Rivera on Her Way to Becoming OTA

Vanessa Rivera, ‘22, receives her diploma at the Winter 2021 commencement ceremony.

‘Resilient’ Rivera on Her Way to Becoming OTA

BY EMILY KESEL

When Vanessa Rivera began researching colleges she could attend after graduating from Battle High School, she had two main needs in mind: proximity to her family in Columbia and a small school where she could receive a personalized education.

She got exactly that at Central Methodist University.

“I always figured I wanted to go to a small school where I was able to get that one-on-one relationship between teachers and professors,” said Rivera, who graduated in December with an associate’s degree in occupational therapy assistant (OTA). “I did get what I asked for.”

Rivera and her OTA professors, Dr. Rebbecca Fenton and Kelly Rohrbach, developed a strong bond over her time at Central, and both now say they’re proud of the healthcare professional she’s come to be.

“I would describe her as extremely resilient during tough times,” said Fenton. “She stuck with her goals and rose to every challenge presented.”

Persevering through the tough times was a must for Rivera, who became the first woman in her family to graduate from college when she earned her Associate of Applied Science. Having been born outside the United States and coming to the country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, she was ineligible for federal student aid, meaning her parents paid for her education out of pocket. When the OTA program was impacted by the pandemic, with virtual learning and social distancing becoming the norm, it was difficult at times to keep going. But she knew she had to press on.

“It was a great feeling [to graduate] because I know I don’t just do it for me. It’s for my parents, for my mom and dad who’ve killed themselves to pay for my school,” said Rivera. “The times that I did want to quit, I remembered that it wasn’t just for me but for them and even my family in Mexico.”

Rivera says she couldn’t have done it without both her family’s support and that of Fenton and Rohrbach, adding that the professors’ “holistic” outlook as occupational therapists was crucial to helping her achieve her goals.

“I don’t think I would have been able to complete the program without them,” she said. “And I know that they’re going to continue helping kids, and that makes me glad. It makes me very happy that when a kid wants to go [to Central], they’re going to have the professors I had, and it’s a great feeling.”

As for her future, Rivera completed her boards exam in May and as of press time, was hoping to return to where her interest in healthcare began, at a nursing home in Columbia.

“I would like to stick with the nursing home setting because I really enjoy working with the elderly population, and I feel like I understand them a little better,” she said.

Rivera’s teachers are confident that she’ll succeed wherever she ends up working.

“Her fieldwork educators commented frequently on her ability to develop rapport with the clients and flexibility with patient care and daily schedules, which are two extremely important traits in a healthcare professional,” said Rohrbach.

“Vanessa has natural strengths that make her very client-centered; she is polite, respectful, and empathetic,” Fenton added. “I feel great pride in her successes. She deserves the best in life.”

CMU Events: Lenk Concert

To honor the late Tom Yancey, ’54, Central Methodist University alumnus Jerome Lenk, ’79, returned to his alma mater in April for a guest recital to benefit the Swinney Conservatory Scholarship Fund. The program included piano pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergei Rachmanioff, Enrique Granados, and Frederic Chopin. Lenk serves as Director of Music and organist for Mission Dolores Basilica in San Francisco. He is also experienced as a vocal coach and assistant conductor. His credits include the San Francisco Opera Merola Program, Opera San Jose, the Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre Institute, San Jose/Cleveland Ballet, San Jose State University Opera Workshop, and the University of Iowa. Lenk’s professional memberships include the American Guild of Organists, the American Federation of Musicians, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.

Jerome Lenk, ‘79, and Robert McNeill, ‘77 Row 1 – Robert McNeill, ‘77; Jerome Lenk, ‘79; Kaye Carson Harrelson, ‘79; Alice Freese Kennedy, ‘80; Chuck Dale, ‘79; and John Ditto Row 2 – Mary Jane Nance, ‘80; Laura Murray Arnold, ‘76; Becky Bonacker, ‘79; Brenda White Kueck, ‘78; and Kelley Head, ‘81 Row 3 – John Schultz, ‘80; Charles Harrelson, ‘77; and Ellen Hahn Vince, ‘81

New Campus Chaplain Ready to Take Reins

Central Methodist University is welcoming a new chaplain this summer – Rev. Scotty Wall.

Wall starts his new position July 1 but has been working on his transition from the West Plains, Mo. area for quite some time. He has made a few trips to mid-Missouri in preparation for the big move.

Wall and his wife, Laurie, have three children – ages 23, 20, and 18. The youngest will be a freshman at CMU. Wall has been associate pastor at First United Methodist Church at West Plains since 2017.

“We’re very excited,” he said. “The last month has been full of emotion, leaving a place we’ve been for almost 10 years. But the house has sold, and I’ve started making a few trips in to get things sized up.”

Wall said he made it to a chapel service during a Fayette visit in the spring and has already met some of the student leadership in the Center for Faith and Service.

He said he was particularly grateful to outgoing chaplain Kayla Kelly, ’13, for her kindness and graciousness during the transition. He also praised the help of Vice President Brad Dixon, ’07, and Linn Memorial United Methodist Church Pastor Bill O’Neal.

Wall said he looks forward to getting to Fayette and meeting faculty and staff this summer and even more students in August.

He plans to be “outreach-focused” in his position and open to “conversations about God. I want to start up conversations and extend an open invitation to chapel.”

While Wall has been a United Methodist pastor for about five years, he has a wealth of experience as a non-denominational pastor from 19972017.

Laurie and Rev. Scotty Wall