Pursuing higher education is often seen as a straight path, but for many, it is a winding journey filled with unexpected turns. In this week’s Victors in Grad School podcast, Dr. Shanna Haver joined us and shared her enlightening journey from social work to earning her doctorate in occupational therapy. Her experiences impart valuable lessons for anyone considering graduate school, especially those contemplating a career pivot.

From Social Work to Occupational Therapy: A Non-Linear Path

Dr. Shanna Haver began her educational journey studying social work at Eastern Michigan University and gained extensive experience working with Catholic Social Services and the shelter system in Ann Arbor. However, discontentment with the systemic limitations of social work led her to a transformative sailing trip, sparking her passion for occupational therapy. She realized she wanted to pursue a doctorate, drawn by the promise of deeper knowledge and broader opportunities to impact people’s lives directly.

“As a social worker, people were coming to me for resources that I had no control over…as an occupational therapist, your brain is that tool,” Dr. Haver elaborated, emphasizing the empowerment this new role provided her.

Choosing the Right Program

Deciding on the University of Michigan Flint’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program was not an arbitrary choice. It was the first of its kind in Michigan and relatively close to her home in Ypsilanti. Factors such as program structure, curriculum, and faculty expertise played significant roles in her decision.

“I realized that it’s only six more months [for a doctorate compared to a master’s]… it gives you the tools and empowerment,” she noted, highlighting that the additional commitment was well worth the knowledge and authority the doctorate conferred.

Thriving Amidst the Pandemic: Challenges and Adaptation

Starting her program in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Haver had to adapt to a predominantly online learning environment. She emphasized the importance of understanding one’s learning style to succeed in such challenges. Whether through creating a dedicated study space, forming study groups, or maintaining a routine, she underscored the need for flexibility and perseverance.

“Learning your learning style, dedicating to your tasks, and not allowing yourself to fall into procrastination… were essential,” Dr. Haver advised, shedding light on the many ways she ensured she stayed on track.

Using Past Experience to Fuel Future Success

Dr. Haver’s diverse work background—from bartending to social work—provided her with a unique perspective and skill set, which she leveraged throughout her academic journey and beyond. Her varied experiences allowed her to connect with people more effectively and navigate different professional scenarios with ease.

“My background is so vast…volunteering with children with special needs to bartending, these experiences shaped my passion for helping people,” she explained, showcasing how every job she held played a role in her development.

Post-Graduate Success and Ongoing Learning

After earning her OTD, Dr. Haver took on multiple roles, including home health occupational therapist and consultant. She continues to evolve, working on a patent and conducting research, demonstrating that learning and professional development are continuous processes.

“The program prepared me for knowing a little about a lot…it’s up to you and your professional development plan to always keep growing,” she said, reflecting on the lasting impact her education has had on her career.

Tips for Future Graduate Students

Drawing from her journey, Dr. Haver offers practical advice for those considering graduate school:

1. Understand Your Learning Style: Identify if you are an in-person or visual learner and tailor your study habits accordingly.
2. Stay Organized and Proactive: Use tools like checklists to manage assignments and track your progress.
3. Leverage Your Network: Don’t hesitate to reach out to mentors and peers. Building a supportive network is crucial.
4. Keep Your Long-Term Goals in Mind: Remember why you started and stay focused on your end goals, even when the journey gets tough.
5. Embrace Lifelong Learning: Accept that graduate education is just the beginning. Keep pushing the boundaries of your knowledge and skills.

Dr. Shanna Haver’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, passion, and continuous learning. For those contemplating graduate school or a career change, her experiences provide a roadmap for navigating the complexities and finding fulfillment through education. Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey or well on your way, her insights remind us that growth often comes from taking bold steps outside our comfort zones.

TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:01]:
Welcome to the victors in grad school, where we have conversations with students, alumni, and experts about what it takes to find success in graduate school.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:11]:
Welcome back to Victors in Grad School. I’m your host, doctor Christopher Lewis, director of graduate programs at the University of Michigan Flint. Really excited to have you back again this week. This week, as always, you and I are on a journey together. We have an opportunity every week to be able to look at this journey that you’re on. And I say journey because it is a journey. And you might be at the very beginning thinking about graduate school, thinking about, is this the right thing for me? Should I do this? I don’t know how I’m going to do this. You might also be in grad school already and looking to be able to push through and get to the end.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:46]:
And you might be toward the end where you see that light at the end of the tunnel, getting ready for your career and being at that point where you’re making that next step in your professional journey. No matter where you are, it is a journey. And there are things that you can do to be able to prepare yourself well, to find success in that journey. And that’s what this podcast is all about. It’s all about helping you, providing you with resources, and allowing you to learn from others that have gone before you, that have gone through graduate school, found success, and have some resources, have some tips, have some things that they can share with you to help you in this journey that you’re on. Really excited every week also to bring you different guests, different people that have gone before you, that have had the opportunity to go to graduate school, have come out on the end being successful. And today is no different. We have another great guest with us today.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:39]:
Doctor. Shanna Haver is with us today. And today we’re gonna be talking to her about her journey. She got her doctorate degree in occupational therapy from the University of Michigan Flint. We’re going to talk about that journey that she went on to be able to find the program that she wanted to go into, find the career that she wanted to go through and go into, and be able to give you some resources, give you some ideas, some thoughts, some tools for your toolbox that you can use to be able to help yourself in the future. Shanna, thanks so much for being here today.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:02:08]:
Thank you, Christopher, for having me.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:10]:
I really appreciate you being here today. And I love being able to start our episodes with an opportunity to turn the clock back in time. And I know that you did your undergraduate work at Eastern Michigan University. You were studying social work. And at some point during that journey, at some point during that experience there, or even during your time at Oakland Community College studying sign language, you had an opportunity to be able to think to yourself, I wanna go further. I wanna continue my education. And you decided to go into occupational therapy. I guess, 1st and foremost, take me back and talk to me about what it was that made you first decide that you wanted to go to graduate school?

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:02:51]:
Yeah. Of course. So my journey is not linear. It is not typical. I graduated in 2013 with my undergrad in social work at Eastern Michigan University. And from there, I started my social work career working with Catholic Social Services, working with what they call core morbid clients that are dealing with both the mental health diagnosis as well as a substance abuse, diagnosis, and then transitioned into working for the shelter system. So working for the Delaunay Center in Ann Arbor where I was the service center coordinator. So working with people that would come in and not necessarily have a residential bed at the shelter, but still wanna do participate in that program as far as ending their homelessness.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:03:34]:
And then I transitioned to working for community mental health here in Washtenaw, and I wasn’t there for months. And I was like, this is not what I’m here to do. I found myself just completing a lot of paperwork and being told I was doing too much. So went back to the shelter and stayed there for the better part of 7 years. And I like to brag that the nonresidential program that I was a part of actually housed more folks than those in the residential program. So when consumers would come, I’d always tell us, like, my goal is to get you in your own bed before a bed here becomes available. So helping working on that social work empowerment. I was given the opportunity to go on an adventure with a friend who called me up and was like, hey.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:04:16]:
I know you like sailing and we’re taking a tall ship from Maine to Key West in October. And it’s like, okay. I got some weeks I can, you know, plan out. Let’s go for it. Somehow, 2 weeks turned into a month because of weather, and I was really just finding myself 100 miles offshore with nothing but horizon horizon and maybe a few freighters on the tall ship Appledore 2, where I really just kind of found myself falling in love with the water, falling in love with the waves and how nothing else mattered on shore. Even though in the back of my head, it’s like, oh my gosh. I’m gonna get fired because I told my manager I was only gonna be gone for 2 weeks, and this adventure has taken the better part of a month. And so, long story short, got to Key West, came back to the shelter, and I was at Delaunas for about 2 more months and realized that this cubicle position in a county organization was just not for me because I was frustrated.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:05:10]:
And I was frustrated with being a social worker and having all of these tools to help someone better their situation and empower their moments, but only really being as effective as, I guess the resources I had access to was really kind of my glass ceiling that I kept hitting. So realizing that when I was going for like clinical team meetings at hospitals, it’s like, oh, you’re a social worker. They’re like, no. I’m an occupational therapist, but people don’t need job coaching. Like, they already have a job. And then that’s when I learned, like, what an actual occupational therapist did and how it’s so much more than just the perceived notion of job coaching. So decided to pursue master’s degree. And when I was doing my shadowing, I always like to ask my peers.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:05:52]:
It’s like, hey. You know, what was the 1 thing that you wish that you would have done differently in your educational career or in the beginning of your, you know, actual career after graduating. And 2 people specifically stated they wish they went all the way for their doctorate. And so that’s where I discovered that University of Michigan Flint was actually 1 of the first doctorate programs in Michigan, and it actually wasn’t that horribly far away from Ypsilanti, Michigan. So that’s where I decided to pursue my doctorate in occupational therapy.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:06:18]:
And that was really 1 of the other questions because there are opportunities to be able to get both a master’s, an MSOT, a master’s in occupational therapy, as well as a doctorate in occupational therapy. And the University of Michigan Flint was the first program in the state of Michigan, but it sounds like the 1 of the main factors in your decision was that, was looking for that OTD versus the MSOT. Were there any other factors that you thought of, that you considered as you were looking at different programs for for yourself?

