SRU OTD Alumni

04/22/2026

Congratulations, Sophia! 🎉

04/17/2026

Congratulations to SRU OTD student, Gillian O’Rourke who was recognized by POTA for her amazing capstone work.

Join us in showing our gratitude to Gillian O’Rourke as today is her last official capstone day. Gillian has spent the past 14 weeks as the POTA occupational therapy capstone student from Slippery Rock University. Gillian’s understanding of the importance of advocacy including a sustainable system supporting and strengthening the work of advocacy, led her to develop our mentoring network. A mentored network within an association creates a bond and commitment, strengthening our membership base during the student to practitioner transition, a key breakdown we have experienced. A strong membership base will provide a stronger voice in the association’s advocacy efforts. Gillian also took our employer benefit partnership program and developed an efficient and professional presentation that we can use when presenting. Employers have been hearing about the value of offering state association membership as an employee benefit (we would be happy to present this to you, message us!). During her time as a capstone student with POTA, Gillian participated weekly in the executive board sessions, met with national and state government services leaders, integrally supported the planning and ex*****on of the Spring Hill day in Harrisburg, and spearheaded our spring Promote OT contest! She developed two mentoring tiers of our three tier vision: Tier 1 of current students to potential students AND Tier 2 of practitioner to current student. POTA will hear more about the research and effects of her developments soon, stay tuned! In the meantime, please join us in showing gratitude to her for all that she has accomplished and share with POTA’s board and membership. And congratulate her for being appointed as co-chair of the POTA membership network. We are cheering on your next steps, Gillian, and thrilled that they include state-leadership!

04/03/2026

Grove City Area School District is hiring a FT OT for the 2026-27 school year.

Frontline Recruiting and Hiring, Applicant Tracking for Educators. Online Job Employment Applications, Web Based Employment Applications for School Districts and Educational Institutions.

03/31/2026

03/27/2026

We’re proud to celebrate one of our outstanding OTD students, Alyssa White (OTD, ‘26), who was recently recognized by NW PA AHEC for her leadership, professionalism, and commitment to serving the community!

With a special interest in maternal wellness and breastfeeding education, Alyssa is passionate about supporting mothers and families through meaningful, evidence-based, and client-centered care. Her dedication to advocacy and holistic practice reflects the very best of our OTD program and the future of occupational therapy.

Congrats, Alyssa, on this well-deserved student spotlight. We can’t wait to see the continued impact you will make in advancing maternal health and wellness!

Today we are thrilled to highlight AHEC Scholar Alyssa White! Alyssa is a member of our 2026 cohort and is set to graduate this May from Slippery Rock University with her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy.

Over the past two years, Alyssa has shown incredible dedication to her professional development and the community, far exceeding her 80 required hours of didactic and community service work. Her commitment to specialized care is already making waves—last September, she presented her poster on “The Role of OT in Breastfeeding” at the CHW conference.

Alyssa is currently pursuing her lactation counselor certification and is continuing her advocacy for maternal wellness by attending the Maternal Health Conference in Harrisburg this week, sponsored by PA AHEC.
We are so proud of the expertise and passion Alyssa brings to the future of healthcare in Pennsylvania!

Alyssa White

03/26/2026

It's SRU's Giving Day!

Please consider donating to the OTD program to support OT student learning and engagement.

To donate:
1. Click on this link: https://www.givecampus.com/s/zje6fi
2. Click on "Support Students Now"
3. Click on "Club Sports, Student Activities..." and select "Student Occupational Therapy Association"
4. Enter and submit your donation

03/26/2026

Today's the day- SRU's Giving Day!

Support the Next Generation of Occupational Therapy Practitioners

As alumni of our OT program, you know that the most meaningful learning didn’t just happen in lectures; it happened through hands-on experiences, real-world practice, mentorship, and connection.

Today’s students deserve those same powerful, student-centered learning opportunities.

Your gift helps us:
Expand experiential learning opportunities
Enhance simulation and lab experiences
Provide community-based practice opportunities
Support student engagement and professional development

Every donation, no matter the size, directly impacts the preparation of future OT practitioners who will go on to serve schools, hospitals, communities, and families.

If this program shaped your journey, consider paying it forward. Your support strengthens the future of occupational therapy.

To donate:
1. Click on this link: https://www.givecampus.com/s/zje6fi
2. Click on "Support Students Now"
3. Click on "Club Sports, Student Activities..." and select "Student Occupational Therapy Association"
4. Enter and submit your donation

Thank you for supporting our OTD program!
~SRU OTD Faculty, Staff, and Students💚

Support Students At The Rock. Give now =>givingday.sru.edu

03/26/2026

ICYMI: SRU representing through advocacy & leadership at this week’s POTA Hill Day in Harrisburg.
Seen here:
Gillian, OTD ‘26
Grace, OTD ‘24

03/25/2026

Once an SRU OTD student, always part of the SRU OTD family. 💚

As alumni, you know the impact this program has on shaping confident, compassionate occupational therapists. This Giving Day, you have the opportunity to give back and support the next generation of OTD students.

Your gift helps enhance student learning, expand engagement opportunities, and strengthen the experiences that make this program so meaningful.

Stay tuned—your chance to make an impact is coming tomorrow!

🚨 Reminder: Tomorrow is Giving Day at SRU! 💚

SRU Giving Day is this Thursday, March 26 from 7:00 AM to 7:30 PM!

This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, supporting the OTD program by helping send students to conferences, fund SOTA initiatives, and enhance learning opportunities.

Every gift, big or small, makes a meaningful impact! Please consider donating 💚

You can even give early here:
🔗 https://www.givecampus.com/s/zje6fi

10/09/2025

What a fun day exploring health care professions with local high school students.