Earning a doctorate and chasing a dream

Meagan Downey left a stable job to follow her new passion: occupational therapy

By Kyle Hobstetter on March 9, 2023

Meagan Downey on campus
Meagan Downey returned to school last summer and is now earning her doctorate in occupational therapy at Towson University. (Lauren Castellana / Towson University)

Coming to Towson University was one of the biggest risks of Meagan Downey’s life.

She already had an extensive education, earning bachelor’s degrees in biology and dance from Bard College in New York as well as a master’s degree in environmental education from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Downey even had her dream job, working as a program manager at Robinson Nature Center in Columbia, Maryland. But after 10 years there another dream came true. She and her husband had a son.

“I was working a lot of weekends,” Downey says. “I was interested in doing something different so my schedule would align a bit more with my son.”

One fateful day at the nature center, she was working with a group called Leadership Howard County, which brought in occupational therapists to make the nature center more accessible to visitors on the autism spectrum.

“I found that project really cool and satisfying—remov[ing] barriers for people to do things they might want to do,” Downey says. “I’d never heard of occupational therapy. I started looking into it, taking the prerequisites and applied to Towson University because it was the only program in Maryland that has an entry-level doctorate.”

Before taking the leap into TU's Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, she wanted to make sure the school was right for her. So she attended the Graduate Studies Open House.

It was there she met occupational therapy faculty members as well as students already in the program. She even met a recent alum who was doing nature-based occupational therapy.

After a full year in the program, Downey can’t help but feel like she made the right decision.

“I’m learning how to create splints for people, different techniques for treating mental health, coping mechanisms and stress management. It’s been really great for me,” Downey says. “My cohort [is a group of] amazing people who have backgrounds in health science, exercise science and health promotion. So I learn a lot from them as well.”

She’s also integrated into her new campus as a research assistant for occupational therapy faculty member Amanda Jozkowski and as a member of the Occupational Therapy Student Advisory Board.

As she continues along her new career path, Downey credits the help she’s received from the faculty and her fellow cohort members for making her transition smoother.

“Having this support means I can realize my dream,” Downey says. “Leaving a stable job was a big risk. But I feel like there’s been a lot of support.”

Graduate Studies

Graduate Studies Open House

Learn more about how you can take your next steps at the Towson University Graduate Studies Open House. 

When: Saturday, March 11, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Where: West Village Commons

What to Expect:

  1. Welcome Session: Get an overview of graduate studies and learn more about the admissions process.
  2. Graduate Program Fair: Chat 1:1 with faculty about our 80+ graduate programs & certificates.
  3. Campus Resource Fair: Meet with representatives from various offices around campus.
  4. Academic Information Sessions: Hear about select programs in a group presentation format.
  5. Campus Tours: Explore TU's beautiful campus on a guided group tour.