News from the Program Director 
Faculty and staff changes
have been a focus and
highlight of the OCAT
program this year. Please
join me in welcoming
Theresa Hootman, Megan
Shumaker,
Elizabeth
Stevens and Paula Johnson
to our team! Theresa joined
the
program
as
our
secretary in the fall of 2013,
coming to us from another
department on campus.
She is highly organized and
professional, a strong asset
to the program and a helpful
resource for students.
New
adjunct
instructors,
Elizabeth Stevens MA, OTR/L,
ATP and Paula Johnson, BA,
COTA/L taught OCAT courses
in spring 2014 - OCAT 20003 OT Practical Skills III and
OCAT 20000 - Therapeutic
Techniques II, respectively.
Both have shared their work
experiences and knowledge in
a variety of settings, including
pediatrics and adult physical
dysfunction, with the current
group of students. Learn more
about
Megan
Shumaker,
Academic
Fieldwork
Coordinator
and
full-time
faculty in our Faculty Focus
section. We are so pleased to
have such a talented and
enthusiastic group of faculty!
Jul i e M ir ab el l
their first attempt and early
results of our 6-month
employment survey show that
100% of respondents are now
working
as
COTAs
throughout the region.
A new cohort of students
began the program this
summer. From a record high
number of 54 applicants,
twenty-six highly qualified
students were selected and
are eagerly awaiting their
upcoming
hands-on
and
fieldwork experiences.
Please feel free to contact me
at jmirabel@kent.edu or 440964-4316 with any updates,
questions or comments.
With all of this change, I am
happy to report on the
continued success of the
program and its graduates.
Congratulations
to
our
December 2013 graduates!
Each of them passed their
NBCOT certification exam on
SOTA Club
attends the
annual OTA
Conference
See
details on
Page 2
September 2014
Graduate Recognition and Awards
Congratulations to the OCAT Class of 2013!
Ashley Berk
Kelly Chambers
Erin Cook
Laura Hardwick
Amy Jennison*
Margaret Kelner*
Nancy McCauley
Heather Mullins*
Rebecca Newton*
Yvette Rudin
Sandra Rumer
Karen Sethman
Amber Shook
Karen Starcher
Melissa Taller
Kayla Gale
Susan Writz*
Antonia Urbas*
Inside this issue:
In the Field
2
Student Occupational
Therapy Assistant
(SOTA) Club
2
In the Classroom
3
Alumni Spotlight
3
Faculty and Staff
Outstanding Student Award
Service Award
*Graduated with Distinction
Focus
Contact Us
4
4
Page 2
In the Field

Fieldwork Educator Resources
In accordance with ACOTE standards, the OCAT program annually provides updates on fieldwork resources available from
various entities to our partnering fieldwork sites. Please consider reading these articles and books, as well as completing some
of the excellent continuing education courses. As always, thank you for supporting this program and the OT profession by
offering high quality fieldwork education at your facilities.
1) Journal Articles
a.
2013 OT Practice Articles (http://www.aota.org/Publications-News/OTP.aspx )
i.
Answering Questions About Level I Fieldwork, Elizabeth D. Deluliis, July 9 (12) 8-9.
ii.
Evidence-Based Practice as a Component of Student Learning During fieldwork, Debra Hanson, January 21
(1), 22-23.
iii.
How Do Students Learn the Skills Needed for Client-Centered Practice, Debra Hanson, November 4 (20), 7-8.
iv.
Learning to Use Occupation as Treatment During Level II Fieldwork, Debra Hanson, March 11 (4), 7, 12.
v.
Preparing Students for Ethical Practice, Part Two, Caryn Reichlin Johnson & Jessica Fulmino, May 6 (8), 7-8.
vi.
Promoting Student Learning during Level II Fieldwork: What Works, Debra Hanson, August 26 (15), 20-21.
b.
Advance for OT (http://occupational-therapy.advanceweb.com/)
i.
Being ALERT as a Fieldwork Educator, Patricia Crist, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, posted February 20, 2013
2) Books
a.
Clinical Supervision in Occupational Therapy: A Guide for Fieldwork and Practice (w/CD), by Donna M. Costa,
MS and OTR/L, 2007.
b.
