Shaping Tomorrow’s Occupational Therapy Leaders
Tufts University Department of Occupational Therapy Impact Report
A Message from the Department Chair
Dear Friend,
I am thrilled to share with you the first-ever Tufts University Department of Occupational Therapy Impact Report, which highlights the remarkable achievements our department has made in advancing academic excellence, fostering innovation, and contributing to the broader community.
The Impact Report is an empowering testimonial to the accomplishments, dedication, and passion of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Together, we have achieved milestones that have enhanced the student experience and occupational therapy curriculum across all our programs.
Each section of this report emphasizes the collaborative efforts and innovative approaches that have defined our journey—from research and scholarly projects in emerging practice areas to simulated labs, and from innovative community-engaged learning to student success stories, and more.
Our commitment to developing self-directed, lifelong learners in occupational therapy practice is reflected in the stories of our students who are making waves in their learning environment, the faculty who are pushing the boundaries of knowledge, and the alumni who continue to make a difference in their practice fields.
We are excited about the possibilities that the future holds and dedicated to our mission to develop, disseminate, and apply knowledge that promotes meaningful and healthy participation in the daily activities of people, populations, and communities. We are committed to improving and expanding our department to optimize student learning and alumni engagement.
Thank you for your ongoing support of Tufts University’s Department of Occupational Therapy. Together, we will make a lasting impact on the occupational therapy profession.
Warm regards,
At Tufts, we remain at the forefront of education in occupational therapy by focusing on the strengths of our program.
INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING
Tufts University’s Department of Occupational Therapy educates occupational therapists who advance an interdisciplinary and collaborative paradigm of health. Our students know firsthand that health is greater than an individual’s bodily structure and function, inseparable from the experience of well-being, and emergent in meaningful activities in daily living in one’s home, community, and society.
STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES
The Department of Occupational Therapy is in the Collaborative Learning and Innovation Complex (CLIC) at Tufts. In this stateof-the-art building, the department has further expanded faculty and student interests in assistive technology, virtual reality, driver simulation, adaptive sports, community-based programming, and various interdisciplinary research areas.
WORLD-CLASS FACULTY
Our strong interprofessional faculty brings expertise in all areas of occupational therapy practice and community health, with a focus on student development, scholarship, and innovative teaching practices. We are well known for our faculty’s strengths in clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, and group process in occupational therapy.
ACTIVELY ENGAGED STUDENTS
Tufts University has maintained a competitive application pool and strong enrollment through a robust recruitment and admissions process, recognized as a best practice by the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Our students are selected through a holistic admissions process and are among the most qualified applicants in the nation. They are actively engaged in the curriculum and the community through experiential learning opportunities.
JESSICA HARNEY, D.P.T., OT
Department Chair, Occupational Therapy
Program
Director, Entry-Level O.T.D. Degree
A History of Occupational Therapy at Tufts
Chart our program’s incredible growth through major milestones over more than a century.
Tufts Occupational Therapy by
the Numbers
Our 2020–2024 student body represents States Countries of our full-time students receive tuition scholarships
4
31 100% 100% 100% 100%
Graduation rate for students
T.J. PINTO, AG24, Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate, found his passion for occupational therapy when he saw the impact it made on his mother regaining her independence.
T.J. didn’t plan for a career in occupational therapy, but after his mother suffered a lifechanging injury, it became his passion.
“Seeing her regain her independence was really inspiring to me,” says T.J., who spent the years after his mother’s accident shadowing occupational therapists and discovering his interests within the field. One such interest is hand and upper extremity rehabilitation—a specialization that sets Tufts apart.
As a Tufts student, T.J. enjoyed working collaboratively with peers and gaining real-world experience at the Walnut Street Center, a nonprofit agency serving adults with developmental disabilities.
“It’s cool to get the opportunity to be hands on with people and help them do things independently,” he says. “Ten years from now, I want to be an occupational therapist making a difference by helping the people I work with. As long as I can make a positive impact, I’ll be happy with myself.”
Pass rate on NBCOT exam for our entry-level OTD students Employment for the three-year look-back
MARYKATE GALLUZZO, AG21, AG22, Master’s in OT and PostProfessional Occupational Therapy Doctorate, founded an at-home adaptive swim program to help make swimming safer and more accessible for children of all abilities.
