OTD Students Revisit Impact of Service Learning

Occupational Therapy doctoral students, Grace Bolomope, Kelli Daller, Kayla Deaton, and Madeline Kreill partnered with Drs. Nathan Short (HU OTD), Heather St. Peters (HU MAOL), and Thomas Almonroeder (Trine) to publish “Long-term Impact of International Service Learning: Cultural Competence Revisited” in the Journal of Occupational Therapy Education. This mixed methods study demonstrated significant long-term impact of international service learning on metacognitive cultural intelligence at the three-year and one-year intervals.

According to the participants, short-term international service learning (a) increased self-awareness, enhanced knowledge acquisition of culture, resulted in clear and effective communication in cross-cultural settings, and impacted their practice of OT. One participant noted, “I’ve always loved cultures but since the experience I have consistently challenged myself to hold a larger world view. I’ve prioritized living with less and consistently challenge my American way of life. As far as how my cross-cultural experience has affected me as an OT, I have chosen to practice OT in an impoverished area to continue to feed that need to do more for the benefit of others, even if that means a sacrifice of my own living situation.”

Ultimately, international service learning trips with Wheels for the World provide OTD students the opportunity to pursue Christ, scholarship, and service, which remain at the core of the Huntington University education and experience.

Posted By: Heather St. Peters