Alumni Stories

MS-SLP Alum Brings Music to the Profession

  Briona Daugherty’s (MS-SLP ’22) speech-language pathology (SLP) path began on board a cruise ship. Daugherty graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in theatrical performance. She studied opera and musical theater, originally wanting to be a touring singer for Broadway-style shows. After spending time as a professional singer in Las Vegas

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USAHS Students Form Student Veterans of America Chapter

Students on the USAHS campus in St. Augustine, Florida, led by Flex Master of Occupational Therapy (Flex MOT) student Lureida Soto, were inspired to form an organization to support student veterans and family members of veterans and active-duty military. What began as the FLSA Student Veterans Club in fall 2021 has grown into a chapter

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OTD Alum Aids Rural City in Earning $100,000 Access Grant

Madison Rowlison’s, OTD, OTR/L (OTD ’21) Doctor of Occupational Therapy capstone project focused on community access for elderly residents in Sunland Park, New Mexico. Sunland Park is a rural community on the U.S.-Mexico border near Las Cruces, where she resides. Dr. Rowlison worked with the city council and transportation board to make changes for better

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10 USAHS Alumni with Cool Nursing Careers—Beyond Bedside Care

It’s been an intense two-plus years for nurses on the front lines. Many in the profession are branching out into other areas of nursing—and are earning their graduate degrees to get there. In celebration of Nurses Week, we connected with recent USAHS alumni who are doing impressive things in nursing beyond bedside care. From authors

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Alumna Honored with AOTA Roster of Fellows Award

Elizabeth (“Beth”) Fain, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is an occupational therapy educator who earned her Doctor of Education degree in 2014 from USAHS. In April, she was presented with the Roster of Fellows Award, one of the most prestigious honors given by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).  “It’s kind of like a lifetime achievement award,”

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Alumna Advocates for OT’s Role in Teens’ Mental Health

In the aftermath of the 2018 shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, occupational therapists across the state discussed in earnest how they could expand their services in schools to identify and help troubled teens earlier. “I’m a mother and an OT, and I know that our scope of practice includes mental health,”

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Alumna Pairs Passion with Purpose for Occupational Justice

For her capstone project in USAHS’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, Jessica Morgan (now “Dr. Morgan”) had planned to volunteer at a transitional housing facility in Denver, where she would explore the role of occupational therapy in helping the homeless population. But like many of her classmates, she had to re-envision her project when

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USAHS DPT Flex Program Prepared this Alumna for the Rise of Telehealth

COVID-19 has forced many healthcare professionals to take their services online in a telehealth setting. With years of experience in face-to-face patient care, the shift to an online model is just as challenging to the practitioner as it is for the patient. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and federal government have both

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DPT Alumna Shares Her Shift to Telehealth Services

USAHS Doctor of Physical Therapy program alumna, Dr. Cameron Brown is the Physical Therapy Coordinator at Center for Developing Kids, a private outpatient pediatrics clinic in Pasadena, CA. She helps provide intervention for various diagnoses and disorders to improve pediatric clients’ functional abilities and promoting overall health, wellness, and fitness. When the COVID-19 pandemic gripped

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Staying Connected: MSN Alumna Continues a Path of Lifelong Learning

With her kids all grown up, Tina Belanger wanted to do something for herself and focus on her personal and professional development. As an experienced nurse with a history of working in various health settings, she started searching for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree programs. When she got a call from the University

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OT Alumni Receives Award for Professional Excellence

Mount Mary University and the Mount Mary Alumnae Association recognized Dr. Shari Bernard of Mantorville, Minn., with the 2019 Madonna Medal for Professional Excellence at the annual Awards Night celebration on October 4, 2019. Dr. Bernard graduated Mount Mary University with a BS in Occupational Therapy in 1989 and graduated from USAHS’ OTD program in

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