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:06:46]:
Sure. I just I realized being in my thirties, I mean, I started my OT program when I was 33, and I was like, this is it. Like, we’re not changing careers again. My early life crisis is going to be the only 1 that I have. And so just kind of looking at the opportunities of an MSOT and an OTD and realizing that it’s only 6 more months. I mean, granted, the program is there’s nothing about that program that is only it was very intense, but it gives you the tools and the empowerment to be like, okay, if you don’t know it, here’s the skills that you need to hit the research, hit the medical literature, the networking opportunities of doing all the different outings and engagements with the program to help empower you to be that resource. So the 1 thing that was frustrating as a social worker is that it seemed that unless you’re going into therapy, your resources in the community was actually what measured your impactfulness, where as an occupational therapist, your brain is that tool. So if it’s not enough, it’s up to you and your professional development plan to always keep growing and always keep learning.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:07:49]:
You know, even now just as a new a new OT in the career, it’s like I’m finding myself in situations that weren’t necessarily covered all in-depth during the program. So I’m reaching back out to my mentors. It’s like, where can I find more information about, you know, this diagnosis, this condition, these interventions? And it’s all at your fingertips. You know, you hit the literature, hit the research, hit your networking and your peer supports, and you are the resource. There is no glass ceiling.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:08:14]:
So you made the choice. You decided to change careers, move from social work into occupational therapy. You jumped into that program. That program is a full time program. So you go in with a cohort of other students, and you’re working along for those 3 years as you’re learning about becoming an occupational therapist, building those skills to prepare yourself for the future. As you made that transition in and you were identifying for yourself some of those first and foremost things, talk to me about what you had to do to set yourself up for success. And what did you have to do to maintain your success throughout the graduate program, especially after not being in school for a number of years?

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:08:58]:
The preparation was nothing of what I expected because I started this program in August of 2020. So we were in full blown pandemic and being a new program and everyone not knowing what to do with the pandemic, it was a lot of ebb and flow. So I met my faculty and my cohort on a Zoom call, and then I quickly realized that I do not have the attention to sit at the computer and look at a screen. I am an in person learner. I’m a hands on learner. So having to, first off, figure out what type of learner you are, what do you require from your educators, what do you require from your classmates to support you. And then also working from home as a student into making that space, making that routine. So I was lucky enough to have a home where I could be like, yep.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:09:46]:
This is my desk. And when I sit down and sit at this computer, I’m going to stay here for x amount of time until I get these tasks done. And then just having that having that dedication to your tasks and not allowing yourself to just fall into that procrastination. Because if there’s anything that I can tell anyone that wants to go under a doctorate program, you will get overwhelmed by the list of assignments and projects and having multiple different group projects going on at the same time. I’ve never had such a heavy caseload as I did in the doctorate program, but I also look back on reflecting it is that just giving myself grace because we were going through a pandemic. We’re being forced to learn in a non typical way, and our only on campus learning for the 1st semester was our anatomy lab, but then our anatomy lecture was online. And so it was very interesting. So I would say learning your learning your learning style, you know, what type of learner are you? I realized that I couldn’t just sit and read.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:10:44]:
I needed to print out, highlight, handwrite, whether that was handwriting on my tablet or just taking the time to do that, you know, manual writing because I knew that’s how I was gonna retain information. And then also just working out a core study group with my classmates because everything was online and on screens. It’s like, I I just don’t wanna be at screens anymore. They wanna be in person. So then getting that group together that you can actually sit and teach each other and ask questions and bounce questions off of. And I guess the last part would just be to remember that your instructors are humans too. They didn’t just magically appear as instructors knowing everything. So getting to know your instructors journey? Or what was 1 thing you wish you did? So that would be where I would start.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:11:31]:
So as you’re going through this program, you already have had a career, you have a different career, a different pathway that you’d studied prior to going into occupational therapy. Not every student is going to take that leap to be able to pivot and to move in a different direction. I’d love your perspective. And as you were going through this program, how did that background in social work, how did that work experience help you to find success? And how did you draw from that past experience to, again, find success in that journey that you were on?

