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Fall 2026 Edition 1

SCRANTON ON THE SPOT Newsletter of the Occupational Therapy Department at The University of Scranton

ALL THE BEST TO YOU, MARY! Earlier this year, not according to plan, Mary Bennett, the person who has greeted countless OT students in the OT Office for more than two decades, retired. Faculty and friends gathered in August at the State Street Grill to reminisce and celebrate with Mary on her long service. Mary came to the University of Scranton in 1998 to work part time in the OT Program. Her work then involved helping to find fieldwork placements for students. She enjoyed that work and said “it felt we won a prize” when she secured a placement. As the department grew, she was offered a full time position and remained until 2026. She has seen the department housed in several buildings across campus before coming to our current home in Leahy Hall in 2015. She has seen several Deans and department chairpeople come and move on. She has witnessed essentially the entire history of the OT Program and played a significant part in its success. She recounted a funny story from the time before Leahy, when the department was house in the “old building”. She and Mary Ann, another former administrative staff person for OT, were having lunch in the kitchen and she noticed what she thought was a bird, inside, within the curtains. Upon investigation, the bird was a bat! No-nonsense Mary secured paper towels within her hands, grabbed the bat and walked it outside to be freed. How many of us would do that?! Mary reported that she always enjoyed her work and helping students. She never dreamed she would have stayed so long but was glad she did.

SCRANTON ON THE SPOT Newsletter of the Occupational Therapy Department at The University of Scranton

WELCOME BACK! ON BEHALF OF THE NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE BACK TO SCHOOL! FROM FRESHMEN TO GRADUATE STUDENTS, WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THIS YEAR HAS IN STORE FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL ACCOMPLISH!

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POTA CONFERENCE The Pennsylvania Occuptional Therapy Association Conference took place from September 25-27, 2026, in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Several OT faculty members represented the University of Scranton. The conference gave them the opportunity to share their knowledge, research, and experience about OT practice through presentations and posters. Dr. Griffiths presented on mental health titled “Practical Mental Health Strategies: Occupational Therapy Practitioner Discussion,” in a 50-minute Conversation that Matters. She also presented a poster titled “Assessing the Impact of an Educational Intervention on OT/OTA Students' Knowledge, Importance, Confidence in Accessible Design and Event Planning: A POTA Initiative for Building Future Leaders”. A poster titled “From Coursework to Community: Translating Knowledge into Care” was also presented. Dr. Whittaker provided a 50-minute presentation titled “More Than Kawa: Teaching and Learning Global OT theory”. Dr. Budash provided a 50-minute presentation titled “Toward a Better Understanding of Spirituality and Spiritual Occupations in OT Practice” which highlighted the combined results of three studies on spirituality and spiritual occupations. Dr. Romanoski led a 50-minute Conversation that Matters titled “It’s All About the Minutes....Or Is It?”. Dr. Morgan presented a poster about smart home technology titled “As Homes Get Smarter, Aging Gets Easier”.

MaryJayne Cipriano

Brooke Dodge

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: LEVEL I FIELDWORK On October 21st, 2026, Dr. Nealon’s first year seminar class had the opportunity to hear from Jose Abreu, the founder of Cambiando Vidas. Cambiando Vidas is the organization that the university has worked with for many years to coordinate the annual Domincian Rebuplic trip. On this trip occupational therapy students work side by side with community members in the DR to build a house over the week they are there. In addition to building the house, students also get the chance to provide healthcare services to members of the community, mostly to people who receive these services very infrequently. Mr. Abreu started Cambiando Vidas in 2007 after the community came around his mother to rebuild her home after she lost it to a fire. In that same spirit of community, Mr. Abreu and the students on this trip get to become close to community members as they help build homes and provide healthcare services. This trip is credit bearing and counts as a Level I Physical Rehabilitation Fieldwork. It is also unique because the credits are discounted as it is an international class and because occupational therapy students have the ability to do hands on practice during their Level I. Students get to see a variety of medical diagnoses and ages, from pediatric early intervention services to older adults with Parkinson’s in a local clinic. Students from past years believe the trip was very rewarding, and helped them build their resume as well as their communication and interpersonal skills. The next time the trip runs will be in January of 2028, and information will be sent out by Dr. Nealon in the near future to begin obtaining interest and fundraising. If you have any questions please reach out to her at her email address: chandra.nealon@scranton.edu

5KATE On October 31, 2026 from 8AM-1PM, NAMI Northeast Region, the Katie Foundation, and Katie’s Clubhouse are hosting a 5Kate at Nay Aug Park. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness about mental health and mental illness. The event shares a powerful message, "Wear a costume today, but don't mask mental illness," so participants are highly encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes while they run or walk to help break the stigma around mental health. The event also features a trunk or treat, kids activities all day, and a free lunch following the walk. This event offers a lot of opportunities to students to volunteer, including set-up and break-down, course guides, and participation in activities. Those who signed up to volunteer with Dr. Griffiths will be able to receive a NAMI Mental Health First Aid certification for FREE in the spring!

