Military Spouse and Mother of Two Graduates Top of OTA Class

For Jessica Christianson, a recent CFCC graduate and military spouse, the path to becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant was anything but typical.

Her initial interest in CFCC’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program began years ago. “I attended one of the information sessions in 2017 and was immediately impressed with its strong reputation,” Jessica shares. “Shortly after, my husband and I found out we were expecting our daughter, so I decided to put my education on hold and focus on our growing family.”

Seven years later, with two young children and a husband serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, she revisited that dream and was thrilled once she was accepted into the program.

Occupational Therapy Matters

“The most rewarding part of studying to become an OTA has been gaining not only the clinical skills and knowledge needed to promote patient independence, but also developing the compassion and empathy needed to build meaningful connections,” Jessica shares.

One of those connections stuck with her during her fieldwork when she worked with a patient who had difficulty self-feeding due to significantly decreased hand function.

“When I first met her, she required total assistance from care staff to eat because she couldn’t hold standard utensils. During one session, she said to me, ‘I just want to feed myself. It’s so humiliating to have someone feed you as a grown adult.’ That moment stuck with me.”

“Our team recommended adaptive utensils with built-up, bendable handles to accommodate her limited range of motion. They worked like a charm after training her on how to use them! On my last day at the facility, I walked past her room and saw her independently feeding herself. She looked up, smiled, and waved at me with genuine joy. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

“It reminded me why occupational therapy matters. Even a small modification can restore dignity, independence, and confidence in someone’s everyday life.”

Navigating Unexpected Deployments

Jessica’s husband was unexpectedly deployed twice while she was in the program, once during a critical clinical rotation. He was often away for extended training for weeks and months. With two children ages six and three, she had to balance parenting solo at times with the demanding workload of the OTA program.

“Open and consistent communication helped me overcome these obstacles,” Jessica explains. “I prioritized staying in touch with my professors, fieldwork educators, and support system to ensure I met my family’s needs and academic responsibilities. I truly believe effective communication was the key to staying grounded and successfully navigating this season of life.”

And Jessica didn’t just get through the program, she excelled. She graduated as one of the top students in her class.

A New Start in Alabama

Now, she’s preparing to sit for her board exam before starting her career as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in Alabama, where her husband has received new duty station orders.

“The OTA program is more than just learning skills. It’s about growing as a person, developing clinical reasoning, and learning how to truly connect with people during some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives,” Jessica reflects. “Every challenge I faced in the program came with growth, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”