At a key transition point in their studies, occupational therapy students across all USAHS campuses participate in a meaningful ritual, witnessed by family and friends. The OT pinning ceremony marks the end of the classroom portion of their studies and the beginning of their fieldwork. For Residential MOT and OTD students, this happens in their fourth term, and for Flex, in the seventh term.
A longstanding tradition in OT practice, the pin celebrates the diversity of practice areas, the client-centered nature of our practice and the values of our profession.
“It’s an opportunity for faculty to acknowledge our students’ transition from classroom learning to clinical learning,” says Mary Zadnik, ScD, MEd, OTR/L, director of the entry-level OT programs on Read more
PhD in Therapeutic Science, University of Kansas
MS in Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago
BS in Occupational Therapy, University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas
Research Interests
Coaching and Mentoring
Occupational Justice
Sensory Processing
Self-Regulation
Resilience
Therapist-Teacher Collaboration
Response to Intervention (RtI)
Areas of Expertise
School-based Practice
Dr. Blackwell is passionate about occupational therapy. She splits her time between researching innovative practices, teaching graduate occupational therapy students, and providing service in community pediatric settings. Her service focuses on supporting participation in important childhood occupations in authentic environments. More specifically, she understands the challenges of addressing sensory and self-regulation needs in the classroom, which is the major focus of her service and research.
Beyond sensory processing and self-regulation, Dr. Blackwell’s research interests include occupational justice, response to intervention (RtI), resilience, and teacher-therapist collaboration in the classroom. Finally, she loves teaching, coaching, and mentoring occupational therapy students at both the pre-professional and post-professional stage.
