Shenandoah University Division of Occupational Therapy

Shenandoah University Division of Occupational Therapy Welcome to the official page of Shenandoah University Division of Occupational Therapy!

Occupational therapists help people of all ages regain their quality of life through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, help individuals recovering from injury to regain skills, and provide support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Shenandoah’s graduate programs in occupa

tional therapy prepares you to help clients reach their greatest level of quality of life and independence by serving as a caring and effective occupational therapist. Close mentorships with faculty, combined with the program’s small class sizes and practical learning experiences, prepare you to enter the field as a professional dedicated to service, ethics and leadership.

- See more at: https://www.su.edu/occupational-therapy/

This week we are highlighting Megan Reinsfelder, a year two in our MSOT weekend program!How would you define OT? “Occupa...
05/28/2026

This week we are highlighting Megan Reinsfelder, a year two in our MSOT weekend program!

How would you define OT? “Occupational therapy is a holistic health profession that promotes each individual’s engagement in the activities, environments, and tasks that are most meaningful to them.”

What setting do you hope to work in? “I originally was set on mental health, but I truly love all the settings I have experienced so far! I am keeping an open mind.”

What keeps you motivated? “I want to help others the same way OT has helped me. I enjoy learning and look forward to being in practice making a difference!”

Favorite OT school memory? “My favorite memory so far is our Community Applications Senior Olympics at Westminster Canterbury!”

Advice? “Plan your week on the first day assignments are published! I use a planner and Google Calendar to stay organized and make sure I get everything turned in on time.”

We are so proud of you Megan!

🎓✨ The Hoods Are On! ✨🎓We celebrated our School of Health Professions graduates at our annual Hooding Ceremony! Receivi...
05/27/2026

🎓✨ The Hoods Are On! ✨🎓

We celebrated our School of Health Professions graduates at our annual Hooding Ceremony! Receiving a hood marks the transition from student to healthcare professional—representing endless clinicals, studying, and a commitment to caring for others. You are the future of healthcare. Go change the world!

Today marks Day One of in-person summer classes, and we are thrilled to welcome both our Year 1 and Year 2 (OTD) student...
05/26/2026

Today marks Day One of in-person summer classes, and we are thrilled to welcome both our Year 1 and Year 2 (OTD) students!

To our Year 1s: Welcome to the starting line! Get ready to dive deep, build lifelong bonds with your cohort, and lay the foundation for your future practice.

To our Year 2s: Welcome back! You’re one step closer to fieldwork and clinical excellence. Keep pushing, keep growing, and keep inspiring.

To our Year 3s: A massive shoutout to our Y3s as they officially head out for their Level II Fieldwork! This is where the classroom meets the clinic. You are ready to step into full-time patient care, apply your expertise, and make a real-world impact. We are so proud of you!

Dr. Alysha Skuthan, PhD, OTR/L, CWHS is joining the promotion train! She has taught across every OT program at SU over t...
05/21/2026

Dr. Alysha Skuthan, PhD, OTR/L, CWHS is joining the promotion train! She has taught across every OT program at SU over the past 7 years and currently serves as the capstone advisor in the PP-OTD program. During her tenure at SU, she has produced 103 capstones, 46 conference presentations, over 20 peer-reviewed journal publications (more are in the works), and has contributed to the development of https://www.occupationbasedpractice.com
Huge congratulations Dr. Skuthan!

Read more on this Capstone below ⬇For my doctoral capstone project, I partnered with the Wi******er Rescue Mission to im...
05/19/2026

Read more on this Capstone below ⬇

For my doctoral capstone project, I partnered with the Wi******er Rescue Mission to implement a four-week sleep hygiene program for residents. Sessions were held twice weekly and focused on the impact of sleep, barriers to quality rest, and practical strategies to improve sleep through education, discussion, reflection, and interactive activities.

This experience deepened my understanding of the environmental and systemic factors affecting sleep in shelter settings and reinforced the role of OT in promoting sleep health and participation in meaningful daily activities for individuals experiencing homelessness.

