmond. The actual move is only a few blocks, but the new space is bigger and newer. We are really looking forward to the transition, although we do realize that there may be some challenges to face along the way. The move is slotted to take place in late July and early August, putting us into the new space just in time for Fall semester. Our phone number (804-8282219), fax (804-828-0782), and PO Box (980008) will remain the same as they are now, just the street address will change. Once we get set up we hope you will stop by to have a look around. Shelly J. Lane, Ph.D., OTR/L, ATP, FAOTA Professor and Chair Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 2 WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE OUR ALUMNI? Elizabeth (Beth) Coltrain (RPI, 1959) works in home health for Bon Secours in Richmond, VA and was recently named as one of Richmond’s 2007 Magnificent Moms in Style magazine. It’s no surprise given her service record in addition to raising three children. Beth is a past president of the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association, and served with the PTA and the boards of the Learning Disabled Association of Richmond and the Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Currently she is the Moderator of Presbyterian Women, Presbytery of the James, and serves as a church elder and bible study leader. Barbara Coverdale (B.S., 1970) is working as a home health OT in Chesapeake, VA. She enjoys activities with her three adult children, and participated in Relay for Life. Marlene Wiggins (B.S., 1972) is a staff OT in the Newport News, VA schools system. She supervises fieldwork students and is interested in Brain Gym. Laura Evans (B.S., 1980) works as a manager of OT and PT at Chippenham Medical Center in Richmond, VA. Marbee Tiernan Tammaro (B.S., 1985) lives in Fairfax, VA and is working as an OT in the Arlington Public Schools system. Carolyn Velletri (M.S., 1985) is working at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, VA. Peggy Williams (1987) lives in Gloucester, VA, and works for Virginia Health Rehab Associates and Walter Reed Convalescent Center. She is committed to increasing the independence of older adults and says “I love it!” Dr. Susan Lin (M.S., 1990) teaches in the OT program at Shendandoah University and is Virginia’s Representative to the AOTA Representative Assembly. Alumni Newsletter Pam Gaspar (B.S., 1991) lives in Montpelier, VA and works for 5 Star Rehab & Wellness. As an OT in an assisted living facility, she is highly involved with evaluation, treatment and COTA supervision, and does this simultaneously with “trying to raise my 3 kids”. Sherri Pearson (B.S., 1993) lives and works in Richmond, VA. As a full-time OT at Sheltering Arms, her time is split between day rehab programs and outpatient services. She is most interested in wheelchair seating and positioning, and is SaeboFlex advanced trained. Linda Carson (B.S. (1994) switched from her prior work as a hand therapist about two years ago to work for Prince William County (VA) Schools as a school system therapist. She works with students age 3-15 in 7 schools, and has a caseload of 30 students. She also has two daughters, ages 7 and 10. Vanessa Caretto (M.S., 1996) has been working at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, OH for 8 years. She is now “THE” pediatric OT covering 2 newborn nurseries, a 50-bed Level I NICU, 2 pediatric units (including a unique Comprehensive Care Service serving children and adults with multiple medical conditions and syndromes throughout their lifespans), a 10-bed PICU, the medical ICU and the Burn Unit. She and her husband have 3 sons, one age 4 and two 2year old twins. Kim Neff (B.S.,1997) lives in Glen Allen, VA and is working PRN in geriatrics OT practice in rehab (inpatient and outpatient), SNF and home health settings in the Richmond area. She says she also enjoys “being a mommy”. Stacey McFarland-Smith (M.S., 1997) is now working at a Life Care facility in Idaho, and husband David is at Intermountain Physical Therapy and Hand Rehabilitation, an outpatient orthopedic clinic. Both are enjoying the career “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 3 switches, and Stacey says she “has greatly enjoyed the increase in patient contact and [it] has truly been revitalizing to be using her treatment skills again.” Older son Alex is six and in first grade in a Montessori program where he enjoys drawing and playing football. He’s becoming somewhat of a chess-master and, in Stacey’s words “can whip his parents at it.” Younger son Ty is three and enrolled in a Montessori preschool. He is passionate about playing with cars, and also loves activities at the YMCA and singing disco songs. Stacey’s family adopted a beloved dog, Lucy, who was originally found as a stray by Stacey’s father. In addition to a spring