Rutgers OTD Program

CONGRATULATIONS to our Class of 2026 as they embark on the next part of their OTD journey, Fieldwork II. This past week, we celebrated their progress and accomplishments with a pinning ceremony and mark the halfway point of the program for them. To the Class of 2026, we wish you all the best of luck at your placements! You are going to do great things!

Huge congratulations to the inaugural class of future occupational therapists graduating from Rutgers this year! You’ve dedicated yourselves to helping others to participate in the occupations that are meaningful to them. Your hard work and passion for community-based occupational therapy inspires all of us! Congratulations!

As we celebrate graduation season, we also celebrate our three Capstone award winners!

Award #1: Leadership, advocacy, and collaboration – Natalia Morales
* This award is granted to the student project that recognized the importance of collaboration, vision, communication, and lifelong professional development in carrying out effective professional relationships and enacting leadership roles. Leadership in this view focused on the habits of character, service, innovation, and wisdom, applied to informal, emergent, and traditional leadership roles.
* Project: Community Outreach Strategies for Increasing Referrals to Low Vision Programs: A Multifaceted Approach

Award #2: Community-based and contextual practice – Taylor Beverly
* This award is granted to the student project that recognizes the interaction of social, political, economic, cultural, physical, and temporal contacts on occupational engagement. It focuses on the concept of community as it influences and is influenced by participation in occupation for individuals and groups. 
* Project: Bridging the gaps in LGBTQ Service Delivery for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Award #3: Rigorous inquiry, scholarship, and innovation – Melanie Wright
* This award is granted to the student project that demonstrated inquiry, scholarship, and innovation. Inquiry is fostered through the understanding of various research methodologies, the applications of those methodologies to practice and active engagement in scholarly endeavors. The skills of inquiry are applicable to issues of scholarship about occupation, evidence-based practices, and the ongoing systematic appraisal of the relevance of those practices to individual clients as well as the communities and context in which they participate. 
* Project: NEXUS: Autistic Adult Micro-Clubhouse to Support Transitions