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AppState Senior
"How do I best gain hands-on experience before graduate school?"
This interaction is a great example of how meaningful networking doesn’t always require a formal setting or immediate job offer. It’s about shared experience, guidance, and a willingness to help. Here, an alum took the time to respond with thoughtful advice, offers to connect the student with others in the field, and an open invitation for further conversation. It highlights how alumni can play a powerful role in helping students explore career paths, build confidence, and navigate the next steps in their journey. Sometimes, just knowing someone has walked a similar path makes all the difference.
Question
I am STUDENT, a 2026 graduate of the Beaver College of Health Sciences with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science.
I am seeking advice on opportunities for hands-on work experience in both exercise science and occupational therapy settings within the Rockingham County area. I am planning to attend occupational therapy graduate school in the future, and I believe that gaining real-world experience beforehand would be invaluable.
Thank you very much for your time and assistance.
Response
Hi there,
Feel free to reach out by email anytime, I’m always happy to support someone starting out in this field.
I actually followed a very similar path myself, as have many of my colleagues. If it would be helpful, I can connect you with someone who earned a master’s in exercise science and might be able to walk you through that process or answer questions. I’d also be glad to pass along insights if that’s easier.
After completing my degree in exercise science, I took a year off before grad school to avoid burnout. I studied at a university in eastern Tennessee, and while I’m not very familiar with therapy services in the Rockingham area, I’d be happy to reach out to some contacts and see what opportunities might exist nearby.
Do you have a general idea of what kind of setting interests you—like pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics, or home health? That would help me point you in a more specific direction.
If you’d like, I’d be happy to chat more about my experience. I’ve worked across nearly every occupational therapy setting, including running a private practice. Depending on how far you’re willing to travel, I might also be able to suggest contacts in larger cities nearby.
Occupational therapy is such a unique and collaborative field—it really becomes part of how you see the world. Whether it’s spotting accessibility challenges or imagining how to support someone’s independence, it’s a profession full of people who naturally want to lift each other up.
Let me know how you’d like to proceed, and I’d be glad to help however I can.
Warmly,
ALUM
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