vacation in Leavenworth, Stacey’s family enjoyed their annual winter tradition of skiing at Bogus Basin ski resort near Boise the week before Christmas. Center, where he says he “continue(s) to find himself surrounded by more and more women!!” Holly Ernouf (M.S., 1997) lives in Richmond, VA and works at Central State Hospital in Petersburg on a specialized Mental Retardation Team. Her team “focuses on specialized behavior planning to improve adaptive behaviors for community living [and] is great for an OT!” Holly is interested in advocacy on behalf of adults with mental illness and mental retardation. Robert Fix (M.S., 2004) still works as an OT in the VCU Health Systems, but is also working part-time at a SNF, learning medical Spanish, contemplating buying a home and “just enjoying life”. Denise Raines Saffouri (B.S., 1999) lives in Beckley, WV and works as the lead OT for HCR-Manor Care’s Heartland of Beckley, a skilled nursing facility with 200 beds. She loves spending time with Christian Chase, born on February 20, 2004. Amanda (Mandy) Bullock (M.S., 2006) lives and works in Norfolk, VA where she is an OT in outpatient peds for Children’s Hospital of King’s Daughters. Nicole (Smith) Randall (M.S., 2001) has been working at Commonwealth Medical Equipment for the past 2 years. She received her Certification as an Assistive Technology Practitioner with RESNA and is keeping busy with PRN work, two children, volunteering and Pilates. Joanna Greever Beeker (M.S., 2002) and her husband Walton proudly announced the birth of Matthew Walton Beeker (8 lbs, 12 oz.; 21 ½ inches) on February 12, 2007. Joanna is looking forward to “figur(ing) out this whole parenting thing!!” Deborah Michaels (M.S., 2003) lives in Richmond, VA and works at Sheltering Arms. As inpatient Rehab Therapy Team Leader, she splits her time evenly between patient care and management. When not working, Deborah’s interests are in mountain biking and home renovation. Tanisha Harris (M.S., 2005) works in the Forensics Unit of Central State Hospital in Petersburg, VA. Emily Mason (M.S., 2006) works in the Henrico County (VA) Schools. Kirsten Murphie (M.S., 2006) works at Riverside Rehab Institute in Newport News, VA. Joshua Funk (M.S., 2002) and his wife Stacey live in Chesterfield, VA and welcomed Kendall Payton (8 lbs; 20 inches) into the world on January 20, 2007. Josh is Director of Rehabilitation at Colonial Heights Health Care Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 4 WE REMEMBER… Bette Hopkins (1948, Certificate) who died on July 25, 2006 in Charlottesville, VA at the age of 80. She had served as an instructor in the occupational therapy department on the MCV campus of VCU for many years. Arthur Sundquist (B.S., 1952) who died on January 12, 2006 in Springfield, OH. Marcia Nunnally (B.S., 1971) of Lake Wylie, SC who died on April 11, 2006. On January 22, 2007, the Occupational Therapy Department lost a great supporter of our program, Pat Lovell. She was a great supporter of educating our OT students. Pat let students practice transfers to mat from wheelchairs twice a year. She spent hours talking to students about her experiences and answering their questions. On Saturday mornings she often took a group of students with her in her van as she did her chores. Over the past few years, she had been housebound and not able to come to school. I know many of you remember her. (Written by Sandy Cash, OTR/L) Thanks! Many of you have complimented us on the snappy layout of this newsletter, in addition to its contents. We appreciate the kind words and would be remiss not to mention that the newsletter’s attractive appearance is solely due to the artistic and technical talents of our Department’s Program Manager, Lawrencine Smith. In addition to providing administrative support to the O.T. Department, Lawrencine is a licensed minister and an eloquent, gifted poet. Thank you so much Lawrencine, for all the energy and beauty you bring to the alumni newsletter! Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 5 “Connecting the Dots” The sixth annual “Connecting the Dots” was held in the OT Department on Wednesday January 3-5, 2007. Twenty-four “new” OTs rejoined with their classmates to share their Fieldwork II experiences in sessions facilitated by Sandy Cash and Jayne Shepherd, to reflect on the psychosocial aspects of practice with Dianne Simons and Jodi Teitelman, and to consider topics for an evidence-based approach to practice with Al Copolillo. Between these more “formal” sessions were informal social opportunities to reconnect with classmates, many of whom had traveled widely for fieldwork, to catch up on the happenings in each others’ lives. There were quite a few announcements of engagements, the accompanying display of left ring fingers and discussion of wedding plans. They all sounded wonderful! A number