News

Occupational Therapy Students Work in Guatemalan Orphanages

Faculty and practitioners included to share expertise

05/12/08

In June 2008, 12 students, 8 practitioners, and 4 faculty will set off for Guatemala. They will not be vacationing, but plenty of joy will be shared. Xavier University’s department of Occupational Therapy plans to expand upon a mission started by an alumna in 2006.

 

During the summer of 2006, Stacey Walsh, an alumna of Xavier, went on a mission trip to Guatemala with a Cincinnati group called MOMS (Mothers on a Mission). She told her story of working with children in orphanages as an occupational therapist while presenting at an occupational therapy conference. Students from Xavier’s department of Occupational Therapy were in attendance and so inspired by her words and her video that they requested permission to conduct their service learning hours in Guatemala (rather than the greater Cincinnati community, as was tradition).

 

In the summer of 2007, three faculty members from the department of Occupational Therapy went on the same mission trip with MOMS to pave the way and make arrangements for future students to have that option. An international academic service learning option for occupational therapy majors was born.  This year, Georganna Miller, Claire Morress, Carol Scheerer, and Joan Tunningley will accompany their students.

 

Plans are in process for work at Anini, an orphanage, and San Hermanos Pedros, a long-term care facility and hospital. Both sites provide care for children who have been abused, abandoned, neglected, and/or are disabled. Xavier’s 24 therapists will divide into two groups and then further into three sub-teams of four persons each who will focus on wheelchairs, feeding, and sensory-based/play. Each group of 12 will stay at each site for two days and, then, switch sites. In that way, continuity of care and education can be provided to the caretakers of the children, yet, offer Guatemala 2008 participants the opportunity to experience both sites. Each sub-team will be comprised of a mix of students and practitioners. Group and sub-team assignments will be made according to experience, expertise, interest, and availability of Spanish-speaking persons.

 

A post-trip “re-entry processing” meeting will be held mid-July to reflect upon the events and learning that occurred. This will be a meeting for both students and practitioners. Students will continue their learning via reflection, assignments, and a presentation during the fall 2008 semester as they complete the requirements for HOCS 405 Occupational Justice II.

 

The 13 students going to Guatemala are:

Leann Presley of Charlotte, NC (28203)

Amy Gore of Delaware, OH (43015)

Rachel Ross of Bucyrus, OH (44820)

Samantha Ali of Loveland, OH (45140)

Sheri Dolan of Cincinnati, OH (45208)

Jesse King of Norwood, OH (45212)

Jessica McCoy of Cincinnati, OH (45233)

Liz Wagner of Cincinnati, OH (45233)

Jill Winhusen of Cincinnati, OH (45236)

Megan Federle of Cincinnati, OH (45247)

Dianne Striebel of Dayton, OH (45458)

Katie Shroeder of Columbus Grove, OH (45830)

Stacey Woytsek of Rising Sun, IN (47040)

 

The practitioners include two physical therapists: Sandy Auberger and Melissa Holderby, and six occupational therapists: Tracy Gaboury, Joan May, Amber Carpenter, Amy Langhorne, Kate Lopez and Kathy Lotz. The last four are also Xavier alumnae.

 

In alignment with Xavier University's mission to prepare men and women for lives of solidarity, service, and success, the mission of Guatemala 2008 is to offer a course-related academic international service learning option that will prepare occupational therapy majors to advocate for issues of occupation and justice.