Students and Alumni
Bachelor of Science Degree • School of Health Professions
and Education
Therapeutic Recreation Major
Students and Alumni
Social Networking
Meet Utica College's Therapeutic Recreation students and alumni on line!
Go to www.facebook.com and search "Therapeutic Recreation Students & Alumni-Utica College"
Go to www.twitter.com/UticaCollegeTR or search "Utica College TR" TR Society
The TR Society is a student organization that engages in community service projects and educational opportunities related to therapeutic recreation. We know how to have fun too!
Guinness Book of World Records -
TR Society members other UC students/faculty/staff helped to set a new world record for the largest raft of canoes and kayaks...1925 blows away the old record of 1619. And, we raised money for breast cancer research. Click the photo to see video. For aerial video, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=307smHiAdaA&feature=related. For more info, see: http://www.onesquaremileofhope.org/
September 2011
Annual Picnic in the Adirondack Mountains! 
May 2011
1st Picnic in the Adirondack Mountains! 
May 2010
Special Olympics Polar Plunge 
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Freezin for a reason in Oneida Lake to raise money for Speical Olympics. Yes, Sarah completely submerged! December 2009
Game Drive - 
Over 100 games were collected and given to organizations that serve people with disabilities and children in Utica. December 2009 
TR Society
Executive Board 2009-2010
September 2009 
Alumni
2011 Graduation
Several TR majors (Courtney Lojewski & Kelley Fullerton) and Recreation Leadership minors (Nicole Schrader and Ashley Robidoux) participated in this year's graduation ceremony. Courtney was hired as a full-time Therapeutic Recreation Specialist at St. Luke's Nursing Home (Utica, NY) and passed her CTRS exam before graduating! Kelley begins her internship in the fall. Nicole majored in Psychology - Child Life and Ashley in Health Studies. Congratulations to all! Where Are They Now?
- Courtney Lojewski, CTRS ('11) - TR major - Therapeutic Recreation Specialist at St. Luke's Nursing Home in Utica, NY.
- Darven Dodard ('10) - TR major - Recreation Therapist on a psychiatric unit at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, NY.
- Kristine Wowelko, CTRS ('10) - TR major - Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist at St. Joseph's Villa in Rochester, NY. Comment: I work with at risk girls age 10 to 14.
- Jasmina Ibrahimi ('10) - Psychology major & Recreational Leadership minor - Clinician in a behavioral hospital in Springfield, MA. Also currently attending Springfield College for a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Comment: I apply the TR skills on a daily basis.
- Fiorina Cavo ('10) - Psych-Child Life major and Recreation Leadership minor - Behavior Specialist at a school for children, ages 5-13, with mental and behavioral health issues in Virginia Beach, VA. Comment: I use therapeutic recreation to aid them in finding creative outlets for self-expression, to promote positive peer interactions & to teach them to better regulate negative emotions.
- Heather Dedicke ('10) - Psych-Child Life major and Recreation Leadership minor - Currently attending Syracuse University for a Masters degree in Social Work. Comment: I intend to use my TR skills when working with children and their families as a Social Worker.
- Mary Collins, CTRS ('09) - TR major - Community Life Leader at the Masonic Care Community in Utica, NY. Comment: I provide Recreation Therapy to two 16-bed rehabilitation households and one 16-bed long-term care household. I love what I do!
- Laura Gould, CCLS ('09) - Psych-Child Life major and Recreation Leadership minor - Certified Child Life Specialist at Vermont Children's Hospital in Burlington, VT. Comment: I am able to use the skills gained through therapeutic rec courses in my work with hospitalized children and families. I also teach swim lessons & volunteer with the Northeast Disabled Athletic Association's power (wheelchair) soccer team.
- Kelly Hickling, CTRS ('08) - TR major - Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist on an acute psychiatric unit at Rome Memorial Hospital in Rome, NY. Also currently attending Utica College for a Masters degree in Health Care Administration. Comment: I work with patients age 65 and older that have various mental health impairments.
- Jennifer Bailey,CTRS ('08) - TR major - Recreation Therapist at Cold Spring Hills Center for Nursing and Rehab in Woodbury, NY.
- Kristen Geswaldo ('08) - TR major - Recreation Therapist working wtih children and youth at Hutchings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse, NY.
- Cassandra Innello ('07) - TR major - Recreation Therapist on the behavioral health unit at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ.
- Michelle Duré, CTRS ('06) - TR major - Recreational Therapist at Sagamore Children's Psychiatric Center in Dix Hills, NY. Comment: I work with children and adolescents.
- Trevon Newton ('06) - TR major - Recreational Therapist at North Shore LIJ Orzac Adult Day Health Care in Valley Stream, NY.
- Shevaun Abbott, CTRS ('04) - TR major - Recreation Therapist at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center in Utica, NY.
- Karin Harris, CTRS ('01) - TR major - Recreation Therapist at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center in Utica, NY.
- Jay Snow, CTRS - TR major - Director of Community Life at Masonic Care Community in Utica, NY.
- Heather McAllister ('00) - TR major - Also received a MS in Health Care Administration. Currently working in the Public Health Department for the State of NH. Comment: Now I use the TR degree to developed creative approaches for programming and team building activities for public health professionals. Still love TR even though not practicing fully :)
- Stephen M. Beckwith ('91) - TR major, Psychology minor and Gerontology minor - Also received a MS in Health Care Administration from St. Joseph's University - Director of Therapeutic Recreation at Pine Run Continuing Care Retirement Community in Doylestown, PA. Comment: There will always be a job in TR and remember to stick to what you know best, educate Nurses, Doctors and Staff as to what we do. Be Proud and join the in crowd. You can make a Difference.
Quotes
“I knew right away Therapeutic Recreation was the perfect fit for me. It's about helping people improve their quality of life. Nothing can be more fulfilling than that. And, in this major, I feel like part of a family. It's a lot of fun.” --
Mary Collins, CTRS ('09)"I chose Utica College because it was close to home so I could keep my full-time job and go to school. I chose TR because, at the time, I was working at a nursing home in the recreation dept, I liked what I did, but I wanted to provide my clients with a professional service. The class sizes were small and the teachers were willing to listen and help in any way they could to make the lessons easy to understand and learn. They focused their lessons on hands on learning, not just book work in the class room.
I am currently providing my clients at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center with professional TR services to assist them with discharge into the community and teach them the skills they need to live as independently as possible."
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Shevaun Abbott, CTRS ('04)"I work at Pinefield where I help children with psychological issues as well as behavioral problems. TR enables them to release pent up frustrations and anger and helps them to learn to trust the peers in their group activities. It also teaches them how to work together as a team and to be a part of a school and daily life community. TR is a very fulfilling career for me. It gives me the chance to work with many disciplines and to work as a team member.
After checking out many other colleges, I chose Utica College because of its excellent TR Curriculum and its reputation of having a well established program that could accommodate my learning disabilities. UC provided me with the training and education that I needed to help others "
--
Karin Harris, CTRS ('01)Video: Intro to UC
