Occupational Therapy
Faculty and Staff News
Drexel
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In an effort to build a future where Occupational Therapy (OT) is readily accessible, inclusive and effective for all, Salus University master’s students may have the opportunity to attend an “EqualiTEA” party.
The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD) chapter at Salus — one of a handful of new clubs that’s been formed at the University recently — has established the mission of empowering occupational therapy leaders to engage in practices that increase justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI), anti-racism and anti-oppression for an overall transformative occupational therapy profession.
The COTAD board members include president Cinthia M. Crousset Santos ‘24OT; vice president Laniyah Rhoades '24OT; secretary Jessica Hunkler '24OT; and treasurer/social media manager Christie Antoine ‘24OT. The faculty advisor is Brandi DeVeaux, MS, OTR/L, CLT, assistant professor in the OT department. So far, 42 students have signed up and expressed an interest in joining the club. At this point, the club is limited to OT students but officers hope to eventually open it up to students from all professions.
“As a group, we all knew that we wanted to bring this into the school,” said Crousset Santos. “It’s a group that stands for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the Occupational Therapy profession. It’s something we thought would be beneficial for students to learn so we can take it into our future.”
In addition to the as yet scheduled “EqualiTEA” party at the inaugural meeting, where participants can sample a diversity of teas, the group is in the process of planning its monthly meetings. Moving forward, members plan to have guest speakers and also go out into the community to participate in events.
“COTAD is definitely an opportunity to have a safe space for people to communicate their differences and what they believe and how they believe,” said Rhoades. “Even though we all may be the same age, we’re not always on the same page or as versed in certain areas. I feel like this club will be a melting pot for education and promotion of each other.”
The group has met with Juliana Mosley-Williams, PhD, CDP, the special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the University and it has her full support.
Salus students recognize that with the academic load required in graduate school, participation in extra-curricular activities likes clubs can be challenging. COTAD club members are aware they have to be dedicated and motivated to make the club an effective and worthwhile endeavor.
“Being a student at Salus, you have to have really good time management skills, doing homework, readings for classes, because the curriculum can get very intense,” said Antoine. “This organization is important to OTs, or really anybody in the healthcare profession in general, because you will be working with patients who come from many different cultural backgrounds or patients who might not look like you. So, it’s important to be able to engage with them.”
Hunkler added that she believes it’s also important for prospective OT students who are interested in attending Salus to see a club like COTAD already established so they can be more inclined to engage and participate.
Crousset Santos said the group will be addressing topics such as micro-aggressions, equality, different cultures and invisible disabilities.
“We are trying to take assumptions and kind of cancel them out. Instead of assuming, we want to make a safe place where people can ask questions and learn. At the same time, we can also open our minds up,” she said.
Rhoades added that one thing she would like to get out of the club was exposure to different perspectives.
“I want to be able to hear other’s people thoughts and ideas and provide those to a greater audience,” she said. “I think a lot of times people live their lives in such small bubbles. And, if you don’t see and hear what others are thinking, you tend to stay within your own bubble.”