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:12:06]:
My background is so vast. I if you were to look at my resume before I became a social worker, it was eclectic. Eclectic. I was a jack of many trades, master of nothing. Everything from bartending to hotel front desk work to working in a quick lube shop to being working at CVS. It was it was all over the place. And so taking my varied background of knowing a little about a lot and realizing that I love engaging with people. I mean, even as a 14 year old, I volunteered with it was a 4 h project program called Bloom, where I believe I was 14, 15.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:12:43]:
We’re volunteering with children that were at the local, what they call a focus school or special ed program. And all we did was plant flowers together. So I think that’s kinda where I got my passion of wanting to help people, and I’ve always wanted to people. It’s always been kind of a personal motto of leave something better than how you found it, and that includes people also. And so realizing as a social worker that people were coming to me for resources that I had no control over. It’s like once this financial pot has ran out, I’m really just sitting here kind of pointing you in directions, but not really benefiting you, so to speak, because I did not wanna go into therapy. And that seemed to be the focus of social work is that you didn’t wanna focus on resources that you were basically utilizing, then you had to go into therapy. So as an occupational therapist, I mean, OTs, they deal with everything, daily activities, whether it’s like completing tasks or organizing or problem solving, decision making, controlling emotions, any of those, like, life management skills and anything that helps with creating, like, those coping strategies to, like, get that independence, those are all things that can come from your brain.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:13:44]:
Those are all skills and interventions that you can learn in the program or by diving into the research. And so just kind of being that support system for someone to help them better their situation and realizing that where they’re at right now is not the end was super empowerful for me. So volunteering at the local, brachial plexus clinic here in Ann Arbor kinda kept me on the front lines and engaged with people even though it was during the pandemic and very isolating. It just kinda let me not lose focus of the end goal. It’s like at the end goal, I’m gonna be doing this and the other thing. It may have absolutely nothing to do with this 15 page neuroanatomy paper that I’m working on right now, but just learning how you’re gonna apply that to your future and not losing track of, like, that 3 year plan or that 4 year plan. It’s like, where do you see yourself in 4 years And what are you learning right now to help make that future picture more clear?

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:14:35]:
Now you’ve gotten the degree. You’ve been out in the field now for a little bit of time, and you are still very involved and very active and have a lot of things going on. So now that you’ve completed that degree, how do you feel that the program prepared you for the work that you’re doing on a daily basis?

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:14:52]:
The program prepared me for, as I said, knowing a little bit about a lot. So whether it is the conditions, whether it is the life development, whether it’s, like, the anatomy, kinesiology aspect of things, the program did a really good job of giving you that intro level taste, so to speak, on all these different things. And so it’s kind of up to you personally to figure out what you want to focus on and what sort of professional development plan you’re going to pursue because they don’t teach you everything. I mean, just last week, I’m talking to a faculty still at U of M. It’s like, I just found this patient. This is their condition. This is their barriers. Point me in the right direction.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:15:34]:
And that’s where she connected me with another OT that actually works with this population as her main focus. So learning how to network, not being afraid to ask for help because the program does a great job of teaching you how to network, throwing you out there, and teaching you how you can kind of do that task analysis, do that environment analysis, and use all these different tools that they teach you, figure out what needs to be done, and then empowering you to pursue the solution, even if you may not be that full solution.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:16:05]:
Now as you look back at your graduate education, you’re now, as I said, you’re very busy. You’ve got a number of different jobs that you’re doing in regards to remote work that you’re doing, in grant work, you are a home health occupational therapist in your local area. You’ve got a lot going on. As you look back at your graduate education, and you look at the work that you’re doing now, and you think about others, whether they are thinking about going to get a doctorate in occupational therapy or just going to graduate school in some other area, What are some tips that you might offer others that are considering graduate education that would help them find success sooner?

