MCC Increases Scholarship Opportunities for Occupational Therapist Assistant Students

MADISONVILLE, Ky. Madisonville Community College is pleased to offer a new scholarship for students in the Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) program at the college.

With an overall program enrollment of 16 students each academic year, the OTA program at MCC is one of the college s most popular and offers local and regional job prospects after graduation. MCC has expanded scholarship opportunities over the past seven years and today there is approximately $3,500, or six $600 OTA awards permanently reserved each year.

Recently, OTA Program Director Kim Qualls and OTA Fieldwork Coordinator Mike Melton announced that a new OTA scholarship opportunity has been created through the college s advancement office.

The scholarship has been created specifically in honor of Helen Grothem, who served as the OTA program coordinator for 13 years until her retirement in December 2008. Helen developed the OTA program at MCC, the first of its kind in Kentucky. She has been a member of American Occupational Therapy Association for 45 years and an active member of Kentucky Occupational Therapy Association since 1996.

The Grothem award will be initially funded for three academic years, with a $700 award available each spring semester. According to Qualls, the fund will be sustained through the program s student organization and on-going donations from community friends.

Grothem was active not only with occupational therapy matters, but also volunteered in numerous community service endeavors, in particular, the community theatre and summer musical programs at the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts. During the casting and development of many local theater presentations, she served as costume designer/coordinator, and her skillful creations were used in shows such as Sound of Music, The Whiz, Fiddler on the Roof, The Odd Couple, and Oliver, among many others.

According to Qualls, the Helen Grothem scholarship has been created not only to recognize Grothem s professional service, but also to remember her love for life and joy of teaching and working in her chosen profession.

Terry Moore of Owensboro has been selected for the initial Helen Grothem award by her fellow students for her professional attitude in class. She is the treasurer of the OTA student organization and is in her second semester of OTA course work. Another award will be announced for the 2011 spring semester.