“I love this profession and the work I get to do. My professional goal is to use my skills to aid individuals with their recovery.”

Shalini Augenstein holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in music from Eastern Michigan University, and she recently received an Occupational Therapy Doctorate from UM-Flint. As a child, Shalini accompanied her mother on medical mission trips to Africa, where she spent countless days in playrooms of children’s rehabilitation hospitals. The young Shalini observed how carefully and skillfully occupational therapists attended to their patients and decided that is what she would be when she grew up.

In May 2024, Shalini’s CEW+ Fellowship supported her travel to Kenya to implement lymphedema management and create pain assessments for adult and pediatric patients. She worked with Kenyan occupational therapy students to develop the pain assessments which are being implemented with plans for future validation to support wider use. She trained local therapists on lymphedema management which included helping women with breast cancer. Additionally, Shalini educated caregivers on mobility for children and elders with disabilities. Educating these predominantly women caregivers gave them the tools they needed to problem solve. Shalini enjoyed gaining cultural knowledge from Kenyan healthcare professionals and caregivers to incorporate into assessments and treatment plans. She worked with Kenyan organizations Hope Mobility Kenya, Cure International Kenya, and Bethany Kids, who separately and together strive to meet the needs of persons with disabilities and their families.

After graduation, Shalini will work as an occupational therapist. She writes, “I love this profession and the work I get to do. My professional goal is to use my skills to aid individuals with their recovery.” Shalini would like to continue using her skills in Africa, and dreams of one day supporting other occupational therapy students’ travel to Africa. About her dream, Shalini writes, “Travel gives a more expansive view of how occupational therapists can serve diverse communities and bring those skills back to the U.S.”

CEW+ commends Shalini’s commitment to service and names her a Simson Family Graduate Fellow.