Occupational Therapy students present research rooted in purpose, practice and calling.
There is a moment each spring at Concordia University Ann Arbor when the classroom feels a little quieter.
It is not because the work has slowed. It is because the work has stepped into the spotlight.
The CUAA Student Scholar Expo gives students a formal space to present their research, scholarship and creative projects to a broad audience. It is both celebratory and professional. Posters line the room. Faculty lean in with questions. Peers pause, listen and nod. For OT students, the Expo is more than a presentation requirement. It is a visible marker of who they are becoming.
“The CUAA Student Scholar Expo provides students with a formal platform to showcase their research, academic scholarship, and creative projects to a diverse audience,” says Sarah Renner, Ph.D., M.S., OTR/L, RYT, assistant professor in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program. “It is a celebratory yet professional space where students disseminate meaningful work, engage in scholarly dialogue, and practice communicating their ideas beyond the classroom.”
For OT students, she explains, the experience reflects “their emerging identity as evidence-informed practitioners and leaders in the profession.”
The shift from learner to professional
By the time students stand beside their posters, something has changed.
“At this stage, our OT students are transitioning from learners to professionals,” Renner says. “Presenting at the Expo allows them to articulate their clinical reasoning, defend their methods, and speak confidently about their contributions to the field.”
That shift is not abstract. It is personal. Students are no longer completing assignments for a grade. They are speaking as contributors to their profession.
“It reinforces their role not only as consumers of research, but as contributors to the profession,” she says.
The result is growth you can see. Students answer questions with clarity. They explain why their topic matters. They speak about real people and real needs. They begin to recognize their own authority.
Work that meets real needs
The projects themselves are as varied as the students presenting them.
“Our OT students present a wide range of scholarly work, including faculty-mentored research projects developed through our intensive research course series and Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved studies driven by their professional passions,” Renner says.
Topics have included biophilic design, maternal health, artificial intelligence in practice, community-based health interventions, mental health programming and other emerging areas within occupational therapy.
Graduating students also present outcomes from their doctoral capstone projects, completed in nontraditional or emerging practice settings. Many focus on program development, advocacy, education or systems-level change.
“Students are not simply exploring theoretical ideas — they are addressing tangible needs, evaluating interventions, and contributing to conversations that shape the future of occupational therapy,” Renner says.
It is careful work. It is practical work. And it is grounded in service.
Becoming the expert in the room
Ask Renner what stands out most on Expo day, and her answer comes quickly.
“What stands out most is their confidence and ownership,” she says. “Over the course of the program, students immerse themselves in a topic, wrestle with the literature, navigate setbacks and refine their thinking. By the time they present, they truly become the content experts in the room.”
There is something powerful about watching that unfold.
“Watching them stand beside their work — speaking clearly, answering questions thoughtfully and engaging in professional dialogue — is incredibly powerful,” she says. “It is a visible moment where you see the shift from student to colleague.”
Faculty mentorship plays a steady role in that growth. Throughout the research course series, students work closely with OT faculty to shape projects that are meaningful and methodologically sound. They receive structured feedback. They move through the IRB process. They refine their scholarly voice.
For capstone projects, students collaborate with the doctoral capstone coordinator and faculty mentors to keep their work focused, feasible and aligned with professional scope.
“Mentorship provides both accountability and encouragement,” Renner says. “The Expo becomes the natural culmination of that sustained, intentional guidance.”
Vocation on display
At Concordia, scholarship is never separated from calling.
“The Expo reflects Concordia’s commitment to vocation and service by highlighting work that is rooted in purpose and impact,” Renner says. “Our students are not conducting research for its own sake, they are addressing real human needs, advocating for underserved populations, and designing interventions that promote participation and dignity.”
The growth is intellectual, yes. It is also professional and personal.
“Students grow intellectually through scholarship, professionally through dissemination, and personally as they step into leadership roles,” she says. “The Expo becomes more than a presentation venue — it becomes a space where faith, calling, service and professional identity intersect.”
Public presentation changes students in ways a traditional assignment cannot.
“Students move beyond submitting work for a grade and instead prepare to engage with a broader professional audience,” Renner says. “They must discuss complex ideas clearly, anticipate questions, and articulate the ‘why’ behind their work.”
And perhaps most importantly, they learn that their voices matter.
“It also reinforces that their ideas matter — not just within a classroom, but within the profession and community,” she says.
Work worth sharing
For prospective students considering Concordia’s OT program, Renner hopes the message is clear.
“Prospective students should know that at CUAA, they will not simply complete assignments — they will create work worth sharing,” she says. “Opportunities like the Student Scholar Expo demonstrate our commitment to developing practitioner-scholars who think critically, lead with purpose, and contribute meaningfully to the profession.”
From idea development to public dissemination, students are supported each step of the way. By the time they graduate, they leave with tangible scholarly and capstone experiences that reflect both competence and calling.
The Expo is one day on the calendar. For many OT students, it is the day they begin to see themselves differently. And so does everyone else in the room.
Join us for our next Student Scholar Expo on Friday, May 1.
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Concordia University Ann Arbor is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.
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