Essential Guide to Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education: Resources for Today’s Educators and Practitioners (w/
CD) by Donna M. Costa, 2004.
c.
Using the Fieldwork Performance Forms: The Complete Guide, by Karen Atler, 2003.
3) Fieldwork Resources from AOTA
a.
http://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Fieldwork.aspx
b.
AOTA Fieldwork Educators Certificate Workshop http://www.aota.org/en/Education-Careers/FieldworkWorkshop.aspx.
Student Occupational Therapy Assistant (SOTA) Club
The past school year has been a very busy one for the students of the SOTA Club.
Fundraising, community projects and a trip to Baltimore for the OTA conference
were the highlights of the year, fitted in between their class schedules and various
field experiences.
Last fall, the club sold pepperoni balls made by Little Italy in Ashtabula. Proceeds
from the sale helped defray some of the cost involved for students to attend the
AOTA conference. This was a fun sale and all buyers were happy with the
delicious snacks!
Early in the Spring, club members assisted the residents of Bridgeview Manor,
which is part of the Signature Health System, in creating a garden. Caring for the
soil and plants will provide an excellent opportunity for those in need of some
occupational therapy along with the garden being a nutritious food source for the
facility.
Near the end of the year, 6 fortunate SOTA students along with director Julie
Mirabell attended the annual OTA conference held in Baltimore, Maryland. The
students took advantage of some classes, learned about current equipment and
practices and shared experiences with many OT professionals. The students also
were able to spend some fun time with each other at dinners and shopping!
The students of the SOTA Club would like to thank their family, friends and
instructors for their support this year!
~ Krissy Krumins, OTAS
In the Classroom

Therapeutic Techniques IV
OCAT 20006
In this second year, summer session
course, students learn advanced concepts
and techniques for physical disabilities.
Taught in the final semester before Level II
fieldwork, the course is designed to
prepare OCAT students for the challenges
of the clinic experience.
Topics and diagnoses covered in this class
include traumatic brain injury, spinal cord
injury, hand therapy, splinting, superficial
thermal modalities and driver rehabilitation.
Highlights of the course include fieldtrips to
experience aquatic therapy with Ashtabula
County Medical Center, driver rehabilitation
with
Euclid
Hospital
and
vehicle
modifications at MC Mobility. Students also
learn and practice splinting with sales
consultants from Patterson Medical.
Lab experiences are designed with the fast
pace of clinical life in mind; at the end of
each class, students are given a case
study related to the day’s topic. Within a
short period of time, they develop a
treatment plan, carry it out in a role play
situation for their classmates, and
document the treatment. Course exams
Alumni spotlight

are given in a proctored, computerbased format to emulate testing
conditions of the NBCOT exam.
The class culminates with a lab practical
assessment and presentations of
students’ research into the effectiveness
of OT treatment with the populations
and techniques covered in the class.
OCAT student Jennifer Simmons states,
“Aquatic therapy and splinting are more
detailed and difficult than I expected. I
thought it was good to be able to
experience them first hand.”
Since graduation and passing the National
certification I have worked in the pediatric
setting and the nursing home setting. I loved
the pediatric setting for my first year and a
half and filled in all the vacation and weekend
days that come with pediatrics with PRN in
local nursing homes. I was offered the
opportunity to be the rehab director at one of
my small local PRN nursing homes and
decided to give it a try. The OT interventions
and processes are different in the nursing
home compared to pediatrics and although I
can see my self returning to peds one day, I
am enjoying the challenges of my new
setting.
PROGRAM MISSION
The OTA program on
the Ashtabula Campus
shares the eight
campus network
mission to advance
quality student
education and clinical
competency to fulfill
key societal goals for a
diverse cultural region.
Through the pursuit of
excellence in personal
and professional
development, students
will demonstrate the
ability to utilize critical
thinking and clinical
reasoning to complete
therapeutic
interventions based on
knowledge acquired
from theory, technical
skills and research.
Laura Meier
Class of 2010
Before
I
embarked on my
COTA/L journey
at Kent State
Ashtabula
Campus I was a
service
professional for
over 15 years (fancy name for waitress). I
also
had
a
small
cleaning
business
and
sometimes
2-3
additional different jobs before deciding to
enter the OCAT program.
