A recent trip to the Arkansas State Capitol allowed occupational therapy students in the College of Education and Health Professions to experience health policy and advocacy firsthand.

Students in Introduction to Health Systems and Policy took a day-long visit that allowed them to engage with legislators, witness policymaking in action and advocate for occupational therapy services across the state.

Shaina Meyer, who serves as a clinical instructor in the joint U of A College of Education and Health Professions and UAMS College of Health Professions Occupational Therapy program, said the visit was integral to the students' development as future occupational therapists.

"Capitol Visit Day helped our students see the behind-the-scenes work that keeps policy moving between legislative sessions," Meyer said. "Understanding how these committees operate fosters civic awareness and prepares them to engage more confidently in future advocacy efforts."

The trip was intended to work towards establishing Occupational Therapy Hill Day at the U of A, which is a common national and state-level tradition supported by the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Hill days across the country aim to bring OT into the spotlight on Capitol Hill through meetings with legislators and their staff.

Faculty in the OT program sought to establish Hill Day, citing its ability to "build on what students are learning in class" while providing them with the opportunity to apply their lessons in a real-world setting.

Kayla Lugo, an occupational therapy student who visited the Capitol, said the experience would stick with her as she grows as an occupational therapist.

"Getting to see first-hand how change can be made at a state level was empowering and inspirational," she said. "Knowing that there are so many perspectives in these different committees is comforting, as they are representing a wide variety of Arkansan residents."

The trip was funded through a WE CARE grant designed to support experiential learning opportunities for students across the college.

These grants were established through Dean Kate Mamiseishvili's WE CARE strategic plan to allow groups of students to engage in real-world settings and train alongside experienced professionals in schools, clinics or hospitals.

Meyer and her fellow OT faculty hope this inaugural Hill Day establishes a foundation going forward that will allow OT students to make their voices heard at the state level for years to come.