Dr. Kelly Little, Union’s newest professor, started her health care career early. “I was just 15 when I got my first CNA job,” Little said. “Then a year after high school, I joined the Navy. I was trained as a hospital corpsman and worked in both a medical clinic and psychiatric setting.” 

When her naval service ended, Little looked for a profession that would allow her to continue working with patients in a holistic profession that valued client-centered care.  “My mother was instrumental in my decision to become an occupational therapist,” Little said. “She was the first person to introduce me to the field. I feel occupational therapy is the perfect blend of both physical and psychosocial care.” 

Before beginning her new role as an assistant professor of occupational therapy at Union this January, Little most recently worked at Crete Medical Center in Crete, Nebraska as a certified hand and lymphedema therapist. Now, after 23 years as a practitioner in the field, she’s ready to start training the next generation of OTs. 

Little will be teaching in Union’s new Master of Occupational Therapy Program. The program is currently seeking accreditation and is on track to admit the first class in August. This graduate degree is targeted toward assistants (OTAs) who have already found their calling in occupational therapy but want to take the next step to further their careers. Out of 204 occupational therapy master’s programs in the country, Union is one of only 28 bridge programs that allow OTAs with two-year degrees to proceed directly to a master’s program. The curriculum is also structured to require a minimal amount of time on-campus, allowing OTAs to continue working in their communities while furthering their education. 

During her recent doctoral studies at Creighton University, Little had the opportunity to supervise entry level doctor of occupational therapy students at the Institute for Latin American Concern in the Dominican Republic. That experience encouraged her to transition to academia and begin researching occupational therapy pedagogy. In 2023, the Journal of Occupational Therapy Education published a paper she co-authored while in her doctoral program.

“All OTs are teachers at heart,” Little said. “Now I’m training and problem-solving with students instead of clients.”