Remmenga among first occupational therapist assistants to graduate from IU Kokomo

As a kindergartner, Brielle Remmenga often scooted her chair over to help a struggling classmate with his lessons.

“I always gravitated toward people who needed a little help,” she said.

Graduating in Indiana University Kokomo’s first class of the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program in May gave her a career that uses her desire to assist others in living their best lives.

“It’s really helped me find my true purpose,” said Remmenga, from Gas City. “Ever since I was young, I’ve always been that person to help others. Being an occupational therapy assistant has given me a constructive way to advocate for others who can’t advocate for themselves.”

After she completes her licensing exam, she has a job at an outpatient rehabilitation facility in Muncie.

Occupational therapy assistants work alongside occupational therapists to help people participate in meaningful and purposeful activities like self-care, play and leisure activities, driving, work, education, and more to maximize independent function, enhance development, prevent disability, and maintain health.

“We look at patients as whole and try to look at all the pieces of what they want to be able to do, instead of just their diagnosis,” Remmenga said, adding that they help them grow in ability to do things like cooking, brushing their teeth, eating, or playing.

She has empathy for her patients and their struggles after facing her own challenges with celiac disease – a chronic digestive and autoimmune disorder. Ingestion of gluten triggers an immune system reaction that damages the small intestine and impairs the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

It took a long time to get her diagnosis, because it’s not common for joint pain to be the only symptom of celiac disease.

“It took a lot of advocating and doctors telling me there was nothing wrong with me,” Remmenga said, adding that she finally insisted on being tested for celiac disease.

“I learned that advocating is so important,” she said. “I would have gotten a different diagnosis if I hadn’t researched and asked questions.”

Remmenga plans to continue her education by becoming a certified lymphedema therapist skilled in treating and managing lymphedema, a condition that causes swelling due to lymphatic system dysfunction. She’s also interested in treating cancer patients.

She enjoyed the interactive parts of the OTA program – doing an exercise class at the Kokomo Senior Center, learning about how wheelchairs work and how they can help patients, and even testing out mobility devices to have a better understanding of how they can be used, and who might benefit from them.

“We had a lot of hands-on experience, and weren’t just sitting in a classroom taking notes,” she said.

Remmenga was glad to find the right program, after earning an associate degree in general studies from Ivy Tech Community College.

“I finally found my purpose,” she said. “I went through a lot of different degree changes to finally graduate with one that I’m really enjoying. It solidified my purpose and my place in this world.”

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.