UF Occupational Therapy

10/12/2026

We are proud to celebrate Teresa Leibforth Dufeny, PhD, OTR/L (B.H.S. '97), a distinguished UF Occupational Therapy alumna, who was recognized this past weekend with the Professional Achievement and Career Service Award at the PHHP Outstanding Alumni Awards!

Teresa's career reflects a commitment to excellence, leadership, and service that continues to inspire future generations of occupational therapists. Congratulations to Teresa and all of this year's outstanding alumni honorees! 🐊 💙 🧡

These seven alumni are paving outstanding legacies. Congratulations to the winners of the Outstanding Alumni Awards who will be recognized at a ceremony held October 10 before the PHHP Alumni Reunion Tailgate:

Ajani (AJ) Dunn, FACHE, (BHPT ’99, M.H.A. ’02), Alumnus of the Year
Megan E. Johnson, Ed.D., (M.H.A. ’20), Community Impact
Lynn M. Maher, CCC-SLP, (Ph.D. in communication sciences and disorders ’95), Community Impact
Makyba Charles-Ayinde (Ph.D. in public health – environmental health ’16), Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Thought Leadership
Samuel F. Sears, (M.S. ’92, Ph.D. in clinical and health psychology ’95), Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Thought Leadership
Teresa Leibforth Dufeny, Ph.D., OTR/L, (B.H.S. ’97), Professional Achievement and Career Service
Thomas Murry (Ph.D. in speech pathology ’69), Professional Achievement and Career Service

Read more about this year's honorees: https://phhp.ufl.edu/2026/10/08/phhp-outstanding-alumni-2026/

10/07/2026

University of Florida Class of 2028 OTD students recently partnered with the Senior Recreation Center of Alachua County to provide CarFit assessments for more than 30 community members, helping promote safe and comfortable driving. Through this hands-on experience, students applied occupational therapy skills while supporting independence and community mobility. Students worked directly with participants to assess their individual “fit” within their vehicles, including seat and steering wheel positioning, mirror placement, seat belt fit, and access to vehicle controls.

Special thanks to faculty facilitator Dr. Suny Darcy, community partner Brian Dean (Adult Trauma Injury Prevention & Outreach Coordinator), and faculty volunteers Dr. Becky Piazza and Beth Gibson for their mentorship, expertise, and support throughout the event. 🐊 🚗 🧡 💙

10/05/2026

Please join us in welcoming the Class of 2029 OTD and Class of 2030 BHS-OTD students to the University of Florida Department of Occupational Therapy.

We are excited to begin this journey with you as you develop the knowledge, skills, professionalism, and leadership needed to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. We look forward to supporting your growth and celebrating your accomplishments throughout your time at UF.

Welcome to the Gator OT community. We can't wait to see all that you achieve! 🐊 💙 🧡

09/02/2026

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Carol and Bob Gwin’s first gift to the Alice C. Jantzen Fellowship, a legacy that has supported generations of University of Florida Occupational Therapy students.

For five decades, their generosity has helped empower future occupational therapists to pursue their educational and professional goals while honoring the vision of Alice C. Jantzen. Their legacy lives on through the countless students whose educational journeys and professional careers have been enriched by this fellowship. We are deeply grateful for the Gwins' enduring commitment to student success and the impact they have made on our UF OT community.

Join us in celebrating this remarkable milestone and the lasting difference one gift can make. 💙 🧡 🐊

08/30/2026

We are thrilled to welcome the newest cohort of the UF OTD program. During orientation, students spent the week getting to know their classmates, faculty, curriculum, and the many opportunities that lie ahead as they begin their journey toward becoming occupational therapists.

Please join us in giving a warm Gator welcome to the OTD Class of 2029! 🐊 🧡 💙

08/25/2026

In April 2026, our UF OTD Class of 2027 gathered for a special Pancake Breakfast and Fieldwork/Capstone Send-Off as they prepared to take the next big step in their occupational therapy journey. Since then, these students have successfully completed their first Level II Fieldwork experience and are now embarking on their second Level II placement.
Wishing our Class of 2027 a successful and rewarding experience as they continue growing into future OT clinicians! 🥞 🐊 🏫

08/23/2026

This summer, the OTD Class of 2028 completed their Psychosocial Level I Fieldwork experiences at community sites across the Gainesville and Ocala areas. To conclude the course, students presented posters highlighting the innovative programs and interventions they developed in collaboration with community partners.

A special thank you to the faculty fieldwork educators who guided students throughout the semester. Through ongoing mentorship, feedback, and support, faculty helped students connect classroom learning to practice, develop professional skills, and navigate the unique challenges and opportunities of psychosocial occupational therapy.🐊 😀 🏫

08/10/2026

Congratulations to our OTD Class of 2026 graduates! 😄🐊🎉Enjoy these photos from their capstone presentations, our program ceremony, and commencement! More UF commencement photos can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=uflorida&set=a.1463942389099876

08/10/2026

We're proud to celebrate Jordan Major, Ph.D., who graduated on Friday, August 7! As she begins the next chapter of her career, Jordan is already making an impact through award-winning research focused on integrating occupational therapy into peripartum care for individuals with Type 1 diabetes and improving maternal mental health outcomes.

“The hope is that we will be able to integrate occupational therapy into peripartum care for pregnant individuals with Type 1 diabetes."

Jordan Major, a rehabilitation science Ph.D. candidate, received the Nancy Talbot Post‑Doctoral Fellowship from the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. After her August graduation, she will join the UF Sensory Development Lab as a postdoctoral associate under UF Occupational Therapy's Stefanie Bodison. In collaboration with Juan Muñoz Pena from the UF College of Medicine, she'll study diabetes distress and postpartum depression trajectories from early pregnancy to one month postpartum, comparing outcomes for women who receive occupational therapy intervention versus those who do not. https://phhp.ufl.edu/2026/06/22/jordan-major-receives-prestigious-postdoctoral-fellowship-for-diabetes-research/

08/04/2026

As the UF Occupational Therapy Doctorate Class of 2026 prepares to graduate this week, we're celebrating the innovative projects that have made a difference across our community. Read about two student capstone experiences below.