U of U Recreational Therapy

U of U Recreational Therapy Recreational Therapy education Recreational Therapy Education

Meet our 2025-2026 Student Representatives to the Recreational Therapy (RT) Advisory Board. Each year, the RT faculty i...
11/18/2025

Meet our 2025-2026 Student Representatives to the Recreational Therapy (RT) Advisory Board.

Each year, the RT faculty identify a student from each of our programs to provide valuable student perspective as part of our advisory board.

This year’s representatives are: Audrey Cutler (BS RT), Kat Kuzmic-Taylor (MS RT) and Sasha Gordon (Ph.D. in Rehab Science).

Thank you Audrey, Kat, and Sasha for your service!

✨SATURDAY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT✨Meet one of our incredible Recreational Therapy alumni, Alejandra Munoz, who completed her i...
11/15/2025

✨SATURDAY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT✨

Meet one of our incredible Recreational Therapy alumni, Alejandra Munoz, who completed her internship with Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports earlier this year!🎿

From daily skiing adventures to skill-building moments, she shared this special photo with a participant who had been coming all season—and wanted one last lap to the top of the mountain via gondola! 🏔️

Thanks to the guidance of experienced instructors and the inspiring founders of the program, this internship was packed with growth, joy, and unforgettable memories.

She said:💬 “Anyone can do anything they set their mind to—everything we do is adaptable. We're here to remove barriers, make sure you have a blast, and keep things safe while we're at it!”

And her advice? 👉 Volunteer!
“We absolutely loved our passionate volunteers. It’s such a fun and rewarding experience to be part of the team and make a difference.”

Way to go, Alejandra! We cannot wait to see the incredible work you do next.

🎨 Our 1st-year Recreational Therapy cohort visited the ARTISTS EVERYWHERE exhibition earlier this semester! This summer’...
11/14/2025

🎨 Our 1st-year Recreational Therapy cohort visited the ARTISTS EVERYWHERE exhibition earlier this semester! This summer’s Community Arts Program partners included local youth, the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, ArtsBridge, the University of Utah Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, and The INN Between.

Students learned how art can be implemented to support individuals with Parkinson’s disease — gaining valuable insight into the therapeutic power of creativity and community engagement. 💡🖌️

✨SATURDAY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT✨One of our amazing Recreational Therapy alumni, Alex Miller, completed her internship this s...
11/09/2025

✨SATURDAY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT✨

One of our amazing Recreational Therapy alumni, Alex Miller, completed her internship this summer with Vermont Adaptive—and what a ride it was!

This photo was taken during an adaptive mountain biking trip in southern Vermont, captured by one of the riders who was reintroducing himself to action photography after his injury. A powerful moment of creativity, independence, and recreation! 📸

She recounted:💬 “Every day is different! I’ve learned so much, met incredible people, and witnessed Vermont Adaptive’s inspiring growth firsthand.”

Alex also expressed that Vermont Adaptive is more than just a program—it’s a community that fosters independence, support, and joy. The athletes and instructors make every day unforgettable.

Thanks for sharing your incredible experience with us, Alex! We look forward to hearing where your next adventure leads.

11/07/2025

What an incredible day for our MS RT students! 🎉 We had the pleasure of hosting a few very knowledgeable guest speakers working as Recreational Therapists in adaptive sports and recreation.

A massive shout-out and thank you to Ariel Bailey (Clemson Adaptive Sports and Recreation), Nikki Entrup (Wounded Warrior Project), and Brayson Pope (Adaptive Adventures) for sharing their knowledge and passion. The incredible things they are doing in their Recreational Therapy practice are truly inspiring. Our students are lucky to have had this chance to connect with them!

🎓 Celebrating Our Future Scholar 🎓 We are delighted to congratulate Lauren Bade for receiving the prestigious National A...
11/02/2025

🎓 Celebrating Our Future Scholar 🎓

We are delighted to congratulate Lauren Bade for receiving the prestigious National Academy of Recreational Therapists (NART) Future Scholar award at the 2025 ATRA Annual Conference!

Lauren recently completed our MS RT program and earned this honor through her impressive accomplishments, high level of professionalism, and clear dedication to RT and her commitment to becoming a future academic leader in RT.

Way to go, Lauren! 👏

🏆 Honoring an Emerging Leader 🏆We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Rebecca Westenskow, one of our PhD in Rehabil...
11/01/2025

🏆 Honoring an Emerging Leader 🏆

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Rebecca Westenskow, one of our PhD in Rehabilitation Science students, has been awarded the prestigious ATRA Emerging Leader of the Year Award!

