Maya Major has hoped to become an occupational therapist for years. It小蝌蚪APP檚 just been about finding the right path to make that dream a reality.
After earning an associate degree in general science in 2022, she set out to find a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 program that fit her demanding schedule as a behavioral technician for a rehab center in New Orleans.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was looking for a flexible program that was in line with my career goal,小蝌蚪APP says Major.
That search led her to the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 online Health Promotion & Wellness program.
小蝌蚪APP淯L Lafayette had a kinesiology program that was online and accepted all my credits. That was a huge plus 小蝌蚪APP I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 have to start from scratch.小蝌蚪APP
Now, Major completed the program ahead of schedule and closer than ever to making her occupational therapy dreams a reality.
Laying the Foundation for Occupational Therapy
For Major, navigating a program with accelerated eight-week classes was a collaborative effort with supportive faculty who made the journey feel more like a partnership than a challenge.
小蝌蚪APP淚 love my advisor, Lisa LeBlanc. She小蝌蚪APP檚 like my school parent even though we小蝌蚪APP檝e only communicated online,小蝌蚪APP says Major.
That strong support system was vital as Major pushed herself to finish the program in just a year and a half.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was trying to get into the OT program in January, and Ms. LeBlanc reached out and said, 小蝌蚪APP榃ell, OK, I'll do a couple of one-on-one classes with you so you can hurry up and get through the program.小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
As her program accelerated, so did the demands on her time. Juggling 18-hour course loads required careful planning.
小蝌蚪APP淭he classes being online made it very flexible and allowed me to fit it in around my work schedule, but you do need to learn time management,小蝌蚪APP she says.
There were days when timing didn小蝌蚪APP檛 go according to plan, but the flexibility of the program allowed her to maintain control over her academic path.
小蝌蚪APP淪ometimes I had a test scheduled during a shift, or I couldn小蝌蚪APP檛 make it back home in time, but the professors always worked with me,小蝌蚪APP Major recalls. 小蝌蚪APP淭hey allowed me to take tests at a time that worked for me.小蝌蚪APP
The time management, adaptability, and close student-faculty relationships have laid a solid foundation for what小蝌蚪APP檚 to come.
Charting the Path Forward
Major小蝌蚪APP檚 time in the Health Promotion & Wellness program has given her the tools to not only advance in her current role but also to pave the way for her future career.
She小蝌蚪APP檚 already been able to put the skills she小蝌蚪APP檚 gained into practice at work.
小蝌蚪APP淚 work with children who have autism, and because the health promotion and wellness program is so interactive, I小蝌蚪APP檓 able to apply some of those communication skills I learned from the program to my interactions with the children and with my team,小蝌蚪APP she says.
With a freshly earned B.S. in Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Wellness, Major is already charting her path forward. She小蝌蚪APP檚 been accepted into an OT program in Dallas, where she小蝌蚪APP檒l begin classes this January.
小蝌蚪APP淢y long-term goal is to, of course, complete grad school and become an occupational therapist,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淭hen, I want to open my own clinic. I小蝌蚪APP檇 like to start off with pediatrics, but then I小蝌蚪APP檇 like to gear my practice towards adults and geriatric also.小蝌蚪APP
As someone who has successfully balanced the demands of online learning, work, and life, Major offers this advice to students navigating their own paths:
小蝌蚪APP淎s an online student, we小蝌蚪APP檙e also juggling personal things and it小蝌蚪APP檚 a little more difficult to stay disciplined. So, it小蝌蚪APP檚 important that you develop some time management skills to stay focused and balanced so that you can be successful.小蝌蚪APP
Ready to take the next step in your career? Discover how UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 online Health Promotion & Wellness program can help you reach your goals.
