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Erin Clary
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 14, 2022
Graduate students make history at Maria College
College issues first master’s degrees in Occupational Therapy program
Albany, NY – Seventeen students made history at Maria College today as the first graduate students to receive a master’s degree from the nearly 65-year old institution. The 2022 Graduate Commencement Ceremony was the first of its kind for Maria College, celebrating the students’ successful completion of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program.
The ceremony also marked the beginning of Maria College with Lynn Ortale, Ph.D., as president. She began her role on July 1, 2022.
https://www.news10.com/reviews/br/education-br/maria-college-graduates-inaugural-master-class/MSOT Program Director Donald Kallembach commended the students for their success in the face of adversity.
“Not only did our students work their way through a demanding program while maintaining their jobs and familial responsibilities, they did so throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating their way through a brand new curriculum and pivoting their learning methods along the way. I applaud them for their perseverance and commitment to the program and to their personal and academic success.”
Danielle LeBeau received her associate and bachelor degrees from Maria and is now one of the first students to receive a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the College.
“I really enjoyed the weekend component because I was able to maintain a full-time job, raise my two daughters, navigate the pandemic and work on my education in the pockets of my time,” said LeBeau. I am proud to be one of the first students to receive a master’s degree at Maria. The faculty is wonderful, and it is a very thought-out program. I know I am prepared to take the NBCOT exam!”
After three years of development, the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program was granted approval by the NYS Department of Education as well as a Charter Change by the Board of Regents and launched in Fall 2020. It received full accreditation status of by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in May 2022.
Occupational Therapy has been a core program of Maria’s for decades, with the College educating hundreds of Occupational Therapy Assistants over the last forty years. With the addition of the MSOT program, students with a bachelor’s degree can expand on their education in a rapidly growing field.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the next 10 years, there is an estimated 17% job growth in the Occupational Therapy field, much faster than average. Occupational therapists work in schools, hospitals, skilled nursing, other rehab settings and the community.
Maria College encourages applications from adult and non-traditional learners, from second career individuals and those with undergraduate degrees outside of those typically found in occupational therapy. These backgrounds can include but are not limited to the visual and performing arts, psychology, philosophy, education, theology and many other disciplines.
The program is designed to emphasize opportunity education and to benefit under-served populations with an emphasis on cultural awareness, wellness, and community integration.
Maria College’s 70-credit, full-time program is ideal for working adults. Students meet in-person, on the weekends six times throughout each semester. It is the only weekend-based program in the Capital Region.
Many of Maria’s students are considered “non-traditional” and are going back to college for the second or third time. Admissions for Maria’s MSOT program is designed for this type of student by focusing more on the GPA program requisites rather than a student’s entire GPA.
The program offers state-of-the-art technology and facilities, small classes and an exceptional student support center, equipped with an in-house occupational therapist that works with students, a program benefit not typically found in other MSOT programs.
To learn more about Maria College’s MSOT program, visit https://mariacollege.edu/academics/occupational-therapy/occupational-therapy-ms.
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About Maria College. Founded in 1958, Maria College is one of 17 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The private, co-educational, Catholic college in Albany serves approximately 800 students in a variety of bachelor degree, associate degree, a master’s degree, and certificate programs including liberal arts, healthcare management, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, and health and occupational sciences. mariacollege.edu.