"As each day passes, I continue to learn and push myself further outside my comfort zone. I am increasingly thankful and happy with my choice to attend Midwestern University."
Name: Madeline Lutz
Program/Year: College of Health Sciences, Glendale Campus, Occupational Therapy Program, Class of 2025
Hometown: Rochester, MN
Undergraduate degree: Bachelor’s degree in Health Humanities and Psychology with a minor in Gerontology from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN.
What inspired you to pursue a healthcare career?
My hometown is the home of the Mayo Clinic, so healthcare workers were all around me. I’ve always been interested in helping others and knew that pursuing a healthcare career would be fulfilling. I chose a career very seriously and observed various professions. It only took one observation with an occupational therapist to realize that that’s what I wanted to pursue. I was drawn to occupational therapy’s focus on helping others reclaim their passions by manipulating the environment to better suit the individual.
How did your background and history factor into your career choice?
I am not only a first-generation college student, but also the first to pursue a graduate degree in my immediate family! My siblings and I were raised with the understanding that college could provide us with a better life. Earning a degree could offer better job prospects, more financial stability, and more life opportunities. My parents didn’t have the same support or access to a college education growing up, so they sacrificed to provide my siblings and me the opportunity to obtain a higher education. My inspiration throughout undergraduate and now graduate school has been my parents. I am not only working towards my master’s degree for myself, but also for them. I hope to inspire my siblings and the generations to come to not be afraid to pave a new path. While it may be scary and unknown at times, it is also exciting, purposeful, and fulfilling.
Why did you decide to attend Midwestern University?
During the interview process, Midwestern was the only school to personalize the interview to me. The interviewers came prepared, knowing a snippet of who I was and what I had accomplished before conducting the interview. This preparation on their behalf allowed us the time to get to know one another, delving deeper into the program. The faculty within the occupational therapy program are outstanding and inspirational. The opportunities that Midwestern offers are unlike those of competing schools. Faculty members have a wide range of experience in the OT field. As each day passes, I continue to learn and push myself further outside my comfort zone. I am increasingly thankful and happy with my choice to attend Midwestern University.
What about a Midwestern University education do you want to carry forward in your career?
Midwestern has given me the opportunity to complete a level two fieldwork in Australia, encouraging me to continue to push my comfort zones, learn about other cultures and healthcare systems, and create a larger professional network. I hope to continue to stay curious about the profession and advocate for the important work occupational therapists can accomplish, just as my professors continue to do. I look forward to fulfilling my long-term goal of providing and strengthening skills to help patients comfortably participate in their daily activities of life, regain their personal passions and, overall, improve their lives.