This national award recognizes an individual in the field of Recreational Therapy (RT) who has demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation, and impact within their first five years of professional practice. Rebecca truly exemplifies a commitment to advancing the profession through her service, advocacy, and program development.

Join us in celebrating Rebecca—a true leader shaping the future of Recreational Therapy!

🌟 Celebrating Our Recent Graduates 🌟We are thrilled to congratulate recent MS RT graduates, Ashley Helmi and Ciera White...
10/31/2025

🌟 Celebrating Our Recent Graduates 🌟

We are thrilled to congratulate recent MS RT graduates, Ashley Helmi and Ciera White, for being named recipients of the Peg Connolly scholarships at the ATRA 2025 Annual Conference!

This highly esteemed scholarship is a tremendous recognition of their dedication to Recreational Therapy (RT). It offers not only professional knowledge from conference sessions but also invaluable networking opportunities with RT professionals nationwide.

We agree with ATRA that the future of our field depends on the continuing growth of students. Ashley and Ciera join a distinguished group of former recipients who are now serving vital roles in RT. We can't wait to see the impact they make!

📣We are thrilled to announce that this past weekend our vey own faculty, Dr. Ashley Bowen, was installed as President-El...
10/24/2025

📣We are thrilled to announce that this past weekend our vey own faculty, Dr. Ashley Bowen, was installed as President-Elect of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)! This prestigious honor recognizes Ashley's sustained leadership in the recreational therapy (RT) field.

Ashley's journey with ATRA began in 2016 when she was selected as a Peg Connolly Scholar during her master's program—a selective scholarship granted to top RT students throughout the country. Since then, she has served as co-chair of the Community Section, supporting community-based recreational therapists across the United States, contributed to the Advocacy & Legislative Team on matters of national legislation and Medicaid reimbursement, and was elected as a Member-At-Large on the ATRA Board last year, continuing her work with the Advocacy & Legislative team.

Her decision to run for President-Elect reflects her commitment to taking on a larger leadership role in shaping the future of our profession. Over the next three years—serving as President-Elect, President, and Past President—Ashley will work with ATRA's Board of Directors to advance the organization's strategic plan and strengthen recreational therapy nationwide. Congratulations, Ashley! We are proud to have you on our team. 🌟

University of Utah RT Alumni Hannah Dellenbach and faculty member Dr. Melissa Zahl presented at the ATRA conference yest...
10/20/2025

University of Utah RT Alumni Hannah Dellenbach and faculty member Dr. Melissa Zahl presented at the ATRA conference yesterday. They discussed their exploration of how individuals with neurological conditions and their care partners define and experience shared leisure. Using a phenomenological qualitative design, researchers sought to understand the lived experiences of shared leisure within neurological care dyads and identify challenges and strategies for their mutual benefit. There were 3 major themes presented through thematic analysis: Leisure as time together, compromise in shared leisure, and lastly, reinventing leisure in the face of disability. While leisure provides meaningful opportunities for togetherness and enjoyment, it also requires ongoing adaptation, communication, and compromise due to the challenges posed by disability. By redefining and restructuring leisure activities, both partners can enhance their quality of life and strengthen their relationship despite the limitations of neurological conditions. Fantastic work Hannah and Melissa!

University of Utah PhD candidate, Sasha Gordon, and alumni Chad Romoser co-presented at the American Therapeutic Recreat...
10/20/2025

University of Utah PhD candidate, Sasha Gordon, and alumni Chad Romoser co-presented at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) conference yesterday. The duo, along with Aurora Verlin, highlighted practical strategies for Recreational Therapists in generating research funding and the development of grant proposals.

This session covered key tools and resources for collaborators, along with insights into primary funding sources. Sasha and Chad did an incredible job of sharing their professional experiences as well as various opportunities for RT practitioners to receive grants to advance their evidence-based practices. Way to Go Sasha and Chad!

What an incredible double-dose of innovation from Dr. Yongseop Kim and colleagues yesterday at the Therapeutic Recreati...
10/20/2025

What an incredible double-dose of innovation from Dr. Yongseop Kim and colleagues yesterday at the Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) conference! 🤩

We saw the versatility of Virtual Reality in Recreational Therapy (RT) with two key studies:

Exploring the impact of a mindfulness-based VR intervention on college students' psychological distress (using self-reported & neurophysiological outcomes).

Unpacking the Health Benefits of Immersive VR Tai Chi for rural older adults (via a compelling qualitative study).

From young adults' mental health to older adult wellness, VR is proving to be a game-changer in RT! Thank you for the insightful presentations!

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