Each year, the Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) Women’s Club (MUWC) recognizes eight outstanding students across all six MUSC colleges for their academic excellence, leadership, service, and commitment to compassionate care through the MUWC Scholarship Fund. This year, three of our Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) - Residential program students were selected from the university-wide applicant pool, an achievement that highlights both their individual strengths and the impact of MUSC’s OTD education.
Meet Beverly, Sophia, and Amanda, our second-year Residential OTD students whose passion, service, and dedication exemplify the MUSC OTD experience.
Beverly Spinks
Beverly discovered occupational therapy (OT) while volunteering with UGA Miracle, a student-run organization that benefits Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Her experiences connecting with children and their families navigating pediatric illness left a lasting impression on her and opened her eyes to how a profession centered on compassion and everyday living can benefit children facing medical challenges.
Today, Beverly has a growing interest in inpatient pediatrics, oncology and palliative care. She hopes to become the kind of clinician who brings clarity and comfort to families during difficult moments.
Receiving the MUWC Scholarship allows her to stay fully focused on her coursework, leadership roles, and clinical development. For her, it’s an encouraging reminder to keep learning, giving, and striving to become the kind of occupational therapist who makes a genuine and lasting difference in the lives of the families she’ll one day serve.
Sophia Beyer
Sophia’s calling to occupational therapy began after her best friend experienced a traumatic brain injury, giving her firsthand insight into how OT restores purpose and independence. Today, she is driven by interests in pediatrics, neurorehabilitation, and global health. She’s even preparing for a fieldwork rotation in Belize, where she’ll support children with developmental disabilities, and additional rotations in outpatient pediatrics in Montana and burn rehabilitation in Charleston.
Sophia shared that receiving the MUWC Scholarship strengthened her confidence as a future clinician and encourages her to continue building inclusive and family-centered care programs, locally and globally.
Amanda Padillo
Amanda’s passion for occupational therapy is rooted in both personal experience and hands-on professional work. After supporting a family member through significant medical challenges and working in special education, she saw how transformative OT could be—and knew she wanted to be part of that impact. Today, she’s especially drawn to acute care and neurological rehabilitation, with plans to pursue a neurologic fellowship to deepen her expertise.
As a graduate research assistant in MUSC’s ACCESS (Advancing Coverage, Care, Equity, and Service Sustainability) Lab, Amanda is committed to expanding access to rehabilitation technologies and services. Her research has opened doors for her to present at state and national OT conferences—an impressive accomplishment for a student clinician. Beyond the lab, she stays involved on campus as a leader in Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA), a CHP Student Ambassador, supplemental instructor, and Interprofessional Education Fellow.
For Amanda, receiving the MUWC Scholarship reflects her commitment to women’s empowerment, excellence, and service in health care, and provides financial support as she prepares for out-of-state clinical rotations. Most importantly, it reinforces her dedication to growing as a clinician, researcher, and advocate within the field of occupational therapy.
Learn more about scholarship opportunities at MUSC and the Division of Occupational Therapy’s commitment to training compassionate, skilled clinicians like Beverly, Sophia, and Amanda.
Katie Ennis
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