ASHTABULA — Kent State-Ashtabula’s first class of Occupational Therapy Assistants Technology Program students will receive their diplomas tonight.
“I am very proud of my students,” said Julie Mirabell, program coordinator. “They were a very motivated and cohesive group. Their commitment to the (OTA) program, and passion for the profession, made them a joy to work with.”
The program’s graduates are Lori Hare, Lindsay Fuentes and Holly Moravcik of Ashtabula; Monica Whitesell of Williamsfield Township; Beth DeGroodt of Geneva; and Anna Carothers of Jefferson.
“We were very pleased when the program was initially approved and we were able to add OTA to our allied health programs,” said Dean Susan Stocker. “This is a rewarding and needed profession in our area that we are now able to prepare OTAs so close to home.” “This is also a profession where graduates will be able to secure good-paying jobs in our county,” she said.
Occupational therapy uses activities/ occupations as treatment to help people of all ages perform the skills they need to live as independently as possible. Certified OTAs help evaluate and treat individuals with injuries, illnesses, cognitive impairments, mental illness, developmental or learning disabilities and more, under the supervision of registered occupational therapists, according to a fact sheet.
The OTA program lasts two years. Many graduates are expected to continue with their education. Becoming an occupational therapist requires a master’s degree.
The six graduates will receive associate’s degrees in Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology, which makes them eligible to sit for the national board exam, Mirabell said.
“In order to practice in Ohio, our students must pass that exam to obtain an Ohio license, and all of our students are well-prepared and ready,” she said.
In fact, all six graduates have had multiple job offers from facilities in Ashtabula County.
“Our students completed their fieldwork at various local facilities, and all came back with glowing reviews,” Mirabell said.
Austinburg Rehabilitation Center, 2026 Route 45, Austinburg, hosted Hare and Carothers for their clinical field experience.
“We were very pleased with the students’ knowledge, application of purposeful daily living function, and their client-centered approach,” said Andrea Balogh, occupational therapist there.
“We are very grateful to all of the facilities who truly embraced our program and allowed our students to come in and perform their clinicals,” Mirabell said. “We are most proud of all the positive feedback from the clinicians in the community. That is the best proof of our student’s professionalism and skills.”
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