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:16:48]:
I’m a huge moto person. I actually have a portion of my kitchen wall spray painted with chalkboard chalk paint, and I write mottos. I write quotes. I write inspirations so that as I’m sitting on my counter drinking my cup of coffee, it’s almost like an affirmation thing. And 1 motto that really got me through is don’t forget why you started. And the follow-up to that is everything you’re going through is preparing you for what you asked for. There’s many times I looked at that. I was like, I don’t know what I asked for, but it was not to go through all of this.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:17:19]:
Because there are gonna be moments you’re gonna be super overwhelmed and super checked out, and just learning how to keep yourself moving forward. Even if it’s 3 steps back and then 4 steps forward, you’re still moving forward. You’re still improving your current situation, and you’re still pursuing your goal. So to not lose faith because there are times you’ll be super overwhelmed. You’re like, what does this have to do? This instructor doesn’t get me. This homework assignment is really overwhelming. So just keep moving forward. Even if, as I said, like me, not linear.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:17:47]:
I was the 2nd oldest person in my cohort. So I felt super aged out of my program because it’s like, oh my gosh. You just early life crisis, and now you’re here with all these younger people. And then I actually found a classmate that was older than me and then another classmate that was my same age. So getting to know your cohort, like, they’re going through the exact same thing. You don’t know what else they’re dealing with, but they’re right there learning everything brand new. Also, don’t forget about the power and the feel good emotion of a checklist because I would have my little flip pen and it would be full. It would be full 2 pages worth, but just having that gratification of crossing things off your list and then hanging on to it because you’ll have weeks where you’re like, oh my gosh.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:18:29]:
I can’t do this. I don’t know how I’m gonna handle this. But then you kinda, like, flip back through the pages. It’s like, oh my gosh. This time last month, I was doing so much more, and I knocked it out because it’s all crossed up. I didn’t fill that semester because I’m here at this semester. So kind of keeping those empowerment tools would be a really big thing and save everything. Don’t delete anything.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:18:48]:
Keep everything because there will be a moment that you will be in another class. You’re like, dang, that 1 class on that 1 lecture, but you couldn’t remember exactly what that PowerPoint slide had. So whether it is printing everything into OneNote, whether it is organizing Google Drive, whatever your thing is, is keep everything so that you can control f it later and build up your resources. And also just making sure that you just keep moving forward and give yourself grace because you’re doing something you’ve never done before. And there’s a reason you started, and don’t forget why you did it.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:19:21]:
Well, Shanna, I just wanna say thank you for sharing that. I completely agree with the last thing that you just said. And 1 thing to keep in mind for you as you go through graduate school is that as you’re going through, there are those notes, there are resources, there are things that you’re going to learn that you may end up having or wanting to refer back on. Sometimes you might be compelled to saying, okay, I’m done with that term. I don’t need it anymore. But realize that many times you’re going to relate back to those things in your career. And that by keeping some of those things along the way, you’re not having to start from square 1. That doesn’t mean you need to keep it forever, but it means that down the road that, yes, there are going to be things that you’re gonna wanna do to be able to relate back to that, to refer back to that, to be able to help you in that journey that you’re on.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:20:15]:
So keep that in mind as well. But, Shanna, thank you. Thank you for sharing your journey today. Thank you for all the resources that you’ve shared and the experience that you’ve had thus far and your willingness to be able to help others along the way. And I wish you all the best.

Dr. Shanna Haver [00:20:29]:
Thank you so much. I really appreciate this opportunity. And like I said, even if your journey is not linear, just keep it moving forward. I mean, if you would’ve talked to me 5 years ago, I could’ve never told you that I would have graduated from a doctorate program, been referred to as doctor Haver, been consulted as an environment modification, I guess, knowledge. And having started my own LLC and have a current patent pending on an autonomy doc because trying to convince the general public that accessibility is not the only thing that is not the bar to reach. Let’s go past accessibility, and that’s what I’m currently working with a study with Kennedy Krieger and a grant from the National Disability System and DHS. And I would have never done any of this if I hadn’t actually taken that leap and step 1 step out of my comfort zone. So don’t forget why you started and just turn your passions into your career, and you’ll be fulfilled.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:21:25]:
The University of Michigan Flint has a full array of master and doctorate programs if you are interested in continuing your education. Whether you’re looking for in person or online learning options, the University of Michigan Flint has programs that will meet your needs. For more information on any of our graduate programs, visit umflint.edu forward slash graduate programs to find out more. Thanks again for spending time with me as you prepare to be a victor in grad school. I look forward to speaking with you again soon as we embark together on your graduate school journey. If you have any questions or want to reach out, email me at [email protected].

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