ALEXIS MOZIAN

OTD UPDATES Our OT 780 students are quickly approaching their Capstone Experiences! They will be off campus, completing their Doctoral Capstone Projects (DCPs) during the spring 2027 semester. All are deep in planning and those who did not need research approval, defended their projects last week to faculty and students of the OT Program. They are ready and are going to do great things! Our 701 students are currently weighing all variables to identify which of their DCP ideas seems the most likely to be successful. Success is defined as the project that best aligns with their professional ambitions, meets the partner organization's need, and is feasible on a personal level for the 14-week experience. The 701 students will be sharing their DCPs ideas on Tues., 11/17 & 23/26 and Thurs., 11/19/26 at 2:30 PM and all are invited to MASTERS & OTD GRADUATES attend and offer feedback. This is their first time to speak publicly about their idea and is a milestone in the OTD curriculum. Watch for details soon about signing up to participate. AVA TECCHIO

OT STUDENTS GO ABROAD Sarah Stradley (2027) studied abroad in Rome, Italy through CIEE Rome. She studied culture and cuisine as well as power, politics and law with focus on the Italian mafia.

Olivia Dougherty (2028) and Gracie Bucholz (2029) went to Italy with the women’s field hockey team. They won against HF Lorenzoni (Bra), tied against CUS Pisa (Pisa), and lost to HC Tiberna (Rome) but put up a good fight! They also visited Lake Como, Milan, Florence, Sestri Levante, and Cinque Terre. They had a great experience exploring Italy and bonding with their team!

Addison Van Lenton (2028), Nicole Schulingkamp (2028), and Elise Nicholas (2029) went to Holland and Belgium with the women’s soccer team where they played in Amsterdam and Delft. They also visited Marken, Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp, and Ghent, exploring historical sites, and cities, and learning about different cultures. EMMA SHORTER

CBL EVENTS

The seniors in Dr. Zagacki’s OT 420 Physical Rehabilitation class completed their CBL experience with a community partner for the Remembrance Walk on September 26th. Students collaborated with the community partner to clarify their role and align on community needs by asking questions and providing feedback. The class designed engaging, approachable content focused on caregiver support and resources to inform families and encourage interactions. This event helped apply classroom learning to a real setting and highlighted the importance of supporting caregivers, whose physical and emotional demands, such as stress, burnout, and financial strain, require education, emotional support, and resources. Stay tuned for more information on Junior and Sophomore CBL events. In their pediatrics course, the junior class has begun brainstorming ways to make toys more adaptable for children with various medical conditions. Their primary focus is adjusting the button on toys to improve accessibility. This process includes 3-D printing a button and rewiring the toy so the button functions. The sophomore class has started developing “paint and pour” ideas for the older adult community in the Scranton area. The paintings and mocktails center mainly on fall themes. MCKENNA WILSON

SOTA Spotlight MEET YOUR 2026-2027 SOTA BOARD

PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT

ASD REPRESENTATIVE

SOCIAL MEDIA & SECRETARY

COMMUNITY SERVICE CO-CHAIR

TREASURER

CLASS OF 2027 REP

CLASS OF 2027 REP Gabriella Graham

CLASS OF 2028 REP

C LASS OF 2028 REP

CLASS OF 2029 REP

CLASS OF 2030 REP

CONGRATS TO OUR BOARD! (TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: ERIN ADOMILLI, RILEY SAPOSNICK, OLIVIA GALLIONE, KAITLYN ENGEL, GABRIELLA GRAHAM, MARISSA MANZO, MIA SAITTA, CHRISTINA GABRIEL, KELSEY MYLER, KACI SERGI, EVA CARACHILO, GRACIE BUCHHOLZ, ALEXIS MOZIAN, DEANNA PORTER, AND JILLIAN ROONEY)

SOTA T-SHIRT CONTEST CONGRATULATIONS TO JUNIOR MIA SAITTA ON WINNING THE T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST! SOTA HAS DECIDED TO MAKE THE DESIGN INTO A CREWNECK. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR MORE INFORMATION TO COME IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BUYING! Gabriella Graham

FACULTY MENTOR SPOTLIGHT THE 2026-2027 ACADEMIC MENTORS FOR SOTA ARE DR. CARRIE GRIFFITHS AND DR. ELYSE KAY! CARRIE AND ELYSE ARE EXCITED AND HONORED TO SERVE AS THE SOTA COMODERATORS! THEY HOPE TO HELP STUDENTS FEEL CONNECTED, GET INVOLVED, AND MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR TIME IN SOTA!

