Presbyterian College Celebrates Second Commencement for Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program
August 6, 2024
In her welcome to the Class of 2024, PC president Dr. Anita Gustafson told graduates they were being celebrated – and admired.
“You are ready to launch into a career of significance and service,” Gustafson said. “In fact, the work you have done and the work you will do fits right into Presbyterian College’s motto, ‘While We Live, We Serve.’ The work you do changes lives. Your service to others will help people live with more dignity and self-reliance.”
PC’s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Erin McAdams, also commended OTD faculty for guiding and supporting the new occupational therapists.
“Your expertise, mentorship and passion for teaching have been instrumental in shaping these graduates into compassionate and skilled professionals,” she said. “You impart not just knowledge but also the values, professional skills, and ethics that will guide them in their practices.”
Jeff Sprinkle, Prosthetist and Orthotist Sprinkle Prosthetics
In his commencement address, “Don’t Ever Give Up,” Jeff Sprinkle, a 1991 graduate of PC and the owner of Sprinkle Prosthetics in Spartanburg, recalled his personal experiences as both a patient and a prosthetist/orthotist. Sprinkle, who lost his leg below the knee in a lawnmower accident in high school, earned a degree in business from PC before pursuing a second degree in prosthetics and orthotics from Utah Southwestern Medical Center in 1995.
Sprinkle said he swiftly learned that the people he helped made as much of a difference in his life as he did in theirs. He told graduates they would experience loss and failure and a wide variety of people from all walks of life and different personalities.
“You’re going to learn a lot when you get into the real world,” Sprinkle said. “And just when you think you’ve seen every type of person that you can believe, another one will walk through the door and you’ll say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen anybody like that.’
“You’re going to find that, in your career, in your life, the road will be curvy. There will be forks in the road.There might be a stop sign here and there. But no matter what, you’ve got to keep going. You can never give up.”
Sprinkle encouraged graduates to persevere with a positive attitude and stay focused on helping others.
“If you fail, just keep going forward,” he said. “You’ll make mistakes. But you’ll get through it.”
Sloan Cromwell, a member of the OTD graduating cohort and president of PC’s Student Occupational Therapy Association, also addressed her classmates at the event. In her speech, Cromwell shared the constant thought guided her throughout the program.
Dr. Sloan Cromwell Class of 2024 PC OTD program
“My ‘why’,” she said. “It’s a simple phrase, but one that holds immense power. Understanding our why is what fuels our passion, drives our perseverance, and helps us find purpose in our daily challenges. Every single one of us.”
As the initial excitement of being in the program gave way to the day-to-day stress of studying and preparing, Cromwell said their “why” could easily get lost. Rediscovering the “why” is what is most important.
“Don’t forget your value for the holistic nature of OT – your desire to better an individual’s life, and to do so by combining your passions of art and science,” Cromwell said. “Some of you have chosen occupational therapy due to first-hand experience of its positive effects, because of its beauty in all daily life activities, or because you want to meet children where they are.
“You appreciate the countless opportunities we have to serve, and its allowance of your own creativity. These are the whys we can’t forget, as they are what brought us together at this very moment.”
The “why,” she added, is the focus on each individual and making their lives better and giving them independence through occupational therapy.
“For myself, it is a culmination of what propels me to the field,” Cromwell said. “My why is the stroke survivor reminding me on his exit from hospital that he wouldn’t be able to use his left arm, dress, and bathe himself without one. My why is the parent of a non-verbal autistic child with cerebral palsy extending their gratitude to me for being the reason their child has tried brand new foods and begun potty training.
“My why is the professional athlete wishing they had an OT post-injury after expressing their understanding of our field. My why is seeing the families of children with disabilities in Africa, and their faces light up when we step in the room. Our journey through occupational therapy school has been marked by growth, not only as professionals, but as individuals.”
Cromwell urged classmates to continually rediscover their “whys.”
“We have learned to listen deeply, to empathize profoundly, and to adapt creatively,” she said. “We have learned to navigate the complexities of human needs, and to find solutions that truly make a difference. We have been inspired by the resilience of our clients and the dedication of our mentors.
“So, as we step into our new roles, let us carry forward the lessons of compassion and ingenuity we have acquired. Let us remember that our why is not just a reason but a driving force that will guide us through the inevitable challenges and triumphs of our careers.”
In addition to the commencement and hooding exercises, the OTD program also presented awards for academic achievement, leadership and service:
- The Academic Award of Distinction – Emily Waller
- The Leadership and Service Award of Distinction – Sloan Cromwell and Caroline Philbeck
- The Professional Development Award of Distinction – Ashley Erwin
- The Professional Research and Scholarship Award of Distinction – Christine Boone and Beth Meadors
- The Clinical Education Award of Distinction – Sam Mattox and Jessica Newton
- The Clinical Education Award of Service – Val Hengemuhle
COHORT 2, THE CLASS OF 2024
- Caroline Blocker, magna cum laude
- Kam Bruns, magna cum laude
- Emma Chandler, cum laude, SOTA Board
- Shaylah Collins-Wilson, summa cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon, SOTA Board
- Bailey Crolley, cum laude, SOTA Board
- Sloan Cromwell, magna cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon, SOTA Board
- Ashley Erwin, magna cum laude
- Mason Elizabeth Ham, cum laude, SOTA Board
- Jaymie Hughes, cum laude
- Sarah Lambert
- Madison Ludwig, magna cum laude
- Julianne Madeline, magna cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon
- Madison Martin, magna cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon, SOTA Board
- Brooke McMullen, cum laude
- Bethany Meadors, magna cum laude, SOTA Board
- Mallory Pellegrino, magna cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon, SOTA Board
- Caroline Philbeck, magna cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon, SOTA Board
- Alexis Puckett, magna cum laude
- Reilley Smith, magna cum laude
- Jane Tiller, summa cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon, SOTA Board
- Emily Waller, summa cum laude, Pi Theta Epsilon, SOTA Board
Presbyterian College Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program Cohort 2, Class of 2024
