Scholarships

March 1, 2025

Scardina Scholarship  

Ginny Scardina (1921-2007) was a Cincinnati-based occupational therapist who served as a beloved mentor, peer, educator, and scholar inspiring many local therapists to follow in her footsteps. Xavier’s OTD Program proudly offers an annual scholarship in her name. The awardees this year were Jessica Neyer, Class of 2024, and, Richelle Cameron, Class of 2025.  

Annually, the Mildred Virginia “Ginny” Scardina Occupational Therapy Scholarship is awarded to an occupational therapy student at Xavier University who shows experience, interest, and/or aptitude to work in a school system or a setting where education is key to intervention; and, who has the aptitude for successful inter-professional collaboration. In 2024, there were two awardees, one from the graduating cohort of 2024, Jessica Neyer, and another from the graduating cohort of 2025, Richelle Cameron. Congratulations, Jessica & Richelle.

Jessica Neyer, OTD Class of 2024, plans to work as an occupational therapist with children who are placed in foster care addressing childhood trauma through sensory interventions to include education of foster families, caseworkers, and school personnel. Jessica completed her Level II rotations at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center and The Christ Hospital, and, her capstone on Integrating Occupational Therapy into a Foster Care Clinic. 

Upon graduation, Richelle, Class of 2025, plans to work in a pediatric community setting where she can meet the mental health needs of children in schools. Additionally, she looks forward to mentoring other occupational therapy students so they too will share her passion for providing mental health interventions in schools. Richelle was among a team who presented her scoping review at the Ohio Occupational Therapy Association Fall Annual Conference entitled, “School-Based Interventions for Adolescent Emotional Regulation Post-COVID 19 Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review/ OTPs Role as Part of an Interdisciplinary School-Based Mental Health Model.” 

AOTF Scholarship

We are excited to announce that Cora Pack, an OTD student from the class of 2026, has been awarded the Ohio AOTF Scholarship. Please join us in congratulating Cora on this remarkable achievement and wishing her continued success in her studies and future career!