{"id":98475,"date":"2026-04-20T03:45:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/?p=98475"},"modified":"2026-04-21T10:20:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:20:31","slug":"pre-occupational-therapy-senior-turns-passion-into-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/04_20_2026\/pre-occupational-therapy-senior-turns-passion-into-purpose","title":{"rendered":"Pre-Occupational Therapy Senior Turns Passion Into Purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"

In just two years, Amanda Abraham has made a lasting impact as a student in the health science program.<\/p>\n

Originally from Allen Park, Michigan, Abraham chose her university experience based on more than academics.<\/p>\n

\"Graduation

CELEBRATING SUCCESS<\/strong>: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2026 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at spring commencement<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cFrom the moment I stepped on campus, I felt safe and welcomed,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a large university, but it still has that close-knit, community feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abraham began her journey as a pre-medicine major but quickly discovered a new passion through hands-on experiences and coursework.<\/p>\n

An honors extension in American Sign Language, along with community engagement and her role as a literacy tutor, helped her find her calling in occupational therapy and community health.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more I learned, the more I realized this was the path for me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Despite her accelerated timeline, graduating after just two years thanks to dual enrollment credits, Abraham immersed herself in campus life. She became involved in multiple student organizations, including the American Sign Language Club, and sought opportunities to serve locally and globally.<\/p>\n

One of the more transformative experiences of her college career has been participating in medical mission trips. Through Global Medical Brigades, she traveled to Guatemala and worked alongside healthcare professionals to provide care and health education to underserved communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese experiences changed my perspective,\u201d Abraham said. \u201cThey reminded me to appreciate what I have and showed me how important access to healthcare is around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Portrait

On May 2, Amanda Abraham will graduate from the health science program in just two years and plans to begin her occupational therapy doctorate this fall.<\/p><\/div>\n

Beyond global outreach, Abraham has remained deeply committed to her local community, volunteering through her church and participating in service initiatives that support individuals of all ages.<\/p>\n

Faculty describe Abraham as an engaged and driven student who consistently goes above and beyond. Her dedication, professionalism and passion for helping others have left a strong impression both in and out of the classroom.<\/p>\n

That commitment has already opened doors for her future.<\/p>\n

Abraham has been accepted into the occupational therapy doctorate program through the early admission pathway and will begin her next chapter following her graduation in May.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, she hopes to combine clinical practice with broader community health initiatives, continuing her mission to make a meaningful impact.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on her journey, Abraham emphasized the importance of staying open to new opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep an open mind and follow your heart,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are so many paths in healthcare, and you never know where they might lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Portrait<\/a>

On May 2, Amanda Abraham will graduate from the health science program in just two years and plans to begin her occupational therapy doctorate this fall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":902,"featured_media":98476,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,69,61,1,7],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98475"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/902"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98475"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98475\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98479,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98475\/revisions\/98479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}