Sydney Rice
BS Kinesiology and Health Sciences – Louisiana Tech University 2020
3rd year Occupational Therapy Doctoral Candidate – University of Arkansas/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
My name is Sydney Rice, and I’m a third-year occupational therapy doctoral candidate at the University of Arkansas/ University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in the medical field and work closely with individuals to facilitate healing. I graduated from Louisiana Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Sciences in 2020. My years in the Kinesiology department at Louisiana Tech were some of my best memories from Tech! I felt adequately prepared to start my OT program because of the investment of time and support the Kinesiology department provided to their students. During my time at Tech, I attended Rock Steady Boxing classes through one of my courses and later became an assistant coach. This experience made me realize the importance of addressing caregiver health and well being. Until this point, I intended to pursue a career in physical therapy. However, after exploring other careers, I realized that my interests in caregiver health and holistic treatment aligned better with occupational therapy.
At this point, I connected with an occupational therapist, Dr. Danielle Acurio, and observed her occupational therapy sessions in early intervention home health. This experience stuck with me because Dr. Acurio had a naturally fun and interactive approach when working with children. I was shocked that you could use toys and music to treat individuals experiencing developmental challenges! On top of this, therapy felt like play. I admired her enthusiasm and her impact on children’s and families’ lives. Most importantly, her dedication to her patients inspired me the most. When explaining her love for the profession, she said, “I view occupational therapy as my art outlet.” This idea resonated with me as she explained the integration of art and science that is occupational therapy. She described each patient or situation as a “blank page” that permits new approaches and expressiveness and challenges you to persist until you see the desired result. Her dedication to meeting the needs of her clients and her perspective on the holistic and artistic nature of occupational therapy helped me confirm occupational therapy as a career encompassing my personality, values, and innate skills. She confidently encouraged me to pursue occupational therapy at the University of Arkansas and expressed her confidence in the staff and leadership, providing an enriching and non-traditional learning experience!
My last semester at Tech was a transformative period, particularly due to the challenges brought about by COVID-19. During this time, I discovered the therapeutic power of gardening, which helped me manage stress and maintain a sense of normalcy. The pandemic, with its shift to online learning and the need to manage personal health and social connections, further deepened my understanding of the importance of holistic care. These experiences, coupled with my previous experiences in caregiver health, complex healthcare needs, and a growing interest in nature, became the foundation of my future endeavors.
My desire to positively impact the lives of others has been constant but how I wanted to achieve my goals changed. The holistic and innovative approach occupational therapy used felt different from my earlier career pursuits. Fast forward to today; the occupational therapy program at the University of Arkansas/UAMS has prepared me to feel confident in addressing a wide variety of challenges, including how individuals’ cognition functions, how they regulate their emotions, process information through their senses, and move about in the community. Occupational therapists also know how to rehabilitate upper extremity conditions, help children with developmental delays, advocate for clients, understand health policy, conduct research, develop programs to serve specific needs, and promote health in groups and populations. Going into this program, I knew that their values of self-directed learning and non-traditional practice aligned with my interest in the intersection of nature and health and caregiver health and well being.
The faculty and leadership of my program have been instrumental in providing practical opportunities through coursework to interact with clients and engage in research with community organizations. Currently, I am completing my capstone research at the Hux Occupation Lab at the University of Arkansas under the mentorship of Dr. Glenda Hux, OTD, OTR/L, IHC. Dr. Hux’s passion for research and interprofessional collaboration in population health and the health and wellbeing of parents and caregivers of children with specialized healthcare needs is contagious. Her mentorship has further fueled my enthusiasm for this specialty and my commitment to making a meaningful impact. She developed a framework called Integrating Neural Networks (INN) which focuses on a mind, body, spirit connection to healing through occupational engagement.
Through my capstone research, I will be applying Dr. Hux’s INN framework to explore the impacts of occupational gardening interventions on the interoceptive awareness of adolescents with a history of stress or adversity. Interoception is the process of sensing internal bodily processes such as hunger, thirst, pain, and even emotions. Additionally, interoception influences how individuals interact in different contexts and daily activities. During capstone I’ve spent most of my time reviewing literature, writing, analyzing data, and attending journal clubs and presentations related to my research interests. When I’m not working on my capstone research, I assist with Dr. Hux’s research projects in the Hux Occupation Lab.
Dr. Glenda Hux and Sydney Rice at the Cardiofaciocutaneous Syndrome (CFC) Conference in Orlando, FL July, 2024.
Dr. Amy Wagenfeld, an occupational therapist, therapeutic and universal design consultant, and a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Washington is also my mentor. Dr. Wagenfeld and I share a common interest and value in the connection between nature and health. She has guided me through the processes of clinical reasoning, design, research and publishing, and networking in the nature and health sectors.
The most important advice for students considering careers in kinesiology is to keep an open mind about career options, do your research, and make sure that your choice aligns with your purpose. While OT school hasn’t been easy, having my “why” was crucial for persisting through some of the hardest days! I would be happy to connect with any students interested in pursuing a career in occupational therapy! Please reach out if I can be of assistance in any way!
Contact Information: Ricesydney5@gmail.com
CarFit training day as a part of the Occupational Adaptation and Innovation Neuro course
Orthotic fabrication during the upper extremity rehabilitation lab course
The Exponential Factor 