Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
Cara Carr & Val Chappell
Finding the right P.A.T.H.: An in depth examination of a spinal cord injury
community based recreation program
The idea behind Cara and Val's project stemmed from their internship experience with Northeast Passage. During this internship both students observed the implementation of PATH, an innovative community based health promotion program designed by Jill Gravink M.S. And Dr. Janet Sable. Cara and Val's research study attempted to understand the critical family issues facing individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI), an understanding of the issues that individuals with an SCI and their families face as they attempt to adapt to life post injury as well as the role that a community health promotion program (Project P.A.T.H.) played in this transition. The results of the study contained some interesting insights that a community therapeutic recreation program has in the lives of those who have recently experienced a SCI.
Val and Cara gained confidence in their professional intake interviewing skills and gained a greater understanding of professional practices. Furthermore, the research experience opened up opportunities for them after they graduated. Shortly after graduation, Val was interviewed for a job coordinating the special education curriculum at Milford Elementary School. During her interview, the principal was impressed that Val had undertaken research as an undergraduate and could talk about the process so eloquently.
Val and Cara presented the results of their study at the National Recreation and Parks Association Conference in Tampa, Florida. A more comprehensive description of their experiences can be found on the university's UROP page at www.unh.edu/faculty.