of the students this year have planned destination weddings to fabulous places. It is such an exciting time in their lives! At the conclusion of the two days of “processing,” the MCV Alumni Association once again graciously sponsored “Connections,” a fun-filled reception attended by local graduates of the program, who welcome the new grads into the fellowship of VCU OT alumni. Judy Hanshaw, Anne McDonnell, Laura Evans, and Sarah Hopkins have been supporters of Connections for several years. Judy always bring wonderful memorabilia from her years at RPI, and Sarah graces us with the song, entitled “Connections,” that she wrote for her class pinning. This year, Connections was also attended by Dean Cecil Drain, Karen McQueen, SAHP Assistant Dean of Advancement and Alumni Affairs, and Barbara Payton, Executive Director, MCV Alumni Association. The reception always ends with a great collection of door prizes from the MCV Campus Bookstore. Everyone enjoys winning door prizes ranging from VCU mugs, umbrellas, and license plate holders to key chains, pen sets and VCU OT window decals. We hope that any of you, who are local VCU alums, and can take off a couple of hours the first Friday afternoon of January, will join us for the 2008 Connections. We’ll be in our new home in Theatre Row. It would be a nice time to visit! Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 6 News from the Entry-Level Program Top Row (left to right): M. Shiflett, A. Tate-Siertsema, J. Roenker, E. Mason, N. Burns, S. Moore, 2nd Row from Top (left to right) B. Smithson, L. Hanson, J. Fairservice, D. Thrift, C. Holcomb, rd 3 Row from Top (left to right): J. Self, M. Selman, L. Pressley, J. Flythe, E. Clibbens, A. Chrystal, Bottom Row (left to right): M. Zuraw, K. Murphie, L. James, E. Frimpong, A. Bullock, A. Stevens, and M. McCue. Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 7 Spring Break 2007 in San Salvador Written by Lisa M. Richardson (OTS, Class of 2008) Over Spring Break 2007 I went to San Salvador, El Salvador with a group of professionals tto o run clinics in 4 communities and visit 2 rehab centers. One was for children and adults of all ages (similar to a skilled nur ut also quite d nursing facility here b bu diifferent because of Salvadoran culture), and one was a nutritional facility for neglected, abused, malnourished babies. Our team consisted of 61 people: In the weeks prior to the trip, I thought to myself “How can one 1st year OT student possibly make a difference in a developing country with a medical mission team of this many people.” But I was able to make a big dif difference in some simple ways, and I was able to learn a little more about how to possibly practice OT Without Borders. We spent the first day hiking and getting to know the couple who started an orphanage, My Father’s House, after a major earthquake in 2001. I was in awe as they told us how they discovered a lady taking care of abandoned chi n abandoned building. They saw a children in a an need, and they took steps to create a non-profit organization and a safe, loving home for these children. Over the past 6 years, they have come to realize even deeper needs within each of the children to heal from their past experiences and be reunited with their families. Through donations, they were able to buy a farm that will become an orphanage and retreat center for missionaries. They have hired a psychologist and are looking into hiring more professional therapists to create a program that will bring spiritual and emotional healing to these children in a safe, structured environment. My Father’s House International website: http://mfhinternational.org/ On the second day, we ran our first clinic. First, I ed e he educated th doctors about Occupational Therapy and learned about Osteopathic Medicine. Then I followed a patient through the system we had set up. I met Maria, 18 year old mother of 3 months old Nancy, at the in-take desk and followed her through the hour long process of wa waiting to see the doctor, talking to the doctor for 20 minutes and then waiting in line for prescriptions. I was able to assess the physical development of her 3 month old daughter an and let her know that she is very healthy and developing well. I asked the doctor to give her as much education as he could about the baby’s future nutritional needs, learning about patient advocacy in the process. The doctors I traveled with were aware of the deep spiritual nature of the El Salvadoran culture and sought to bring healing and peace of mind to the people. A Affter consultation, each patient was asked if he/she would like to be prayed for. After prayer, I noticed a marked difference in the patients’ demeanor as they appeared to be more at peace with whatever ai ailment had brought them to our clinic. During the other days of clinic, I learned many valuable