Megan Jewell – WINNER – “Force for Good” Alumni Video Contest
Megan Jewell, a 2012 Master of Occupational Therapy graduate from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS), was named a winner of the university’s “Force for Good” Alumni Video Contest in 2023.
In her video, Megan looks back on how her time at USAHS helped shape her career in Occupational Therapy. She credits her professors with encouraging her to dream big, advocate for OT, and build the confidence to pursue her goals.
After graduation, Megan developed her passion for pediatrics and sensory integration and eventually started her own OT practice, Kids on the Point OT. She also became involved in the OT community in several ways, including leading a study group for pediatric therapists in San Diego County, participating in Camp Avanti, a therapeutic camp for neurodiverse children, and educating undergraduate students about careers in OT.
Twelve years after graduating, Megan says she feels she is doing some of her most impactful work through community involvement and advocacy for the profession. Her story highlights how her career has grown beyond clinical practice to include entrepreneurship, mentorship, and giving back to the OT community.
The “Force for Good” Alumni Video Contest was created by USAHS in 2023 to recognize alumni who are making an impact in their communities and professions. Megan’s video was one of the winning submissions.
Transcript
Megan Jewell – WINNER – _Force for Good_ Alumni Video Contest
[00:00:00] Megan Jewell (USAHS Alumni): The upcoming bestseller written by Megan Jewell, titled From Elevator Pitch to Entrepreneurship: A Story of One Therapist’s Force for Good. [00:00:11] Megan Jewell (USAHS Alumni): My journey began at the University of St. Augustine. Here I am on graduation day in 2012, feeling empowered from my professors’ confidence in me to dream big. They also instilled the importance of nailing my elevator pitch and advocating for OT, no matter where my career took me. [00:00:30] Megan Jewell (USAHS Alumni): Next step, entering the workforce, where my passion for pediatrics and sensory integration was strengthened, where I learned to walk the walk and talk the talk. [00:00:41] Megan Jewell (USAHS Alumni): My professors were right. Hello, business ownership. Here I am at Kids on the Point OT. I was successful in creating a private pay business model rooted in community and sustained through a solid reputation. [00:00:55] Megan Jewell (USAHS Alumni): This was made possible by the level of professionalism that was modeled to me by the St. Augustine faculty. Being a Force for Good, though, means I can feel good about the impact I’m leaving in my community. I host Connect Group, a study group I lead in San Diego County for pediatric therapists. I’m a part of Camp Avanti, a therapeutic camp experience for neurodiverse kids run from OTs around the globe. [00:01:22] Megan Jewell (USAHS Alumni): I’ve advocated for OT through magazine features, and I educate undergrad students on what a career in OT can look like. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s a plot twist. Here I am, 12 years later, and I’m reaching up the elevator to level 2023. I feel like I’m at a point where I’m doing my most impactful work, giving back to the community, and advocating deeply for the profession of OT. [00:01:50] Megan Jewell (USAHS Alumni): Thank you, St. Augustine, for meeting me on the first floor and sending me to the top.
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