Jan 8, 2026
Same class. New stories. 40 years later.
On a beautiful fall weekend, October 18–21, 2025, former Virginia Commonwealth University occupational therapy classmates—most of whom had not seen one another since graduation—returned to Richmond to celebrate the 40th anniversary of earning their Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy.
When these 20 students moved to Richmond in 1983 to attend VCU, there were only 10 occupational therapy programs in the country offering a master’s degree. The class drew students from across the United States and Canada, including California, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Canada. Only one student had lived in Virginia—and she had moved from New York to complete her bachelor’s degree at VCU before beginning graduate school. Many members of the class have since returned to the states from which they originally came.
At the time, Dr. Gary Kielhofner served as director of graduate admissions. He was young, brilliant, and deeply inspiring—and he changed their lives. The students learned the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) directly from him as he was in the process of developing it. The first MOHO text would not be published until 1985, meaning their Concepts classes featured ideas that were literally “hot off the presses”—typed in Dr. Kielhofner’s office and copied at Kinko’s. Students read original articles from a wide range of disciplines that informed his thinking about human occupation. Forty years later, these early adopters of MOHO remain deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn directly from its creator and for the model that shaped four decades of practice in pediatrics, adult inpatient care, mental health, and skilled nursing.
Reuniting brought back vivid memories of those formative years together—starting with the intense first summer of anatomy and neuro with Dr. Jeffries, followed by full days on the fourth floor of the VMI Building: pediatrics with Eleanor Wolfe, adults with Craig Nelson, activities with Dr. Anne Neville (Jans), health care with Dr. Tina Brollier, psychosocial with Janet Watts, research with Dr. Patty Maurer, and Concepts of OT with Gary. Just as fondly remembered were the potluck dinners, cookie exchanges, costume parties, wedding and baby showers, and picnics at the Carillon. By graduation, four members of the original class were no longer with the group, and each was remembered warmly and with gratitude.
This special weekend came together when classmates Carolyn Velletri and Dianne Simons agreed early in 2025 to track down their remaining classmates and explore interest in a 40th reunion. Through social media, old emails, snail mail, and LinkedIn searches, all 16 classmates were located. Twelve expressed interest, and fall was chosen as the ideal time to gather. Ultimately, six classmates attended in person, with another six joining virtually via Zoom.
The reunion weekend unfolded beautifully. It began Friday evening with a pizza party at Carolyn’s home. Saturday featured a trolley tour of Richmond, followed by lunch at the Hob Nob in Lakeside, a stroll through Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and dinner at The Daily. On Sunday, the group gathered at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for lunch and a highlights art tour, followed by a cookout at Dianne’s. There, classmates created VCU OT dry-erase tiles and continued sharing stories. The evening concluded with a Zoom session that connected six additional classmates from across the country, who shared highlights of their careers, families, travels, and beloved pets.
The weekend concluded with a tour of the new VCU College of Health Professions, led by Department Chair Carole Ivey, followed by lunch and a chance to connect with current occupational therapy doctorate students. While much has changed, the message from the seasoned OTs was clear: they had chosen “the best career in the world,” and VCU prepared them well for a lifetime of meaningful service—helping people return to lives of purpose and occupation.
The class has since reconnected and plans to stay in touch through regular Zoom gatherings. It is our hope that the joyful reunion of the VCU OT MS Class of 1985 will inspire other classes to reconnect and celebrate the bonds formed through their shared journey at VCU.