Occupational Therapy doctoral students present capstone projects

May 2026 graduates of the WVU School of Medicine’s Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) program presented their capstone projects, marking the culmination of their 14-week projects in a specialized area of occupational therapy.  

The OTD capstone project is a mentored, experiential learning opportunity that enables students to explore a specific area of occupational therapy that interests them. Students select either clinical or community-based sites where they gain hands-on experience in a specialized skill area and make a direct impact. 

The capstone experience allows students to develop advanced skills in project development and evaluation, clinical practice, research, leadership and advocacy. 

Specialized occupational therapy areas chosen by students included: 

• Developing a transitional life skills curriculum for junior and senior high school students to support life beyond the classroom. Topics included: Adulting 101 (social media footprint, job search), Finances, Budgeting and Taxes, and Professional Skills (resumé building, email communication). 
• Developing a community-dwelling, retiree wellness and fitness program at a boutique spin studio, enabling the student to develop skills in yoga, mindfulness and business marketing. 
• Advocating for individuals with housing instability through group offerings and consultative support. This project led to a job offer at the site, which had no occupational therapist before.  
• Developing caregiver education and training for parents of children with identified life skills delays and caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury in partnership with the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities (CED). 

“This year’s capstone projects were so diverse. I think this reflects not only our Division’s strengths in providing opportunities for students to follow their passions, but also the expertise of our faculty and community partners in mentoring these student projects,” Kayleigh Nolan, PhD, MOT, OTR/L, SCLV, PMH-C, CPRP, assistant professor and doctoral capstone coordinator, said. 

Meet the students 

Callie Honaker completed her capstone project at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Morgantown. Her project examined sensory deficits in adults with central nervous system injuries in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. Her findings guided the development of a sensory program within the hospital that provided resources for patients, caregivers and therapists, including a sensory workbook, low-stimulation room and sensory toolkits for therapy evaluations.  

After graduation, Honaker plans to work within the inpatient rehab setting and hopes to become certified in brain injury and stroke rehabilitation. She credits her hands-on experience in the WVU OTD program with building her confidence and giving her the skills she needed before going out into the field. 

“My capstone experience gave me the opportunity to become efficient in completing sensory assessments with adults and build my confidence working with the neuro population,” Honaker said. “Throughout this experience, I learned how to lead program development within a healthcare system and contribute to system-wide improvements.” 

Sierra Hays completed her capstone project at WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital and the WVU Medicine Physician’s Office Center in Morgantown. In the WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Clinic, she focused on analyzing data for improvements in active movement scale scores following neurosurgical interventions andOnabotulinum ToxinA injections. This involved looking at data to determine how much functional arm movement patients gained after intervention. At the Physician’s Office Center, Hays focused on evaluating the consulting role occupational therapists can play in primary and specialty care clinics.  

After graduation, Hays is completing a pediatric hand therapy fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She believes her capstone project played a pivotal role in her receiving this opportunity.  

“I feel very confident in my abilities as a future clinician due to all of the learning opportunities we had during my three years in the OTD program,” Hays said. “I also feel more confident in conducting research since my capstone project was essentially my own research project. I will have to complete another research project for my fellowship, so having this experience makes me more confident. I believe that all of the opportunities I had while in school here set me up to be a very competitive applicant for this fellowship I was offered. I do not think I would have  had relationships and support like this at any other school.” 

Zaccardi Muniz completed her capstone project at the Rosenbaum Family House (RFH) in Morgantown. The RFH provides lodging for adult patients and their families receiving medical care at a WVU Medicine facility. Muniz’s project focused on supporting the health and well-being of RFH guests. She led groups to support stress relief, social participation and skill-building. She also created four West Virginia county-based resource guides so guests could locate specialized and reduced-cost services in their own communities. Muniz presented information about the RFH in meetings with WVU Medicine employees to help more families get the support they need during their stay in Morgantown.  

“From my capstone experience, I have learned how to take the lead in developing my ideas into concrete results that can support others in multiple aspects,” she said. “My favorite part of the OT program has been my capstone and fieldwork experiences. Through these experiences, I gained invaluable knowledge and skills that I will use throughout my career. I have also had amazing mentors who made these learning opportunities exceptional. My professors and mentors have helped me develop the skills necessary to become the supportive, driven clinician I aim to be.” 

The OTD program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), making it the only fully accredited doctoral program of its kind in West Virginia. 

Learn more about the Occupational Therapy programs at medicine.wvu.edu/ot/. For pathways to this degree, visit medicine.wvu.edu/students/pre-health.