Meet Natalie-Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Student

Hi! My name is Natalie and I am a third year occupational therapy student from Powell, OH. I first became involved with the TOPS program as a freshman completing my undergraduate degree at OSU. I volunteered with the program as a social coach and in-class mentor and became passionate about working with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and helping them achieve success in their daily lives. In graduate school I was able to combine my interest in comprehensive sex education with my love for working with the TOPS students. During my first two years of graduate school, I assisted a PhD student in teaching sex education courses to students in the TOPS program. Now, in my final year, I have collaborated with the TOPS program once again for my doctoral capstone project. For my project I am developing inclusive and accessible sex education curriculum and teaching to the first and second year TOPS students this spring semester. My favorite thing about working with TOPS is getting to know all the amazing, funny, and engaging students in the program. They make teaching so much fun! In my free time I enjoy cooking, going to hot yoga, and reading. A fun fact about me is that during graduate school I bungee jumped in South Africa off the highest commercial natural bungee jump in the world. I can’t wait to be able to travel again once it is safe to do so!