Student SIG Officers

Andrea Keller

PTA Co-Chair

Clark State Community College

Seth Oberst

Vice Chair

Treasurer

Ohio University

Michelle Luchini

Secretary

The Ohio State University

Bethany Stidd

Website Coordinator

Ohio University

Alyssa Taylor

Activities Coordinator

University of Cincinnati

Caitlin Bisbing

Student Challenge Coordinator

University

JJ Kuczynski

APTA Student Assemby Rep

Walsh University

Student Special Interest Group (SSIG)

The purpose of this special interest group is to give students a voice in the OPTA. The group provides students with a way for students having a common interest may meet, confer, and promote the interests of student members, the OPTA, and the APTA. It will be a vehicle by which valuable information can be disseminated to physical therapist and physical therapist assistant students about current events affecting the profession.

The objectives of the student SIG are to:

provide for exchange of information among Student SIG members concerning issues confronting the profession
identify and respond to areas of concern related to student members
promote the role of students in physical therapy in Ohio
promote membership in and an understanding of the APTA, the OPTA, and the Student SIG
encourage participation of students in the SIG and in the OPTA
assist the OPTA and APTA in furthering the profession of physical therapy in Ohio

Benefits:

networking opportunities with other students in Ohio as well as your leaders in the OPTA
mentoring opportunities
develop leadership skills through
interactions with the leaders of the association
receive important information about workings of the OPTA
receive important information preparing students for their future as PTs and PTAs

Officer structure:

Co-Chairs: one PT and one PTA student

Reports to the Student Affairs Chair(s).
Works with Chair(s) of the Student Affairs Committee to plan the Student Symposium at the OPTA Annual Conference.
Serves as key contacts for the PT and PTA Programs in Ohio.
Prepares an agenda for monthly SSIG conference calls (coordinates reports from other officers to include on the agenda).
Presides at monthly SSIG conference calls.
All executive positions listed below report to the PT and PTA Co-Chairs

Vice Chair/Treasurer/Nominating Chair:

Assists with general communication between all SIG officers and takes initiative to fill in when there is an absence of respective officer(s).
Coordinates and welcomes incoming SSIG class/school representatives.
Serves as nominating chair to slate candidates for SSIG office and helps to coordinate SSIG elections.
Treasurer duties:
Works with Student Affairs Chair(s) and OPTA Treasurer to develop strategies for fund-raising and for the Student SIG becoming financially independent.
Gives input to Student Affairs Chair(s) and OPTA Treasurer for SIG budget.

Secretary:

Records minutes from each SIG meeting.
Sends meeting minutes to Student Affairs Chair(s) to be disseminated to the SSIG executive board, ACCEs, and school representatives.
Works with the Student Affairs Chair(s) in gathering articles for the student corner of the ACCESS newsletter.
Supports and organizes communication with other SSIG officers.

Website Coordinator:

Works with the Student Affairs Chair(s) and Chapter Staff to keep the OPTA student website, OPTA SSIG website, and OPTA Student Facebook page updated.
Monitors the OPTA Student Facebook page during monthly conference calls to field questions to the group.
Coordinates volunteers for the monthly SSIG Journal Club that takes place on conference calls.

Activity Coordinator:

Responsible for organizing extracurricular activities related to the OPTA students in collaboration with the OPTA.
Duties range from organizing community events (walks, runs, charities) to keeping students updated about current events going on throughout the state on calls.

Student Challenge Coordinator:

Responsible for organization of and critiquing of the Student Challenge at the Student Symposium.
Helps solicit and organize Student Challenge game questions before the Symposium.
Coordinates game set-up, team registration, and presents the game rules at the Student Challenge before serving as emcee of the event.
Works with Student Affairs Chair(s) and OPTA office staff for logistics of the event.
Officer may wish to form a subcommittee within the SSIG to assist with completion of Student Challenge duties.

Core Ambassador to APTA Student Assembly:

Serves as Ohio’s link between the Student Assembly and the Student Assembly Board of Directors.
Serves as a contact point throughout the Ohio chapter and for all PT and PTA programs.
Distributes all relevant information about becoming involved in the Student Assembly.
Works with Student Affairs Chair (Co-Chairs) to share information from APTA/Student Assembly to students across the state.
Provides 1-3 presentations regarding APTA membership, the profession, etc.
Performs at least one advocacy project during term
This position is elected at OPTA’s Annual Conference, however, this position requires a 3 month overlap of incoming/outgoing officers for mentoring before the Core Ambassador term begins at the time of APTA’s Annual Conference (consistent with other APTA Components).

Student SIG Meeting Minutes:

Student SIG Officers

Andrea Johnson

Andrea Keller

Seth Oberst

Michelle Luchini

Bethany Stidd

Alyssa Taylor

Caitlin Bisbing

JJ Kuczynski

Student Special Interest Group (SSIG)

The objectives of the student SIG are to:

Benefits:

Officer structure:

Student SIG Meeting Minutes:

2013:

2012:

2011:

2010:

2009:

2008:

2007

2006

Special Interest Groups