Graduate Mailbox

The following are excerpts from a letter submitted by a graduate who wrote to tell us how she is doing. All grads are welcome to submit a letter to TECH NEWS. If possible, please include a photo. Letters should be sent to Cathy Kennedy, VP for Career Development, NEIT 2500 Post Rd. Warwick, RI 02886 or ckennedy@neit.edu.

Long Distance Learning in the OTA program

     I graduated from New England Institute of Technology in December 2001.Since then I have been successfully practicing as a Certified OccupationalTherapy Assistant (COTA) in the state of Maine. I am currently working in a facility where the clients range in age from newborn to 50 years, the population that I serve are mainly newborn to 5 years, early intervention. I love what I do, and I am thrilled to say to people that I love to go to work. There is never a dull moment, it is challenging, exciting, very physical and very enjoyable work. This career fits my personality to a "T" and it is great to find something like that.
     I owe much of my success to the willingness and flexibility of my NEIT professors who allowed me to complete part of this program from out of state (Maine). When entering the Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology (OTA) program, I was a newlywed whose husband was enlisted in the Navy and stationed in Newport, Rhode Island. Toward the end of my education, we had to move to Maine. When I first announced this to Carol Doehler, Department Chair of the OTA program, I was very nervous because I did not think there was going to be a way for me to complete the program, and it broke my heart after all the work I had put into it. I finally told Carol and she said, "Well, we will have to find some way for you to complete this program without having to transfer...don't worry Louise we will figure something out, it is not impossible." Carol's words immediately put me at ease; Carol is very invested in and dedicated to her students, and her reassurance showed me that she would do everything she could to make this work for me.      Over the next quarter we did some research on facilities in Maine. Withlots of hard work from Christine Smith, NEIT Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, and myself, we found a facility that was willing to take me for my fieldwork experience. During that time, I participated in online courses with my classmates and went to fieldwork, full-time, just as my other classmates did. We all communicated with one another and our professors successfully through e-mail, phone and online chat/courses on blackboard. I worked on my independent research project at home in my own time, just like my other classmates did. I returned to Rhode Island during my last quarter to participate in a three-week class called Capstone. I stayed with my mother during this time and would drive home to Maine on the weekends to see my husband. This was the hardest part of the course for me, it involved 10 hours of driving every weekend and the added expense was a strain on our finances.
      At the end of my senior quarter, I returned to Rhode Island again to present my research project to the school and the community (this was also part of the Capstone course). It certainly was a necessity to be present for this part of my education, and was worth driving 5 hours to present what I had been working on for 3 months. That was it; I was done. I completed my degree from another state. I look back at it now and think what a great job the staff and professors did to make my transition to another state easier. Although it was hard most of the time, I think this experience turned me into a great independent learner, and let me believe in myself and the abilities I possess.
      I am proud to be a New England Institute of Technology graduate and I am thankful that I did not have to transfer to another school. Since I have been practicing in Maine, I have received many compliments on how well-educated I am in my field, and have had people interested in hearing about New England Tech. Louise Norton
Occupational Assistant Technology 12/01

with 21 students, participated in the Video/Radio Production Technology campled by Video and Radio Production Technology instructors Tom Strolla and Tom Records.
     In addition, students were offered a combined Health Camp with one day each devoted to Clinical Medical Assistant Technology, Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology, and Surgical Technology. The three-day Health Camp gave students an opportunity to follow an imaginary patient through each stage of treatment. Each day offered a different aspect of patient care to highlight the particular technology being presented.
      Based on evaluations completed by the students, many enjoyed the hands-on experience and being able to work independently. NEIT faculty members received high ratings as well. One request from most of the students was to extend the program into more than three days. Students were presented with a certificate of completion at a graduation ceremony on the final day of the camp.