May 10, 2024
A native of Rockwood, Michigan, Zayden Rinehart is pursuing a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Shawnee State University. Finishing his undergraduate degree in December of 2022, he is grateful for the opportunity to further his education in a graduate program.
“It’s been the best decision I’ve made,” he said. “The master’s program curriculum is set up so perfectly, and I’ve loved every part of it.”
In the program, Rinehart has been particularly grateful for the wealth of field experience that the program faculty bring to students.
“I’m fortunate to have my instructors,” he said. “Most of them still practice or practiced in the past and they share a lot of great experiences with us in relation to what we do in the classroom.”
Using occupation as the basis for treatment of people of all ages with a wide variety of physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities, SSU’s Master of Occupational Therapy degree focuses on theoretical constructs and their application to clinical practice, research competencies, and professional leadership. The program requires students to work a six-to-nine-month period of full-time internships where they get exposure to a variety of healthcare settings.
“One of the best parts is as we go out and become practitioners, the instructors are very open and active mentors even after we graduate,” Rinehart said. “We get a lot of field work and community outreach opportunities; last year we went to the Counseling Center and were able to work with recovering addicts.”
The Master of Occupational Therapy program is also offered in a 3+2 Bachelor’s to Master’s accelerated pathway, allowing students to finish both their undergraduate and graduate programs in only five years. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
To learn more about the Master of Occupational Therapy program, visit shawnee.edu/mot.