Assembly of Student Delegates AOTA INSPIRE Experience

Attending this year’s AOTA INSPIRE 2024 | Annual Conference & Expo was fascinating and a one-of-a-kind experience. I enjoyed becoming more immersed in learning through clinical sessions on treating those with brain injuries, and student sessions on preparing for fieldwork and landing a first job. As a member of the Assembly of Student Delegates (ASD) Steering Committee, I had the opportunity to attend special meetings geared toward student involvement.

My fellow Steering Committee members and I first came together in person for a pre-Conference lunch with AOTA President Alyson Stover, where we discussed our role as ASD Steering Committee members, as well as our interests within the profession and the projects we are working on. President Stover told us about her passions, what it’s like in her shoes, and how she became involved with AOTA.

ASDSC lunch with AOTA Board President Alyson Stover (fourth from left) and Interim Executive Director Charles Jeffers (left), with ASDSC members Amanda Hansford, Mya Tschopp, Sarah Parker, Tajze Johnson).

The night before the Conference, we had our ASD Connection Gathering, which highlighted the hard work of the members of the Steering Committee. ASD members of different OT and OTA programs across the country discussed student successes, SOTA initiatives, ways to get involved, and ways to stay connected moving forward. There were many great fundraising ideas and building community and program relationship strategies shared, and I look forward to hearing updates on efforts at our next virtual meeting. 

Mya Tschopp (Communications Rep for ASDSC) speaking at the ASD Connection Gathering.

ASDSC at the Connection Gathering. Left to right: Caitlin Halloran Edwards, Mya Tschopp, Tajze Johnson, Sarah Parker, and Amanda Hansford.

As a Steering Committee member, I was able to walk in the processional before the keynote speaker at the Welcome with other groups within AOTA. I talked to passionate students and professors about how to get their SOTAs involved in ASD at the booth at AOTA Central in the Expo Hall. The AOTA INSPIRE Annual Conference concluded with the AOTA Exam Prep Knowledge Quest, where students were able to study for the NBCOT® Exam in a friendly competition for AOTA and TherapyEd prizes. Overall, it was an incredible experience to network with students and practitioners from across the country, and I would highly recommend that all students attend if given the opportunity. 

Sarah Parker (VLDC Rep for ASDSC) at the AOTA Experience volunteer booth.

Tajze Johnson (Advocacy Rep for ASDSC) at the AOTA Experience volunteer booth.

Mya-Ann Tschopp, OTS, is an OT student at New York Institute of Technology. She is an ASD Steering Committee member, NYSOTA Student Delegate, and a member of the OT Student Pulse team. She has OT areas of interests in neurology and physical rehabilitation. Her hobbies are reading, spending time with friends and family, and binge watching tv shows.