Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA)

The Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) is a non-profit student-run organization that promotes professional development and public awareness of occupational therapy.  SOTA achieves these goals through participating in community outreach, providing leadership opportunities, networking, engaging in advocacy, fund raising and promoting social activities that encourage leisure and connections among students.

Mikaela Dubin with her proud father!

Annual SOTA Events

• MOT Buddy Pizza Party (August): A social activity to promote connections between first and second year students and welcome new students to the MOT program.
• Backpack Awareness Day (September): A health promotion event to educate the public about proper backpacks and wearing technique and an opportunity to promote occupational therapy.
• OTPAC Annual Conference Outing (October): An advocacy opportunity to promote occupational therapy and foster connections between current students and policymakers, practicing occupational therapists, faculty, and other students and professionals.
• Friends and Family Day (February): A public awareness and fund raising event that includes a silent auction, lectures and tours of the Samuel Merritt University campus.
• AOTA Conference Field Trip (April): An educational opportunity to connect to professionals and students from around the country and learn about issues of national importance. SOTA sends one representative to attend the Assembly of Student Delegates meeting.
• Camp Bennett (July): SMU students are welcomed as volunteers at this summer camp for children who have weakness of one side of the body due to brain injury. The camp employs the Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy model, which encourages children to use their weak hand.
• Camp Winning Hands (August): This camp provides children with congenital hand and upper limb differences an opportunity to connect and play, and also provides educational opportunities for families and caregivers. Funds raised by SOTA are donated to this camp, run by SMU professor Ginny Gibson, every year.

SOTA Officers

The 2011-12 slate of SOTA officers is as follows:

SOTA Chairperson, Darlyn San Jose, MOT2	SOTA Board 2011-2012

SOTA Newsletter

• Volume 1, Issue 1 - October 2011
• Volume 1, Issue 2 - January 2012
• Volume 1, Issue 3 - April 2012
  

Meeting Times and Locations

1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Location to be announced via e-mail to current students. All students are welcome and encouraged to attend SOTA meetings and events.