One of the most significant skills I developed during my DCE was the ability to remain flexible in both the design and implementation of the program. Fluctuations in attendance required me to continuously adapt activities and educational content to meet the needs of participants in each session. This experience also highlighted the importance of building trust as a foundational component of the project. By meeting individuals where they are, I was able to foster meaningful connections that supported engagement and allowed me to share knowledge in a way that felt relevant and impactful.

Shenandoah University is hosting a 2-day course (Aug. 29–30) at Scholar Plaza Loudoun on the Essentials of Hand and Uppe...
05/18/2026

Shenandoah University is hosting a 2-day course (Aug. 29–30) at Scholar Plaza Loudoun on the Essentials of Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation. SU faculty members Drs. Jill Yanick and Nicole Bickhart will serve as instructors for this engaging continuing education opportunity. Sign up today to reserve your spot!

Adjunct Professor Gail Riley-Miravite participated in the PP-OTD graduation/hooding ceremony. It was such a beautiful ev...
05/18/2026

Adjunct Professor Gail Riley-Miravite participated in the PP-OTD graduation/hooding ceremony. It was such a beautiful event and wonderful to be surrounded by her family, fellow professors, and graduating OT students. Prof Miravite is soon to be Dr. Miravite!

Big congratulations to Dr. Sidar and Dr. Skuthan on having their article, "OTPs' Perceptions of Providing Services for t...
05/15/2026

Big congratulations to Dr. Sidar and Dr. Skuthan on having their article, "OTPs' Perceptions of Providing Services for the Acute Postpartum Population" ranked among the Top 10 most downloaded in the Occupational Therapy Journal of Research for 2025!
This means the OT community is not just noticing the work, they are actively engaging with it in a big way. It is being read, shared, and pulled into conversations.

It is always exciting when our scholarship finds a wide audience!

https://www.aotf.org/highlights/top-10-most-downloaded-otjr-articles-of-2025/

To wrap up finals, our Year 1 and Year 2 OTD students competed in the OT Olympics!They designed interventions, created i...
05/15/2026

To wrap up finals, our Year 1 and Year 2 OTD students competed in the OT Olympics!
They designed interventions, created inclusive playgrounds and participated in relays.

Congrats to the 2026 Shenandoah University Research Expo winners from the Division of OT! From MSOT Loudoun: Outstanding...
05/14/2026

Congrats to the 2026 Shenandoah University Research Expo winners from the Division of OT! From MSOT Loudoun: Outstanding Group Recorded Presentation (Heather, Ashley, Sujin, Kyle, Ky & Taylor); OTD: Outstanding Group Poster (Sarah, Brittany, Brianna, Rachel & Michelle); Outstanding Individual Poster (Delainey); and Outstanding Graduate Lightning Talk (Matthew Wadler). We are so proud of you!

Huge Congratulations to Our 2026 Wilkins Award Winners!We are beyond proud to announce that two of our incredible facult...
05/14/2026

Huge Congratulations to Our 2026 Wilkins Award Winners!
We are beyond proud to announce that two of our incredible faculty members have been honored with the prestigious Wilkins Award!

The Wilkins Award is one of Shenandoah University’s highest honors and are based off of the following: an outstanding contribution to the development of the reputation of the university; a major cost-saving idea implemented at the university based on an individual's initiative; outstanding leadership in a crisis or difficult situation that helped to sustain life or make life more fulfilling for the university community; achievement of distinction or special recognition by peers for achievement in the recipient's occupation or profession.
Join us in celebrating:

Dr. Gail Riley-Miravite, Adjunct Professor - MSOT Weekend, MSOT Loudoun, and OTD Programs

Dr. Sheri Hale - Interim Dean for the School of Health Professions; Professor, Division of Physical Therapy

Whether they are sparking "aha!" moments in the classroom, mentoring students through complex research, or leading by example in their fields, these two embody what it means to be a Shenandoah Hornet. 🐝

Leave a comment below to share your favorite memory with these professors or to drop a "Congratulations!" 👇

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1775 N. Sector Court
Winchester, VA
22601

Website

http://www.su.edu/

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