DR, ELYSE KAY

DR. CARRIE GRIFFITHS

COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENTS SOTA PARTICIPATED IN THEIR ANNUAL EVENTS WITH THE ARC FAMILY FUN FEST (9/13) AND THE BUDDY WALK (10/4) THE ARC’S ANNUAL FAMILY FUN FEST TOOK PLACE AT WALDORF PARK. THIS EVENT OFFERS FUN FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN! THIS EVENT IS THE ARC'S ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, WHERE THEY RAISE MONEY TO HELP SUPPORT MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THE BUDDY WALK IS AN ANNUAL EVENT HELD BY THE ARC. THIS EVENT CELEBRATES AND RAISES AWARENESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME. SUPPORTERS OF THE EVENT INCLUDE MANY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY. EVERYONE WALKS AROUND THE TRACK AT SCRANTON HIGH SCHOOL. THE EVENT IS FOLLOWED UP WITH FOOD AND FUN. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VOLUNTEERED! KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR OUR FUTURE EVENTS!

Gabriella Graham

HAWAII FUNDRAISING The OT Department will return to Kauai, Hawaii, for a Physical Rehabilitation Fieldwork Level I rotation. Eight senior students—Erin Adomilli, Kaitlyn Engel, Christina Gabriel, Meghan Martin, Anna Trout, Sara Tully, Kate Whalen, and McKenna Wilson- will join Dr. Courtney Lancia and Dr. Lisa Kozden from January 7th to 16th, 2027. These seniors will complete their fieldwork alongside healthcare workers in Kauai. A fundraiser through Football Squares for the Thanksgiving Day game is going on right now! A GoFundMe is also open for donations. Follow kauai_ot27 on Instagram to follow our students along on this journey. We appreciate all support!

Scan here for Football Squares! Each square is $10! Payment can be sent via Venmo to Anna-Trout-15 Please DO NOT enter credit card information into the website directly!

Scan here for the GoFundMe! Funds raised will be split evenly among the students going on the trip.

PUPPET SHOW

Olivia Dougherty

On October 4, graduate students in OT520 performed their annual inclusive puppet shows during the Scranton Fringe Festival. To complement class lessons about building resilience and preventing trauma, themes of different puppet shows included caring for the earth and emotional regulation. These shows offer a fun and creative way to showcase the benefits of arts-based occupations and support community-building for local families. Afterwards, students assisted children in creating their own personal puppets out of recycled materials. Mary Ann Stefko provided ASL interpretation during the event. Drs. Whittaker and DeNaples lead the event.

CAR FIT Graduate students completed a CarFit evaluation to educate older drivers on how to properly adjust their personal vehicles for maximum safety, comfort, and control. Carfit is a unique program developed by AOTA and AARP that teaches older drivers how to do these adjustments. The students become trained CarFit technicians and are able to make necessary adaptations such as sealt belt position, steering wheel title, and pedal access. Olivia Gallione

Professional Development

OT420 Physical Rehabilitation Competencies

Any first-year, sophomore, or junior still has time to sign up to be a practical patient for the Phys Rehab competencies. This will take place on Monday, November 16th: 8 am-12:30 pm. Wednesday, November 18th: 10 am-12:30 pm. At this time, a few slots are open to volunteer and receive professional development! The sign-up sheet is posted on the door of Dr. Brady’s office, ELH 3rd floor, room 324.

OTD 701

The 701 students will be sharing their DCP ideas on: Tuesday, November 17th and 23rd at 2:30 pm Thursday, November 19th at 2:30 pm Participation will include listening to which ideas are most likely to be successful and feasible on a personal level for the 14-week experience of these students. By attending and offering feedback as a participant, you can receive professional development.

Wisdom of Trauma Will be showing: Monday, November 9th, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm in LSC 133 Sophia D’Antonio

Fieldwork Seminar Drs. Kay and Lancia have created a new course this semester for juniors who are preparing for their first fieldwork experience. This seminar aims to make the fieldwork process more transparent and ease the transition from classroom to clinic. Once a week, a small group of students meet with the fieldwork coordinators to address expected professional behaviors, paperwork and documentation requirements, how to navigate different situations, and what to expect while observing OTs in a pediatric setting. Junior students have appraised this new addition to their schedule, claiming it has made expectations in different areas much clearer. There is definitely a sense of confidence for the junior class’s first rotation! Olivia Dougherty

NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE: Senior Students Gabriella Graham Erin Adomilli Emma Shorter Brooke Dodge McKenna Wilson Sarah Sullivan Sophia D’Antonio

Junior Students MaryJayne Cipiano Olivia Dougherty Jayda Eike Lael Diehl

Sophomore Students Leah Lesko Alexia Mozian

Freshmen Students Riley Scholl Katie Welsh Keira Kober Ava Tecchio

OLIVIA GALLIONE, ASSOCIATE EDITOR- CLASS OF 2027 DR. DEBORAH BUDASH, FACULTY MENTOR, EDITOR

GOOD LUCK ON MI DTERM S

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