Today, Marykate manages this seasonal program as well as an online adaptive swimming lessons training program called “The Sunfish Method.” Through this training, community-based swim instructors learn how to teach lifesaving skills to children of all abilities. She also works as an outpatient pediatric occupational therapist at a hospital in Massachusetts, supporting youth with a variety of diagnoses.
“Tufts really opened my eyes to entrepreneurship and what OT can look like in nontraditional settings,” says Marykate. “All the opportunities I had helped me to run a successful business and be an effective OT practitioner.”
Making an Impact across the Country
Our alumni are molding young minds—and shaping the future of occupational therapy—at universities and colleges across the United States.
You can find Tufts OT alumni working at:
Ball State University
Boston University
Chatham University
Downstate University
Hawaii Pacific University
Johnson & Wales University
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
MGH Institute of Health Professions
Regis College
Salem State University
Thomas Jefferson University
Tufts University
University of New England
University of New Haven
University of Puget Sound
University of Southern California
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Washington University in St. Louis
Worcester State University
LEX MCGLYNN, CLASS OF 2025, Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate, is channeling her love for sports, recreation, and community into an OT career in adaptive sports.
Lex credits her journey through the Tufts OT program with being “incredibly rewarding and energizing, filled with opportunities to grow and apply my learning in new ways.” From the moment she learned about adaptive sports at orientation, she was captivated by the idea of using sports as a therapeutic tool. The concept of “meaningful occupations” evolved from a theoretical term into a core part of her approach to occupational therapy. She found a perfect outlet in adaptive sports, integrating her passion for community, recreation, and supporting individuals into her practice.
“Learning from mentors like Sarah Skeels and Janet Brooks, I developed my clinical reasoning skills and deepened my understanding of person-centered care,” says Lex. “As I continue to present on adaptive sports and volunteer in the field, I am grateful for the supportive Tufts community and excited to carry these experiences into my future career as an occupational therapist.”
Recently, Lex completed Level II fieldwork with New England Disabled Sports in New Hampshire. It was an opportunity to apply knowledge from her coursework in a practical setting, working with athletes at spinal cord injury camps, coordinating group activities, and adapting equipment to individual needs.
“This was undoubtedly the most transformative chapter of my occupational therapy journey,” says Lex. “All of my classroom learning and communityengaged learning came together, and I was able to engage my love for recreation and community with my interests in mental health and physical disabilities. During this fieldwork, I applied concepts from every single course in the didactic curriculum. I was continuously integrating and applying what I learned in the classroom.”
EVAN HUNTER, AG21, Master’s in Occupational Therapy, owns an occupational and speech therapy practice that specializes in providing neurodiversity-affirming pediatric care.
Evan works with children ages 2 to 19 who have been diagnosed with conditions such as autism, ADHD, developmental delays, Down syndrome, and post-traumatic stress disorder. She credits the Tufts OT program with introducing her to many different specializations within occupational therapy, helping her to find the population and health-care setting best suited to her interests.
“I am so grateful for the relationships I built while at Tufts,” says Evan. “The faculty really encouraged us to find what motivates us. I felt very supported during my time at Tufts and continue to experience that support today.”
Innovating and Expanding
In the spring of 2018, the Department of Occupational Therapy was provided with a gift to fund the creation of an Innovation and Simulation Lab. The Innovation and Simulation Lab has expanded occupational therapy students’ ability to design and build innovative tools and technology, while simulating practice environments for clinical care.
Awarding Excellence
We’re proud to say that 100% of our full-time students receive tuition scholarships upon admission to our program. These scholarships are based on merit and/or need. We award additional scholarships to students recognized for outstanding leadership and service to the Tufts community:
Anita S. Bekenstein Endowed Scholarship Award
Joy Ann Sambur Greisen Endowed Scholarship Award
Helen D. Smith Endowed Scholarship Award
Virginia Auty Nedved-Cook, BSOT 52, Endowed Student Research Grant Award
Marjorie B. Greene Scholarship; awarded upon graduation for post-professional or entry-level students
Robert P. Guertin Award
Rob Hollister Award for Graduate Student Citizenship
Tufts University Alumni Association Award
The President’s Award for Citizenship
Get in Touch
For more information about occupational therapy programs at Tufts, please contact: Jill Rocca Admissions Coordinator 617-627-6259
jill.rocca@tufts.edu as.tufts.edu/occupationaltherapy
Scan the QR code to learn more about OT-specific scholarships.