In her own words

Yaa Kornne

My parents came to America for a better future for their family. They urged me to work hard and excel in my academics to further my prosperity and success, thus instilling the importance of education in me. I am motivated by their work and encouragement. As a first-generation American and low-income, first-generation college student, I am determined to excel in higher education and am driven by my educational curiosity and career goals. Through my athletic career, I gained interest in physical activity, injury prevention, and recovery. I am in awe of the human body’s anatomy and physiology, and the methods of how our bodies sustain, manage, and recover from physical activity, disability, or injury. I am fascinated by the puzzle and journey in solving and working through our body’s adversities. This interest led to my aspirations of occupational therapy. Through my undergraduate career I plan on studying the aspects of rehabilitation science, community health assessment, and assistive technology. These realms of study will give me the opportunity to learn more about the interdisciplinary field of healthcare, engage in academically challenging coursework, network, and strengthen my professional and personal skills. I will build on my understanding of methods to enhance and restore functional ability and the quality of my patients’ life through rehabilitation. I will explore the intersectionality of rehabilitation, therapy, community health, and technology during my pursuit of becoming an occupational therapist. During this journey I plan on making my family proud and becoming our first college graduate.

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