Accolades and Testimonials
Accolades
Recreational Therapy faculty and students regularly receive local and national accolades for their work in the field and for Slippery Rock University. Below are a sample of the most recent good news items to come from the program.
Faculty
- Program recognized by ATRA
- RT and Youth on the Autism Spectrum
- Camp ROCK and Recreational Therapy
- RT and Older Adults playing in all PA senior centers
- Tai Chi Chuan Wheelchair Tai Chi: Watch here and here!
Staff from VA medical centers Butler VA Health Care System, Wilmington VA Medical Center, Lebanon VA Medical Center and Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System’s Savannah, Georgia, outpatient clinic joined VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System staff for the workshop. Academic affiliate professors from Slippery Rock University also attended. Our VAPHS staff plan to begin to offer wheelchair/applied tai chi chuan to Veterans in the next year.
- RT partners with VA to provide Equine Assisted Therapy for Veterans
- RT partners with PA Dept of Aging to support socially isolated older adults
- RT faculty publish
Student and Alumni
- SRU recognizes students for research, academic leadership at 2024 Celebration of Achievement
- RT alumnus is captain of Olympic goalball team
- Sumser named ATRA Connolly Scholar
- Student Named Big Sister in Canton OH
- Lenhart named Big Steps Hero
- Walton receives Highmark scholarship
Testimonials
Gabrielle Cunningham, Recreational Therapist at Verland Institute
Becoming a Recreational Therapy major is one of the best decisions I have ever made! I love developing relationships and assisting others in achieving their personal goals. I can make a difference in another person's life, and that feeling is indescribable. The individuals I have worked alongside provided me with a new perspective and often, a friendship. Slippery Rock's RT program prepared me with the knowledge and ability to look at the whole person, before the disability. They taught me how to adapt programs and develop interventions to fit the individual's area of need to improve a person's overall quality of life. The professors truly practice what they preach as they are passionate about their work and care about each and every one of their students!
Kristen Hagerty
“Being an RT student at SRU has taught me so much more than just learning how to be a great recreational therapist. Through this program I have grown as a person and learned how to both enhance and improve my quality of life, as well as others. One of my favorite experiences as an SRU RT student is being a part of Recreational Therapy Month and being able to increase others’ knowledge in how great our profession really is and what it is we do everyday to change others lives for the better.”
Hannah Morgan, Recreational Therapist at The Meadows Psychiatric Center in Center Hall, PA
What I’ve learned from the RT department at SRU will stay with me throughout my career. Not only did I gain knowledge, I’ve gained the skills and ability to apply that knowledge, which is vital. I’ve been given many hands on opportunities of real life experience that have taught me so much and leave me feeling truly confident when entering the professional world. There’s no doubt in my mind I will make a difference in the world thanks to the RT department at SRU.”
Josie Skibinski, OTD Student
A Recreational Therapy undergraduate degree prepared me extremely well for my career as an Occupational therapist. Both professions are client-centered, holistic, and aim to help people accomplish their life goals and what they find to be meaningful.
Amanda Shiflet, PT student
I really valued having my RT background throughout my first and second year of PT school. Because of RT, I felt more prepared in certain areas such as diagnosis of conditions, and adapting treatment plans to fit each individual. With the amount of clinical experiences provided to me in undergrad, I am comfortable working with a variety of patients.