RT Club at SRU offers April 1 networking workshop

March 29, 2016

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. ­- The Recreational Therapy Club at Slippery Rock University will offer a student workshop April 1, giving recreational therapy majors and others an opportunity to come together with health care practitioners and alumni for a day of learning and networking.

The 10-session workshop is from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Smith Student Center.

"Students get to attend national-caliber presentations right here at The Rock," said Deborah Hutchins, SRU professor of parks and recreation and chair of the recreational therapy department.

Hutchins will offer "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly and the Beautiful of Internship Supervision," at 10:30 a.m.

Dawn De Vries, president of the American Recreational Therapy Association, will present a keynote, "Moving Forward Towards the Future," at 8:45 a.m.

Robin Lombardo, of Music and Memory, will present the endnote, "Music and Memory: How to Implement and Sustain this Modality Within a Variety of Clinical Settings," at 3:30 p.m.

Laurel Patterson, clerk typist II student development, will present "Stress Relief Via Nature," at 10:30 a.m.

Other topics will include patient education, restoring function and quality of life.

Recreational therapy is a treatment designed to rehabilitate a person's functioning and independence and promote health and wellness.

"One of the interesting things about this workshop is the number of alumni that attend annually," Hutchins said. "This year, approximately 70 percent of those attending are alumni from the past 20 years. It is a great way that our students to stay connected to the University and our program. This 'connection' helps us to stay up to date with recreational therapy practice and to benefit from involved and experienced recreational therapy practitioners."

MEDIA CONTACT: Gordon Ovenshine | 724.738.4854 | gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu