Academic
01.
In Introduction to Public Heath our final project utilized videography as a means to create a health promotion campaign. My group focused on college student's eating and exercise habits. I designed and illustrated all the visuals in the video. It represents how public health is both an "art and science" that can improve populations health through holistic and preventative approaches.
Below the campaign video you will find a link to a short clip explaining how my future career aspirations relate to public health.
This literature review investigates the eating habits of elementary-aged children in Latino, lower socioeconomic populations. By identifying the health behavior determinants on every level of the socioecological model, applying reputable models and theories to the behavior concern, and finally developing an intervention plan, this literature review provides an in-depth approach to reducing health disparities within the priority population at hand.
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While an intervention plan will look quite different in the context of occupational therapy, the exercise of considering all factors of a patient's condition and finding creative ways to overcome disparities will be a crucial when creating a successful rehabilitation plan.
03.
English 1030
Composition & Rhetoric
The link above will direct you to my personal Behance profile, a platform used to showcase and discover creative work. Most of my multimedia projects concentrate on the societal constructs that propel privilege and misunderstanding between different population groups. Other pieces analyze the use of rhetoric in politics and the media.
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Because occupational therapy is such a hands-on and people-centered profession, I will need to be able to interact, communicate, and support a wide variety of population groups. Recognizing differences and seeking earnest understanding with each patient will be the foundation for healthy patient-provider relationships.
04.
English 2150
Literature in the 20th & 21st Century
The central theme for this class addressed how rupture can bring about positive and negative changes in society. In the novel Ender's Game, serious misunderstandings among two groups eventually lead to a full on genocide. My paper, A Call to Empathy, considers the power of empathy and constructive communication to overcome differences.
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Occupational therapy clients may have experienced some serious rupture in their own lives. Overcoming these hardships and working together to increase overall quality of life will be a top priority. Effective communication is a crucial part of reaching this goal.
05.
Health 4970
Physical Activity Promotion & Research
This creative inquiry collaborated with Monaview's after school program to develop and implement two 10 week after school health curriculum plans, host a family health fair, and initiate a family physical activity survey research project. We empowered students to make healthy dietary choices through weekly nutritional lessons followed by a fun physical activity.
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While I'm opened to working with pediatrics or geriatrics as an occupational therapist, I was able to practice interacting and creatively presenting health information to young kids during this course. Explaining unfamiliar or confusing health concepts on a second grade level will help me translate health care jargon into layman's terms while speaking to future patients.
06.
Health 3030
Public Health Communications
In my Public Health Communication course we partnered with the Hawkins Foundation to create a user friendly, pilot website that could ultimately encourage an increase in future donations. Multiple theories, including the social marketing theory and diffusion theory were consulted and applied to guide the project.
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Presenting information in a creative and coherent layout is a beneficial tool when communicating to clients who may have low health literacy levels.
07.
Health 3400
Health Promotion Program Planning
Above you will find a health promotion plan developed for the implementation of the Green Crescent Trail, an initiative to connect the Clemson, Pendleton, and Central areas through trails and greenways. I used the MAP IT guidelines (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, Track) as a framework for the program.
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Developing effective rehabilitation plans and motivating individuals to follow through and use resources available is an important aspect of occupational therapy.
08.
Health 4900
Research & Evaluation Strategies
This paper explores the social media behaviors, attitudes and beliefs towards accessing and sharing health-related information among college students. By creating and conducting several informational interviews and closed-ended surveys, I was able to evaluate social media behaviors and attitudes related to health on Clemson's campus.
Through this experience I gained a better understanding of the research process- from an initial literature review, collecting and coding data through excel, and finally analyzing the findings. I also see social media's potential within occupational therapy, or any other health related profession, to increase patient-provider information exchange and support.
09.
Health 4800
Community Health Promotion
This Community Needs Assessment focuses on health issues and disparities of African American, homeless, and veteran populations within Charleston County, SC. Because Healthy People 2020 considered the burden of mental disorders among the highest of all diseases in the US, l primarily researched how low socioeconomic status negatively affects mental health through both primary and secondary data collection. While mental health is the central concern, the paper also discusses how high stress levels moreover increase rates of chronic disease and risky behaviors within at-risk populations. The holistic and comprehensive assesment not only includes an analysis of the target population's socio-demographic profile, health status, and behaviors, but also identifies the policy, environment, and system features of Charleston County.
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Successful occupational therapists treat not just the diagnosis, but the person as a whole. When conducting initial evaluations, the patient's individual behaviors and societal support systems should also be considered.
10.
Health 4800
Community Health Promotion
Because Holtzendorff was constructed in 1915, it lacks features that make the building readily accessible for people with disabilities, like a fully functioning elevator. The paper above outlines my advocacy journey in raising awareness on Clemson’s campus about physical disabilities and challenges individuals may face along with advocating for change to create equal access and opportunity for all students.​
Occupational therapists’ give individuals with disabilities the tools to live as full and independent lives as possible. While my future profession will be more individual and skills focused, improving policies, structures, and systems for those with disabilities also raises the level of independence possible and degree of opportunities they have available within their communities. Without a holistic approach that accounts for determinants on every level of the social ecological model genuine growth for both the individual and society will not materialize.