Page 3
I currently live in Ashtabula Harbor with
my boyfriend and nephew. I have all my
family close to town and am lucky to
work locally so I can spend time with
them.
Some guiding thoughts I have for all
OCAT students and new grads are
this: trust in what you know, give 100% all
the time, walk with purpose (Medicare is
counting your minutes!) and listen to the
patient. Working as a team with other
staff (nursing, administration and other
therapists ) is key to client centered
care. As COTA's we get to interact with
patients in a way that others in the
palliative care group don't.
What I like best about being a COTA/L is
being creative by grading tasks and
adapting household items to help others in
functional activities that enhance their
everyday life. I also love the funny things
the kids and geriatric population say and
come up with! Good luck and remember
to be an advocate for OT. Oh yeah, I also
love continuing education seminars and I
love.... and.... and.... I could go on
forever!
Applications for the
OCAT
CLASS OF 2016
which begins in
Summer 2015
are now being
accepted.
The application deadline is
March 1, 2015
For complete
application details,
visit:
http://
www.ashtabula.kent.edu/
academics/depts/ocat/
upload/ocat-info-packet2014.pdf
Faculty/Staff Focus

Please join the OCAT program in welcoming
Megan Shumaker, OT/L, as the program’s
new Academic Fieldwork Coordinator.
Megan joined the program in January with
an appointment as a full-time faculty
member.
A graduate of Cleveland State University,
Megan brings experience in a variety of
settings, including acute care, sub-acute and
skilled nursing facilities. She has completed
certificate level training in NDT and fieldwork
education, and has experience teaching
neurological evaluation and treatment
content to CSU’s OT students.
According to Megan, “In the OT profession,
we have the responsibility to stay lifelong
learners and remain on top of current
research which more and more provides
evidence that our original treatment methods
of occupation-based, functional and
meaningful tasks, crafts, and activities of
daily living lead to greater rehab
outcomes. Currently, I see a shift back to
our original roots of how and why the
profession evolved, and as a faculty
member with the unique position of
Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, I have an
obligation to help facilitate this journey back
to the basics of OT. I can envision a time in
the near future where most students will
transition to the clinic and see the
Page 4
Meet Megan Shumaker
fundamentals that they
learned in the
classroom, practiced by
everyday OTs with pride
and clear role
delineation from other
healthcare
professionals. Although
it's a challenge, I feel
excited to be part of this profession and in
this position as we transition back to our
original roots and continue to teach the
foundations of our profession with the
backing of growing scientific evidence.
3300 Lake Road West
Ashtabula, OH 44004
In a short time, I have met so many
wonderful faculty and staff who have
been willing to help me through my
own transition from the clinic to the
classroom. I've had the honor of working
with the diverse population of students
working in a regional campus provides, who
are in various stages of life. I look forward
to facilitating their knowledge of the
profession and what they have to give to
the community even at this early stage in
their careers. I know I have a lot to learn,
but feel I have the best support and
mentorship here at Kent State University in
order to be successful and give back to the
students and the profession.”
A world-class
University
close
to home!
Contact Us
Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology Program
Phone: 440-964-4316
Fax:
440-964-4355
www.ashtabula.kent.edu/academics/depts/ocat
Julie Mirabell, MS, OT/L
Program Director
440-964-4316
jmirabel@kent.edu
Megan Shumaker, OT/L
NTT Lecturer and Fieldwork
Coordinator
mshumak2@kent.edu
Dotti Thompson, MOT, OTR/L
Adjunct Faculty
dathomp3@kent.edu
Deborah Turek Koers, OTR/L
Adjunct Faculty
dturekko@kent.edu
Elizabeth Stevens, MA, OTR/L, ATP
Adjunct Faculty
estvev14@kent.edu
Paula Johnson, COTA/L
Adjunct Faculty
pcrifasi@kent.edu
Alan Graham, COTA/L
Adjunct Faculty
agraha19@kent.edu
Theresa Hootman
Secretary, Allied Health Programs
440-964-4252
hootma1@kent.edu
The Robert S. Morrison
Health and Science Building