Maya Major has hoped to become an occupational therapist for years. It’s just been about finding the right path to make that dream a reality.
After earning an associate degree in general science in 2022, she set out to find a bachelor’s program that fit her demanding schedule as a behavioral technician for a rehab center in New Orleans.
“I was looking for a flexible program that was in line with my career goal,” says Major.
That search led her to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s online Health Promotion & Wellness program.
“UL Lafayette had a kinesiology program that was online and accepted all my credits. That was a huge plus — I didn’t have to start from scratch.”
Now, Major completed the program ahead of schedule and closer than ever to making her occupational therapy dreams a reality.
Laying the Foundation for Occupational Therapy
For Major, navigating a program with accelerated eight-week classes was a collaborative effort with supportive faculty who made the journey feel more like a partnership than a challenge.
“I love my advisor, Lisa LeBlanc. She’s like my school parent even though we’ve only communicated online,” says Major.
That strong support system was vital as Major pushed herself to finish the program in just a year and a half.
“I was trying to get into the OT program in January, and Ms. LeBlanc reached out and said, ‘Well, OK, I'll do a couple of one-on-one classes with you so you can hurry up and get through the program.’”
As her program accelerated, so did the demands on her time. Juggling 18-hour course loads required careful planning.
“The classes being online made it very flexible and allowed me to fit it in around my work schedule, but you do need to learn time management,” she says.
There were days when timing didn’t go according to plan, but the flexibility of the program allowed her to maintain control over her academic path.
“Sometimes I had a test scheduled during a shift, or I couldn’t make it back home in time, but the professors always worked with me,” Major recalls. “They allowed me to take tests at a time that worked for me.”
The time management, adaptability, and close student-faculty relationships have laid a solid foundation for what’s to come.
Charting the Path Forward
Major’s time in the Health Promotion & Wellness program has given her the tools to not only advance in her current role but also to pave the way for her future career.
She’s already been able to put the skills she’s gained into practice at work.
“I work with children who have autism, and because the health promotion and wellness program is so interactive, I’m able to apply some of those communication skills I learned from the program to my interactions with the children and with my team,” she says.
With a freshly earned B.S. in Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Wellness, Major is already charting her path forward. She’s been accepted into an OT program in Dallas, where she’ll begin classes this January.
“My long-term goal is to, of course, complete grad school and become an occupational therapist,” she says. “Then, I want to open my own clinic. I’d like to start off with pediatrics, but then I’d like to gear my practice towards adults and geriatric also.”
As someone who has successfully balanced the demands of online learning, work, and life, Major offers this advice to students navigating their own paths:
“As an online student, we’re also juggling personal things and it’s a little more difficult to stay disciplined. So, it’s important that you develop some time management skills to stay focused and balanced so that you can be successful.”
Ready to take the next step in your career? Discover how UL Lafayette’s online Health Promotion & Wellness program can help you reach your goals.
