Introduction / Rationale: Workforce development and capacity building through recruitment of innovative leaders is critical for culturally responsive care and the future of the occupational therapy profession. However, academic programs have struggled to recruit students from diverse cultural backgrounds into the applicant pool to meet critical needs in access to care for provider shortage areas. Evidence-based strategies and cases are available to recruit leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds to academic programs. This session will discuss these strategies and cases.
Objectives: Participants will be able to identify strategies and resources for recruitment of student leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds for occupational therapy academic programs. Participants will be able to apply knowledge learned to develop a strategic action plan for their academic programs related to recruitment and admission of students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Methods / Approach: An interactive presentation will be provided regarding strategies for recruitment of students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Time will be provided for reflection, application, and participant sharing of knowledge to develop an action plan for leading change.
Results / Practice Implications: Participants will learn about evidence-based strategies to increase the number of student leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds in OT academic programs with actionable steps.
Conclusion / Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: Upon completion of this session, participants will be empowered to take action through evidence-based strategies to recruit a robust applicant pool of student leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds to build a workforce with capacity to meet the diverse needs of society.