Sometimes you meet someone for the first time and feel like instant friends. At our photoshoot, I confessed something to Maddie I’ve never publicly acknowledged: I’m basically a closeted bachelorette fan. ? Thanks, Maddie, for being so inviting that I shared my guilty pleasure within 30 minutes of knowing you. ? And for a future occupational therapist, this is such an excellent quality!

If you look closely in these images, you’ll see a delicate fern tattoo on Maddie’s wrist. She got it inked 3 years ago when she found out that the fern symbolizes resilience and growth in spite of challenges and non-ideal conditions. To carry such a strong message with you everyday is powerful. To focus on growth, progress, and positivity when facing inevitable difficulties is such a wonderful reminder.

With her resilience and wisdom, it’s no wonder Maddie graduated in the top 12% of her class (in Biobehavioral Health). She’s headed for an exciting, challenging, and rewarding journey to earn her doctorate in Occupational Therapy. I love her holistic approach to medicine. She wishes to make her “patients smile and enhance their everyday lives”. It’s not just about alleviating pain/discomfort, but it’s also about adding joy and meaning! Such a bright future for this scholar!