Coming to Towson University was one of the biggest risks of Meagan Downey鈥檚 life.

She already had an extensive education, earning bachelor鈥檚 degrees in biology and dance from Bard College in New York as well as a master鈥檚 degree in environmental education from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Downey even had her dream job, working as a program manager at in Columbia, Maryland. But after 10 years there another dream came true. She and her husband had a son.

鈥淚 was working a lot of weekends,鈥� Downey says. 鈥淚 was interested in doing something different so my schedule would align a bit more with my son.鈥�

One fateful day at the nature center, she was working with a group called Leadership Howard County, which brought in occupational therapists to make the nature center more accessible to visitors on the autism spectrum.

鈥淚 found that project really cool and satisfying鈥攔emov[ing] barriers for people to do things they might want to do,鈥� Downey says. 鈥淚鈥檇 never heard of occupational therapy. I started looking into it, taking the prerequisites and applied to Towson University because it was the only program in Maryland that has an entry-level doctorate.鈥�

Before taking the leap into 撸先生's Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, she wanted to make sure the school was right for her. So she attended the Graduate Studies Open House.

It was there she met occupational therapy faculty members as well as students already in the program. She even met a recent alum who was doing nature-based occupational therapy.

After a full year in the program, Downey can鈥檛 help but feel like she made the right decision.

鈥淚鈥檓 learning how to create splints for people, different techniques for treating mental health, coping mechanisms and stress management. It鈥檚 been really great for me,鈥� Downey says. 鈥淢y cohort [is a group of] amazing people who have backgrounds in health science, exercise science and health promotion. So I learn a lot from them as well.鈥�

She鈥檚 also integrated into her new campus as a research assistant for occupational therapy faculty member Amanda Jozkowski and as a member of the Occupational Therapy Student Advisory Board.

As she continues along her new career path, Downey credits the help she鈥檚 received from the faculty and her fellow cohort members for making her transition smoother.

鈥淗aving this support means I can realize my dream,鈥� Downey says. 鈥淟eaving a stable job was a big risk. But I feel like there鈥檚 been a lot of support.鈥