The Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) is a non-profit student organization that serves to promote professional development through education, leadership opportunities, networking, volunteer activities, social activities and fundraising. SOTA creates a professional culture that is member driven and facilitates communication between first year and second year students, allowing all members to have the opportunity to contribute to the organization's yearly objectives. SOTA provides annual funding to a first year occupational therapy student to represent UNC students as the ASD representative at the annual AOTA conference. This allows students to stay up to date on national issues surrounding the profession of occupational therapy.

SOTA officers for 2010-2011

Co-Presidents: Caitlin LeCroy & Katherine Stewart

Co-VPs: Caroline McCarty & Cat Balentine

Secretary: Valerie Karnofsky

Treasurer: Jeffrey Weiler

GPSF Delegate: Caroline Smith

Faculty Representative: Lydia Johnson

Class of 2011 ASD Representative: Kate Luettich

Social Chairs: Claire Salisbury & David Benthall

2010-2011 UNC SOTA News

• Members volunteered at Durham Public Schools in their annual Backpack Awareness Day event. The goal of this event was to raise awareness with elementary school students about the risk of injury that is associated with carrying backpacks that are too heavy when compared with their body weight.

• Members provided food and cooked dinner for families who were staying at the SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals. The SECU house provides housing for a nightly fee to people who have a family member that is being treated for serious illness at UNC Hospitals.

• Members donned gloves and orange vests to participate in their annual outing to clean up garbage along SOTA's adopted stretch of Manning Drive on the UNC campus.