For nearly 15 years, Dr. Jeff Snodgrass has been no stranger to the happenings in the occupational field.
But recently, a bit of news did bring a bit of a surprise.
Dr. Snodgrass, director of occupational therapy at Milligan College, was recently named to the “Roster of Fellows” by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) at the 2017 Annual Conference & Expo in Philadelphia, Penn.
The Roster of Fellows nod recognizes individuals of the organization, according to AOTA, that have made a significant contribution over their career to continuing education and professional development of its members.
Milligan’s professor was honored with 30 other individuals, ranking with 800-900 other “fellows” that have been honored over the past 44 years.
“I was very surprised, it was exciting,” Dr. Snodgrass told the Elizabethton Star Wednesday afternoon.
Atop Emmanuel Hill, Milligan continues to adapt to the changing landscape of heath care.
“This program has now been around almost 20 years,” Dr. Snodgrass, who also serves as the college’s professor of healthcare administration and OT, said. “I’ve been here for about 14 years and really, over the last eight or nine years, we’ve really grown substantially in student numbers but I also felt like we’ve been able to grow our impact in the community and that’s really a compliment to the faculty about their work they put in with students.”
After receiving the compliment from teachers, students have been able to exit the OT program and make their way all across the United States. Praising the work of past and current students, too, Dr. Snodgrass said there’s a bit of ’Buff Pride in about every state you enter.
“Our students now are literally going across the country,” he said with a laugh. “We have a lot of students that stay here regionally but, for instance, we just had a student graduate from our last class in December who is in Palmer, Alaska now working. So when I say all over the country, we actually mean it. That also includes Hawaii … we had some who recently graduated and moved to Hawaii and is practicing home health down there. We now have a far-reaching effect with our students and graduates.”
While working with students already on campus, Dr. Snodgrass also provides some tips for future students looking to get into the medical field.
“One of the things we’ll often advise students, who are high schoolers or beginning college careers, is to take some time to shadow or observe professionals doing the work,” he said. “From nurses, physicians to occupational therapists … it’s a great way to get a sense of the work and what the professionals do on a day-to-day basis.”
Recognizing students is nothing out of the ordinary for Snodgrass according to Dr. Garland Young, vice president for academic affairs.
“This award is a fitting recognition for Dr. Snodgrass,” Dr. Garland said in a statement issued to the Elizabethton Star. “His unrelenting attention to academic quality and his student-centered approach to higher education have helped ensure a strong and vibrant future for our occupational therapy program. We are proud of all that he and his colleagues in the OT program are accomplishing daily with our students.”