Faculty Focus Friday | Q&A With Faculty Focus Friday | Q&A With Laura Stimler (EdD, OTD, OTR/L, BCP), Chair/Associate Professor Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy

Faculty Focus Friday is a Q&A series that highlights individual faculty members in various academic programs around Spalding University. This week’s featured faculty member is Laura Stimler, chair and associate professor at the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy (ASOT).

I love Spalding. I chose Spalding University because of its commitment to education, service, and compassion. I was impressed by ASOT’s strong history of accreditation and student outcomes, both indicative of the high standards that drive the program. The unwavering commitment to meet the needs of our diverse community of learners keeps me here.

My academic specialty is occupational therapy. I teach in the entry-level occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) program and post-professional occupational therapy doctorate (PPOTD) programs. I spent most of my clinical career working in the acute care oncology setting at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where I specialized in pediatric oncology and cancer rehabilitation. I teach content that includes research, pediatric practice, cancer rehabilitation, and acute care in occupational therapy practice. Areas of research include cancer rehabilitation and student outcomes.

ASOT’s founding faculty were fully committed to designing a program to meet the needs of the times and serve the community. The early passion for the program and commitment to excellence are threaded throughout every level of what we do today. Specifically, ASOT has a solid accreditation history and exceptional student outcomes on the NBCOT exam. Due to the longevity of the program (almost 30 years), we are well-connected to the professional community, with over 400 contracts in place for our students to explore the occupational therapy profession beyond university walls.

An awareness of emotional intelligence, specifically empathy. I hope that our students take away an understanding of the privilege it is to work with clients in professional occupational therapy roles. Doing so comes with significant responsibility and accountability. I hope to see our students fully committed to understanding the experience of those we serve, which will enhance their therapeutic relationships. I think that doing so will impact their personal lives as well.

Legos! I love Legos. They support many of the skills developed in occupational therapy practice (fine motor skills, cognition, leisure engagement). In my life, they represent a sense of occupational balance. I build Legos for fun with my kids and on my own if I need to redirect my attention for a moment of self-care.

By design, ASOT addresses Spalding’s mission by embedding four curricular threads throughout the program: occupational needs of society, leadership in practice and advocacy, critical thinking/occupation-based reasoning, and compassionate client-centered care. These threads are used to influence every learning experience, community activity, and competency that prepares ASOT students with the necessary tools to meet the dynamic needs of communities that need it the most.