Rebeca Chery Mask is an admirable occupational therapist (OT) who is profoundly connected to her family, faith, and profession. She has Haitian African heritage from both parents, and gained American heritage from being the first generation born in the United States. Rebeca was born in New York, raised in South Florida, and now resides and works in Arizona as an OT.
In 2006, she began her undergraduate education at the University of West Florida. With a passion for the health sciences, Rebeca initially aspired to become a doctor. While navigating this interest, she decided to pursue nursing school. She then earned the opportunity to engage in a selective internship program at Mayo Clinic, in which only 150 students from across the U.S. were admitted. Although this was a great learning experience, she ultimately decided nursing was not the profession she wanted to build her career in. She then decided to complete her undergraduate career with a Bachelor’s of Health Science, and graduated in 2010.
Knowing her ultimate goal was to continue her education in the healthcare field, Rebeca applied to a Master’s of Healthcare Administration (MHA) at her alma mater University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida and the Master’s of Occupational Therapy at the University of Minnesota - Rochester. While waiting to hear from the OT program, she was accepted into the MHA program and began coursework. Shortly after, she was accepted into the OT program, which immediately changed her trajectory. Ultimately, she had the goal of becoming a healthcare practitioner, and knew this OT program would allow her to fulfill these aspirations. Rebeca graduated with her Master’s of Occupational Therapy in 2012. She later was accepted and was granted admission as a Doctoral candidate in the Occupational Therapy program at Bay Path University in 2019.
Rebeca positively remarks on her experience at the University of Minnesota. She enjoyed and appreciated not only the courses she took, but also the style in which they were delivered. The coursework was rigorous and practical, allowing her to be well prepared for her future positions in the field. Furthermore, she felt very connected to the campus and greater Rochester community. There were multiple community organizations she became involved with, which brought great synergy into her life. One of her many noteworthy community engagements was her work with AmeriCorps, where she worked with school children, and later, the local community. Through the university, she established relationships with alumni, providing mentorship. In fostering these relationships, Rebeca met Jenny Hegland, the Community Engagement & Relationship Manager at UMR and initiator of the Students in Service program with AmeriCorps from 2010-2012. Rebeca worked at UMR to support SIS that inspired other undergraduate & graduate students to become involved in community service within an underserved population group. Jenny later nominated Rebeca for the Chancellor’s Award for Public Engagement and Student Leadership, which she received for her student leadership and pivotal work in the community.
Rebeca’s graduate school experience at UMR was enhanced and impactful due to the diversity of students in the program. Rebeca recounted that her classmates came from many different educational backgrounds, which was an asset to the learning experience. Students were able to collaborate and learn from each other, and many felt strengthened by this. “You really can come into the program from different educational backgrounds and make a strong transition to OT.”, states Rebeca. Additionally, her classmates came from different racial and ethnic identifications, which she drew connection and belonging through. The relationships built through the program helped her grow professionally and personally. Rebeca felt that the community and classmates cared about one another. It is because of this, she encourages future students to make connections, embrace mentorship, and take advantage of available resources; it positively impacts this educational experience.
Rebeca has deep admiration for the field of occupational therapy. While she respects the traditional medical model, occupational therapy allows her to treat patients with holistic methods allowing more input from patients. She remarks, “That’s one thing I love about occupational therapy; the patient can guide their own treatment, tell you about themselves, and let you know what they are open to.” Rebeca has felt strong career satisfaction due to these aspects, especially because it aligns so closely with her beliefs and goals.
Over her career, she has held multiple positions in acute care hospitals, in/outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, and home health. She currently works for Bayada Home Health in Arizona. As much as she enjoys her current position, she is looking to continue her professional development, and will begin working in the school setting this upcoming school year (2022-2023). She has always had a passion for working with children, and it is important for her to continue growing and following her interests. With well-rounded experience, her advice to future students is to never stop exploring your interests. The occupational therapy field is so broad, and professionals have many options and paths to explore.
Being an outstanding professional and alumni with an impeccable resume, Rebeca has decided to donate to the University of Minnesota Occupational Therapy program. While completing her degree, she earned a scholarship to assist with tuition payments, and now is giving back, providing future students the same opportunity. She explains, “Occupational therapy encompasses everything I believe in, and is part of my legacy. Occupational therapy is one of the best investments, not only for the patient, but for the community as a whole.” Especially with the recent accreditation of the Doctoral Occupational Therapy program at the University of Minnesota in 2020, Rebeca is enthusiastic about her partnership with the university, and the impact she will have on future students. To further give back to the OT program, Rebeca has recently joined the university-wide mentorship platform, the Maroon and Gold network, to mentor and coach students as they navigate their career journey.