• Class: 2021
• Majors: Occupational Therapy
• College: Panuska College of Professional Studies
• Hometown: Allentown, PA

ENGAGEMENT WITH A PASSION

Bailey McLaughlin’s love for service and the arts has helped her become a more open-minded occupational therapy student. Whether it’s coordinating crochet class in the prison, directing communications for student government, singing in the church choir, delivering meals during the pandemic or acting with Liva Arts Company, she has made the most of the immense opportunities that await all students on Scranton’s campus.

On leadership

There are so many opportunities for leadership at different levels at Scranton. You don’t have to be the student leader at every Orientation (but you can be!). You can be the vice president of a club. You don’t have to do the biggest job on campus, but you can still be involved as a leader.

On creating opportunities

Programming is great on campus, but if you can’t find it, you can make it. I chartered a knitting club that turned into an interest in crocheting, which I now teach at the prison. That led me to teach craft classes at the recovery bank downtown. It’s really meaningful, and it has also influenced what I want to do in OT.

On real-world skills

I’m taking a (non-credit) leadership capstone course through the Center for Student Engagement, and we are wrapping up our experiences at the University and reflecting back on those experiences. This way, we can transition these skills that we learned here at Scranton into our professions.