skills as a health professional on the Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 8 mission field. I learned how to take blood pressure, listen for a congested breathing pattern, load a syringe, prepare a basic dental tray, calm a dental patient, sterilize dental instruments and fill basic prescriptions in Spanish. I learned about the basic needs of people in poverty and challenges to healthcare in these areas. In impoverished areas without clean water and sewage systems, it is difficult to avoid parasites, skin infections and muscle pain due to stress and poor body mechanics. Our experienced team had brought just what was needed in the areas outside of San Salvador. As the OT on the trip, I made a wheelchair arm rest pad out of flip flops, Velcro, a strapless bra (all from a local grocery store) and a sewing kit from the hotel. In another city, I fashioned a built up handle for Oscar, a man who had never fed himself before, out of a roll of Charmin ® travel toilet paper. I taught his caretaker how to insert a utensil and then a toothbrush into the universal handle and watched Oscar begin to eat independently. On the third day, I visited The Love Link http://www.love-link.org/index.shtml, http://www.love-link.org/index.shtml, a nutritional center for malnourished babies in the capital of El Salvador. I wa was able to spend the morning treating children with Dennis, a physical therapist who started working there in January. He is finishing a 5 year bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and is great with the kids. He allowed me to work with the kids and do some of their therapy. I was amazed at their progress, and we even saw one little boy stand for the first time on his own! Most of these children would be typically developing, but as victims of abuse and neglect they experience significant delays in their social development and need creative therapists to help them begin to want to interact. I was impressed with the level of therapy being provided by just 1 therapist. He was doing physical, occupational and even some speech therapy with the kids. The equipment being used included Christmas lights (a sensory integration technique) to stimulate the children. I would love to go back and do an internship Alumni Newsletter there but I will have to wait and see what the future has in store. After visiting the Love Link, my friend Dottie (a first year PT student) and I visited a rehabilitation center for children and adults of all ages who require around the clock skilled nursing care. It is a Catholic organization that employs social workers, nurses, doctors, surgeons and 4 fisioterapists (Physical Therapists who also practice occupational therapy) to care for 4 rooms of residents (about 120 people total). The residents were grouped according to age: 0-15 year females, 16-older females, 0-15 males and 16-older males. The place is open-air like most of the buildings in El Salvador and is set up as a multi-building campus. There is a 6-sided chapel in the middle, and each building is at the end of a walkway fr from different sides of the chapel. There are re recreational areas with playground equipment adapted for people with disabilities. The Fisioterapia Gym is stocked with balls, mats and even a Hydrotherapy room. Not in use yet, it will add to the diverse therapy offered at the center. There is also an on-site school with classrooms for residents to attend class for 3-4 hours e ach morning. The Doc ea who lead our trip was excited that he could dunk at these accessible hoops! After visiting The Love Link, I know that I definitely want to work with young children at some point in my career. After meeting the founders of the My Father’s House orphanage, I know that I want to do something big in the field of OT according to my interests. After participating as a valuable part of a diverse medical team, I am convinced of the power of OT in any setting and inspired to “think outside the box” in terms of my future in the field because I am sure I can find work anywhere, even a developing country. Please let me know if you have any questions! Lisa M. Richardson lisamrichardson@gmail.com “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 9 News from Post Professional Programs Do You Want More From Your Career? Are You a Leader? VCU has a Program gram for YOU! The professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD) in Leadership is a distance education program designed for the working professional with a BS or MS/MA degree in occupational therapy. Coursework enhances critical analysis of practice, research, and evidence and culminates in a Capstone Leadership Project of your choice. MS therapists take 43 credits and BS therapists take 55 credits and receive an MS/OTD. This program is part-time with 6-7 credits per semester, obtaining the degree in 3-4 