Elizabethtown College hosted the 2026 Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association (POTA) Conference from Sept. 25 to 27, welcoming nearly 350 practitioners from across the state to engage in professional development, networking, and collaborative learning. View photos from the conference.
“Hosting the 2026 annual POTA conference was a significant milestone for Elizabethtown College’s Occupational Therapy program,” Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Gina Fox said. “Welcoming clinicians, faculty and students from across the state for the conference provided an amazing opportunity to increase visibility of the College, our OT program, and the scholarship we engage in. It also offered great opportunities for both faculty and students to engage in professional networking, making connections and advocating for the profession.”
During the annual conference, healthcare practitioners from across the state of Pennsylvania shared the latest clinical developments and showcased innovation through educational programming and hands-on learning opportunities.
This year’s conference, “Thriving Together: Collective Practice, Innovation, and Care,” honored POTA’s 50th anniversary, offering a timely connection to Etown’s Occupational Therapy program’s own 50th anniversary, which was celebrated during the 2025–26 academic year. For five decades, Etown’s program has prepared compassionate practitioners while advancing the field through meaningful service.
Seven Etown faculty members, three current students, as well as over 10 alumni delivered oral presentations on a variety of subjects. Thirteen current students, three recent graduates, six faculty, and several alumni presented posters across the conference’s five poster sessions.
“The opportunity to present my research was incredibly meaningful to me, as it allowed my work to reach a much larger audience outside of Etown,” Etown Occupational Therapy major Gabrielle Oliphant ’26, who is researching the role of occupational therapy in supporting individuals with juvenile arthritis, said. “I hope this research can help improve the occupational therapy experiences of individuals with juvenile arthritis, including my sister, by supporting therapists in providing care that helps each person increase their participation in everyday life.”
In collaboration with POTA’s Commission on Conference, Etown faculty and students developed a local conference committee (LLC) to plan the conference, addressing event logistics and programming. Preparation meetings began in January 2026, where committee members worked to secure event sponsors, assist with social events and POTA fundraisers, recruit student volunteers, and address additional program needs.
“I have absolutely loved this opportunity of getting to work towards planning such a large-scale conference,” POTA Conference Intern and member of Etown’s LLC, Allison Hrivnak said. “I have had the opportunity to work with Occupational Therapy Practitioners from all over Pennsylvania. This experience has pushed me out of my comfort zone and given me a new sense of self-confidence.”
Student volunteers from Etown and other participating colleges served as “People Power,” representatives throughout the conference, assisting with registration and presenter needs, as well as conference set-up and tear-down.
About the Etown College Occupational Therapy Program
As the second-oldest accredited Occupational Therapy program in Pennsylvania, students are met with a rigorous curriculum and hands-on learning opportunities to prepare for professional practice. The program offers multiple pathways to become a registered occupational therapist. Learn more.
