Combining their love for the “dear neighbor” with the professional knowledge that empowers them to provide support to those around them, two Regis graduate students turned a service trip into a lasting impact for children and adults with special needs in Jamaica.
Madeline Conover and Alyssa Murnane, both second-year students in the Regis Master of Occupational Therapy (OT) program, traveled to Blessed Assurance, a Mustard Seed Communities home in Jamaica, that provides care for the most vulnerable, especially abandoned children with disabilities. During their visit, the graduate students noticed that many residents struggled to sit quietly during meals, devotions, and other daily activities.
“We started to notice behaviors that showed sensory needs were not being met,” said Murnane. “Because we’re OT students, we immediately connected what we were seeing with what we were learning in class about sensory integration.”
Conover added, “Some residents were called out for not sitting still during devotion, but we recognized it wasn’t willful disobedience. Their bodies simply wouldn’t allow them to sit.”
In occupational therapy, sensory integration refers to how the brain processes and responds to sensory information, such as sound, touch, movement, or visual input, Conover said. When this process is disrupted, a person may have difficulty sitting still, focusing, or feeling calm in certain environments.
Observations such as constant humming by residents, which can help block overwhelming background noise, inspired the pair to develop practical, culturally appropriate solutions. After returning to the U.S., Conover and Murnane completed a class with Regis Professor Dan Houlihan, OTD, in which they worked with Mustard Seed coordinators, administrators, and founder Monsignor Gregory Ramkissoon to design an eight-module caregiver training program. The plan focused on educating staff on sensory needs and equipping them with effective tools and techniques, complete with comprehension quizzes and hands-on demonstrations.
“Our mission was to serve the diverse sensory needs of the residents and to educate their caregivers on how to use effective sensory tools,” said Conover. “We are so proud to say that we accomplished these goals, and the caregivers were incredibly thankful for the training sessions we held with them. It’s a testament to how Regis prepares us to make a real-world difference.”
To fund the project, Conover and Murnane organized a GoFundMe campaign and received donations from Regis faculty, staff, and other local supports, raising money for travel, sensory tools, technology, toys, school supplies, and hygiene products. They overcame challenges such as limited running water, food shortages, and the physical demands of caring for residents.
“Madeline and I encountered barriers at times—wondering if we could really raise enough money or make the trip happen,” Murnane said. “But we kept going. If you don’t try, it’s never going to happen.”
Their work left a tangible mark on Blessed Assurance and deepened their commitment to the values at the heart of Regis College.
