Julie Broden-Philips ’07
Career path: Julie was a cosmetologist before she entered St. Kate’s OTA program. Now she is a COTA at Minnesota Masonic Homes, a senior living facility.
Family: Husband and four children
Path to occupational therapy: Julie was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and could no longer stand on her feet cutting hair all day. “Everything about this career is just right for how I like to work. There is a great balance between patient interaction and documentation. I love doing work that is about helping others. I love working with elders, as well.”
Finding a new job: Julie performed her fieldwork at Minnesota Masonic Homes and sees the value in her time at St. Kate’s. “I was able to get hands-on experience and develop a professional relationship with co-workers. I also had the opportunity to explore other job offers due to my St. Kate’s education.”
On career change: Julie sees many changes that correspond with her new career. “I feel empowered in my work and that has carried over into other parts of my life. As a parent I’m more proactive now. I feel like I have the tools I need to be successful in my personal and professional life.”
Looking ahead: “Right now I love what I do, but in the future I might like to train to be a life coach.”
Best St. Kate’s memory: Julie has two: “The Core Integrated Learning course, where I had the opportunity to learn about other cultures and interact with them in a setting where I volunteered my time to work with them on learning English. Number two is all the people I met, whether peers or faculty and staff of St. Kate’s. They made this journey an experience of a lifetime!”