years. Why an OTD @ VCU? • Internationally/nationally renowned faculty with leadership and research experience • Experience in distance education for over six years • Flexible, part-time coursework geared to the working professional • Online courses with between semester on-campus times, no relocation is necessary! • Outstanding technical and library assistance for off-campus students • Over 60 years of experience educating future leaders of Occupational Therapy To learn more, please visit our website: http://www.sahp.vcu.edu/occu/programs/otd.htm Or contact: Jayne Shepherd, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA Assistant Chair of Post Professional Education 804-828-2219 Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 10 Alumni Phone Campaign Fall 2006 Results For the past two years we have joined with other departments in the School of Allied Health to call as many of our alumni living in the Central and Eastern Time Zones as possible over six to seven nights. Our current students and faculty have volunteered their time to do this for us. This year 14 volunteers (some calling on more than one evening) made more than 300 calls. To date we have received almost $6,300 which is a 121% increase over the previous year! These gifts are so important to us as they help the Department provide scholarships, equipment and other things that enrich the program we offer our students. We would like to see our alumni support grow. Last year we were not able to call almost 400 of our alumni because we simply needed more volunteers. The evenings are fun (refreshments are provided!) and provide a great opportunity to mingle with our students and faculty. We would like to encourage alumni living in the Richmond area to join us so that we can reach even more alumni this Fall. Tentative dates are set for October 22-25, October 29-30 and November 1. (The informal buffet dinner begins at 6pm and calling between 7-9 pm). If you would like to help please contact Jodi Teitelman at jlteitel@vcu.edu or 804-828-2219 Thank you to our Volunteers!! Students: Michelle Bebo Sarah Collins Lauren Ferret Tiffany Fields Mandy Freeman Alison Krumpe Heather Schultheis Hilarie Street Faculty: Marie Anzalone Sandy Cash Stacey Reynolds Dianne Simons Jayne Shepherd Jodi Teitelman Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 11 O.T. Presence at University Alumni Weekend Graduates of the OT/RPI Class of 1957 and from other years converged upon Richmond for the MCV-RPI Alumni Weekend of the School of Allied Health Professions held over the weekend of April 27-29. Participants from Virginia, California, Michigan, Connecticut, New Jersey, Missouri and the District of Columbia came to reestablish connections, find out the latest news in the School and Occupational Therapy Department and to have some fun! The Class of 1957 included Ms. Archie A. Blaha, Mr. and Mrs. Bill McCracken, Ms. Delores Taylor Morgan, Mrs. Ann W. Poehlman, Ms. Jeannette H. Shearin, Ms. Barbara Innes Smith, and Mrs. Rosemary Feese Tennant. On Friday afternoon, Delores Taylor Morgan (B.S., 1958) and Barbara J. Smith (B.S, 1955) had the opportunity to meet informally with Karen McQueen, Assistant Dean for Advancement and Alumni Affairs and OT faculty to learn about what had changed (and not!) since their time in the program. On Saturday night, alumni attended a gala reception and dinner at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts sponsored by the RPI Alumni Association. Alumni heard from Dr. Eugene Trani, President of VCU, then were entertained by Theatre VCU students performing songs from their smash hit, “Smokey Joe’s Café”, a tribute to rock-and–roll and rhythm-and-blues in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Please consider joining your former classmates when your class’s turn comes along! Students teach tech in VCU Program by Rachel Vementa Professors interested in bringing new technology into their classrooms are turning to a non-traditional source - students. "Students often have skills faculty members don't," said Zachary Goodell, an associate director at the Center for Teaching Excellence. Goodell said the Student Technology Expertise Program originally was in the now-defunct Academic Technology department. He said he saw potential in STEP and served as the program's coordinator until this past fall. Media Credit: Karen Sagun illustration "STEP is one of the first programs to integrate technology into teaching," Goodell said. "It is also one of the few that involve students directly." For more information about STEP, visit http://www.vcu.edu/cte/STEP STEP is a cost-free mentorship program matching faculty members with student interns. Faculty members submit project proposals associated with technology in the classroom. Students submit a list of their technological skills. After a careful review, faculty and interns have their first meeting with the STEP coordinator to begin planning their project. Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 12 Four to five faculty members begin projects during the academic year, said Jeff Nugent, the center's other associate director. Nugent took over Goodell's post as STEP coordinator this past school year. "The program is driven by individual faculty interest," Nugent said. "No single department seems to have a corner on this. We've had folks from music to engineering, to medicine, to mathematics and everything in between, so it's a diverse population." The program has two main goals. The first is the integration of technology into teaching. The second goal is student-to-faculty mentoring, in which student interns impart their technological skills to faculty members. "Students often have skills faculty members don't." -Zachary Goodell, associate director at the Center for Teaching Excellence. "Students often have skills faculty members don't." -Zachary Goodell, associate director at the Center for Teaching Excellence. According to both Goodell and Nugent, Web authoring for instructional supplemental use is the most sought-after technological skill by faculty members. Web authoring includes designing and creating dynamic Web pages using applications such as DreamWeaver and Flash. "Digital video editing and multimedia content development skills are at the top of the list," Nugent said. "The ability to self-teach new technology quickly is also a valuable skill," Goodell added. Marie Anzalone, assistant professor of occupational therapy, turned to STEP when she wanted help with digital video editing for use in her lectures. "Videotaped examples of clinical evaluation and intervention are central to my teaching about practice with children - seeing a child with a disability cannot be learned via books or lectures," Anzalone said. Anzalone said she saw the value in digital video technology's effectiveness and efficiency, but didn't know what editing programs to use or how to use them. Anzalone has been working on her project since November and said her STEP experience was a positive one. She said that the help of her student intern, Ashnfara Murphy Judy, was invaluable. "At this point, I am almost ready to be able to go with the projects independently," Anzalone said. "I am sure that I would not be at this point without Ashnfara." Murphy Judy, a sophomore kinetic imaging student, said his referance to STEP was an opportunity for him to use his technical expertise, which includes video and audio editing. Murphy Judy called his STEP experience rewarding. "With the exception of some bugs in the editing system, which Dr. Anzalone and I are using, and the down time between semesters, the process is swift," Murphy Judy said. In the five years since STEP was founded, Goodell said informing the VCU community of the service has been difficult, partly because of the large size of the university. Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 13 "The folks who have actually participated kept saying, 'Boy, this is the best thing that nobody knows about,' " Goodell said. Reprinted from The Commonwealth Times, 3/19/07, News section. O.T. Department Apparel to Order OT Apparel Order Form Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: (C) ____________________ (H) ___________________ Email: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________________________________________________________________ Total # of items: ______ Total amount paid: $______ Cash______ Check #______ Orders will be accepted until September 10, 2007. Orders will not be accepted without payment. Please fill out this form & mail or turn it into: Lisa M. Richardson 114 Overbrook Rd. Richmond, VA 23222 Questions can be directed to Lisa: lisamrichardson@gmail.com (540)809-6239 Checks can be made out to: VCU Occupational Therapy Class of 2008 Additional order forms available by e-mail & on the student bulletin boards. All shirts are screen printed. Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 14 Item Design Size S M L XL 2XL Sizes 6-8 10-12 12-14 14-16 16-18 Qty Total 6-8 10-12 12-14 14-16 16-18 $ Total 34-36 38-40 42-44 46-48 50-52 54-56 $ Total $ 3XL Sweatshirt $25.00 S M L XL 2XL 3XL Women’s Polo $17.50 S M L XL 2XL 3XL Men’s Polo $25.00 Women’s Fitted T S 0-4 M 4-8 L 8-12 XL 12-16 S 0-4 M 4-8 L 8-12 $12.50 Total XL Women’s Long-sleeved Fitted T $15.00 $ 12-16 Total $ All shirts are screen printed. Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 15 1000 East Marshall Street P.O. Box 980008 Richmond, VA 23298-0008 U.S. News Ranking #15 VCU’s OT Graduate Program ranked one of America’s Best Graduate Schools "Cultivating Future Therapists through a Tradition of Excellence" Alumni Newsletter “Cultivating Future Therapists Through a Tradition of Excellence” Page 16