The Georgia Occupational Therapy Association has recognized two students in Brenau University’s School of Occupational Therapy in the Ivester College of Health Sciences.
The association’s annual conference, held in October in Athens, Georgia, included students, faculty, and practitioners in occupational therapy. Brenau won both student awards presented at the conference.
Allison Brack of Senoia, Georgia, received the Linda Stephens Scholarship, established to support students in occupational therapy programs who are committed to serving the profession. Brack, a student on Brenau’s Norcross campus, is in her second year of the entry-level doctoral program.
Amanda M. Buono, OTD, assistant professor of occupational therapy, called Brack a “true servant leader.”
“Allison shows a passion for the profession and a strong desire to help those in her community,” Buono said. “When getting to know clients or reviewing cases, she goes beyond the surface to understand their feelings and motivations and how the context may impact their performance. She shows reasoning, ability and compassion beyond her years.”
Brack’s community involvement includes volunteering for organizations such as Shriners Hospitals and the Special Olympics, and organizing numerous initiatives that benefit various community organizations.
Brack said her interest in helping children with special needs drew her to occupational therapy as a profession, but attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College for her undergraduate degree spurred her interest in helping farm workers.
“In high school, I spent a lot of time volunteering with the Special Olympics and Night to Shine, and I found a passion for working with children with special needs. These early high school experiences sparked my interest in OT leading into college,” Brack said. “Through OT, I could continue my diverse passions: my love for helping children and the underserved agricultural community.”
Julamy Serrano Arocho was recognized as the 2024 Outstanding Occupational Therapy Student of the Year, honoring exceptional leadership and service in occupational therapy. Serrano Arocho is in her second year of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program and attends weekend classes on the Norcross campus. A native of Puerto Rico, she lives in Newnan, Georgia, with her son and husband. She will graduate in 2025.
“Julamy is an extraordinary individual who exemplifies academic excellence and a commitment to her community,” M. Irma Alvarado, Ph.D., professor of occupational therapy, said. “As a veteran and mother, she holds a perfect 4.0 GPA and has been inducted into the Phi Theta Epsilon Honor Society. She actively supports her classmates and engages in initiatives that foster a sense of belonging among veteran students at the university.”
Serrano Arocho is the student representative for the Brenau Occupational Therapy Student Association and former president of the Brenau Student Veterans Association, growing its membership from two members to 23. She also volunteered with The Mission Continues and participated in a service-learning trip to Yucatan, Mexico.
Serrano Arocho said her drive to help others and serve the community led her to the military and, later, to occupational therapy.
“This deep-rooted passion initially led me to join the military, where I could actively contribute to something bigger than myself. At the same time, I’ve always had an interest in healthcare and how it impacts people’s lives,” Serrano Arocho said. “Occupational therapy became a perfect fit for me, as it combines both of these passions. It allows me to support and empower individuals within the healthcare field, offering a variety of ways to make a real difference in people’s lives across diverse settings.”
Serrano Arocho said she called her husband immediately after winning the award to tell him, “We landed!”
“Leaving the military to establish our family in Georgia and pursue this dream of mine was a huge leap of faith, one we took for greater stability and the future we envisioned,” Serrano Arocho said. “Receiving this award felt like a confirmation that we truly ‘landed’; that all the risk, uncertainty, and hard work are starting to pay off.”
Brack said it was an honor to be recognized with Serrano Arocho.
“It was also very exciting to win an award alongside Julamy because I know the journey she has been on,” Brack said. “We are in different OT programs, but we have known each other from the start because we shadowed at the same outpatient clinic while applying to OT school. It was a very cool, full-circle moment to be recognized together.”
