The Power of Mentorship Highlights Special Bond Between OT Faculty and Student

By: Damon Markiewicz

Springfield College Occupational Therapy (OT) graduate student Jordan Salzano ’20, Class of 2026, and Occupational Therapy professor Latasha Dionne ’11, G’12, have formed a connection that exemplifies what makes Springfield College a special place. It’s a mentorship that remains strong outside of the classroom setting, and it has given Salzano the confidence to challenge herself as she remains dedicated to advocacy work surrounding individuals with autism.

“Professor Dionne’s passion for advocacy fuels my passion as well,” explained Salzano. “She is more than my academic advisor and professor; she is an important mentor in my life who continues to give me the confidence to step outside of my comfort level, which has only fostered personal and professional enrichment, creating a meaningful and lasting impact on both of our lives.”

As a second-year graduate student in the OT program, Salzano has thrived in Dionne’s class which focuses on management leadership and advocacy in the OT profession. It’s a course that talks about entrepreneurship, and helps individuals find those gaps in what the OT profession needs and encourages students to think outside the box.

“It’s an innovative class that allows for students to talk about creative ideas in class, and help move them to reality,” said Dionne. “We encourage students to realize that they can have an impact on being creative and come up with innovative ways to make an impact on the profession now, and they don’t have to wait. As Jordan’s faculty advisor, I have seen that determination in her, and it’s exciting to watch it grow.”

Salzano’s disability and autism work started on social media a couple years ago. Most recently, she had the opportunity to present in person at the Autism Conference Summit in Columbus, Ohio. During the four-day event, Salzano presented on “Embracing Change and Pivoting Your Passion on the Autism Spectrum.” Her main learning objectives centered on understanding why it can be difficult for people on the autism spectrum to initially embrace change and pivot passions in life and helping individuals recognize the signals that they may need to consider embracing change and pivoting their passion. She also talked about five ways to help attendees open their minds to embrace change and pivot their passion.

“It was a phenomenal experience, as I met so many great and ambitious people who are doing great work and making great strides for the neurodiversity community,” explained Salzano. “I was able to network with many professionals, and we remain in contact to brew up new ideas to create other neurodiversity initiative projects. I attended many presentations at the summit, and they all had great niches for conversation and advocacy.”

Following up on the momentum gained in Ohio, Salzano also spoke over Zoom at the Autism Society of Minnesota Autistic Community Summit in November of 2024. Salzano’s commitment to autism advocacy stems from her personal story of overcoming the obstacles of being on the autism spectrum, and helping reduce the stigma for both adults and youth who have been diagnosed. Salzano’s work is built upon the realization that everyone’s diagnosis journey is different, and she reminds people that autism is a spectrum and everyone is unique. She continues to find ways to be involved with programs that enhance the understanding and education on autism so that people with autism get the correct support and educational programs they need.

“I want to emphasize to people with disabilities, not to be afraid to share their story, and not to be upset or ashamed of their diagnoses,” explained Salzano. “Once an individual is okay with talking about their diagnoses, they can help so many people who either went through the same experiences or are presently going through them.” 

Back in 2019, Salzano started a motivational Instagram account. During this time, she started to think about the idea of writing a self-help book with the concept of analyzing what the hunger to improve is, how to develop it, and how to maintain it. The book would highlight how individuals can be the boss of their problems. The end result was publishing The Everlasting Hunger for Improvement in 2020. The book describes why a person needs that hunger for improvement to lead them to be the best versions of themselves.

“I started writing it at 17 years old, and it was published when I was 18 ½,” explained Salzano. “The book is built on the concept of motivation. I share a lot of my own stories as a way to connect with readers. I started playing hockey at 7 years old, and most of my dreams were centered around hockey. I talk about my own self-motivation and the lessons I learned in hockey, as well as the life lessons I learned outside of hockey as well.”

From a faculty perspective, Dionne has witnessed Salzano express her passions in the classroom and channel that energy into action. As a mentor to Salzano, Dionne stresses to her students that there is no better time than the present to advocate for the OT profession, and to advocate for the individuals OT professionals assist on a daily basis.

“We talk about what advocacy looks like and how OT’s can advocate on a daily basis,” explained Dionne. “Advocacy can take on many forms, and it doesn’t always have to be marching into Washington, D.C. Politicians want to hear from the next generation. Students like Jordan and their voices are so important and can have such a strong impact on decision making.”

In addition to her focus on autism, Salzano has also led anti-bullying presentations geared towards talking about the harmful effects of bullying and stressing the ways individuals can take the initiative to put an end to bullying. 

“I was able to speak to student groups on campus, and I spoke at the Counseling Center, and talked with first-year seminar class students,” expressed Salzano. “I was able to highlight some national stats on bullying, and connect with students by sharing my own experiences about being bullied. The goal is to try and sustain an anti-bullying environment for all.”

Moving forward, Salzano continues to be inspired by her OT faculty members, as she continues to find new ways to help others.

“The faculty at Springfield College play a huge part in students’ lives, and the OT faculty have provided me with so much support and direction as I continue to grow as a person, student, and as a professional,” explained Salzano. “I started writing my new book a couple of years ago. I talk about my hockey dreams coming to a dead end and navigating around that. I provide personal experiences that can resonate with readers, and provide strategies people can use to navigate through such times.”

In addition, “I want to create a phone app that is designed for people on the autism spectrum to help them navigate through uncertainty and changes in life,” described Salzano. “It would provide different topics that resonate with them and give them advice on how to navigate through those changes. It would also reference in-person options for assistance.”

When recently reflecting on all of the great work they have been a part of together, Salzano and Dionne took a moment to appreciate that the Springfield College teaching and learning culture continues to lead them down their respective paths.

“I am thankful I made the best decision to come to Springfield College,” expressed Salzano. “It’s because of the learning environment here that I am able to have the confidence to continue to step out of my comfort zone and be the best student and person I can be.”

Those words from Salzano reinforce to Dionne that these examples of student and faculty connections, run much deeper than just the normal faculty and student experience.

“I have been fortunate to experience Springfield College as a student and faculty member and we witness every day what makes Springfield College special,” explained Dionne. “I am so proud of the work Jordan is doing, and it’s exciting to watch her explore her passions and live our Humanics mission.”