Occupational Therapy Capstone Experiential Projects

The Capstone allows doctoral students to enhance skills in advanced clinical practice, scholarship, administration, leadership, advocacy, program and policy development, education or theory development. The field experience may occur in a traditional or non-traditional site, and the student is expected to perform beyond that of an entry-level occupational therapist.

Submissions from 2020

All Capstone presentations from 2020 are housed within the USD Libraries online repository at https://red.library.usd.edu/ot-capstone/.

Submissions from 2019

• ICU journal: Promoting active client participation through occupational therapy intervention, Riley Arnold, OTS
• Exploring the role of occupational therapy in the treatment of individuals with Multiple Sclerosis across settings, Ashley Athmann, OTS
• Occupational therapy for military veterans with polytrauma, Tim Aune, OTS
• Determining sensory processing needs in premature infants Post-NICU and the role of occupational therapy in NICU follow-up clinics, Shaylee Backer, OTS
• Occupational therapy's role in addressing feeding difficulties in the NICU, Molly Boell, OTS
• A Montessori-based approach in occupational therapy for persons with dementia, Lauren Classen, OTS
• Strategies for teaching research design and data analysis, Brenda DeLano, OTS
• Nature-based sensory integration program for children with sensory processing impairments, Hannah Dobrovolny, OTS
• Empowering engagement in sexuality and intimacy occupations, Mallory Drenth, OTS
• Let's dance: Understanding the role of occupational therapy in dance across the lifespan, Becca Gaikowski, OTS
• Culturally relevant health and wellness program for children attending the Boys and Girls Club of Moody County, Cassidy Gebhart, OTS
• Development of an occupation-based guidebook for hand therapy practice, Alyssa Gee, OTS
• EMPOWER: An occupational therapy program for survivors of human trafficking, Megan Hilson, OTS
• Occupation and evidence-based practice for upper extremity rehabilitation, Ashley Hoyme, MS
• Occupational therapy's role in empowering survivors of human sex trafficking, Angela Kaiser, OTS
• Advanced clinical practice: Visual training in occupational therapy, Kirstyn Larsen, OTS
• Baby's journey home: Understanding the role of occupational therapy and parent education in the NICU, Ashley Musch, OTS
• Adapted sport and leisure programming for individuals with disabilities, Kristina Neumann, OTS
• Medically prescribed daycares: Expanding opportunities for children with special needs, Mariah Niemeyer, OTS
• Sustainability of the Ready Approach in a long-term care setting, Rachel Noonan, OTS
• Low vision: Applying clinical knowledge to teaching and learning, Tyler Rowland, OTS
• Occupational therapy's role in pediatric cancer treatment, Christina Silver, OTS
• Infant positioning protocol for a pediatric intensive care unit, Becca Spangler, OTS
• Emphasizing occupation in the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT-BIG) Program for persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, Katelyn Walsh, OTS
• Occupational therapy and gymnastics: The development of the Mighty Movers Adaptive Gymnastics Program, Kenna Wieczorek, OTS
• Addressing depression among older adults in an ALF through meaningful occupations and community involvement, Heidi Willett, OTS
• Impact of occupational therapy intervention on sedentary behaviors among office workers, Logan Willhite, OTS

Submissions from 2018

• Reducing the risk of falls in the older adult population, Chase Brandner, OTS
• Empowering survivors of human trafficking, Krista Crook, OTS
• Promoting adaptive responses in children using an OT-SI approach, Nicole Fluth, OTS
• A life skills training program for veterans experiencing homelessness residing in Volunteers of America, Dakotas emergency housing, Michelle Holbeck, OTS
• Developing an occupation-based, trauma-informed camp & retreat program, Katelyn Holbrook, OTS
• Implementation of caring for the caregiver: A dementia caregiver training program, Riley Johnson, OTS
• Predictive indicators of independence at discharge from acute rehabilitation: A retrospective study, Nicole Kuhl, MS
• Animal assisted therapy in occupational therapy, Beth Laskowski, OTS
• Sensory integration and the role of occupational therapy in the treatment of children with idiopathic toe walking, Kaitlyn Ludwig, OTS
• A transitional occupational therapy program to enhance physical and psychosocial well-being among children from poor families in Eldoret, Kenya, Lindsey Mettler, OTS
• Gardening as a meaningful occupation for individuals with dementia, Alaina Meyer, OTS
• Efficacy of yoga on occupational performance among children with developmental delays, Shelby Myers, OTS
• The effectiveness of a life skills program in improving IADL performance by adults with mental health disorders, Whitney Redler, OTS
• Exploring vision-based occupational therapy interventions, Megan Van Heerde, OTS
• The impact of sensory-based strategies on teachers’ perceptions of behavior and learning in elementary-aged children, Kenzie Vander Molen, OTS
• Emotional and behavioral program of school aged youth, Rachel Warnke, OTS
• Occupational therapy in the classroom: An educational and consultative program for teachers in a child care setting, Stephanie Wells, OTS