Meet Hannah Hwang!

Greetings! I am Hannah Hwang and I am currently a third year student at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate program completing my capstone at the Children’s Museum of Richmond this summer. I am excited for this opportunity here, as many of my beliefs align with the museum’s educational philosophy: play matters! In addition, I am a proponent of the growth mindset and believe every child has the potential to learn, especially provided an equitable opportunity. My work here this summer is to support access, engagement, and inclusive representation of what the museum offers. Stay tuned to hear more about what my projects entail. I look forward to serving you and the Richmond community this summer!

Let me explain a little about my capstone experience at the museum….

Firstly, what is occupational therapy and what does an occupational therapist do?

An occupation is anything an individual may want, need, or like to do. It includes anything from a work task to a hobby and it is what brings meaning to one’s life. As an occupational therapist, I work with individuals that have a disability or an acquired illness or injury, and I support them in completing their occupations. For example, a critical occupation for children is play! I breakdown the tasks and examine environments while analyzing any obstacles or barriers children may face to successfully engage in play. The adaptations or supports made may also vary and look different for each individual.

How does this relate to the Children’s Museum of Richmond?

This summer, my focus is to support the art studio, ensuring opportunities for every child. I want to ensure that each visitor has access to the creative art process. In order to meet these needs, I will examine and identify which adaptive art equipment best supports children’s access to create. I hope to increase engagement around these tools through education of museum staff, parents, and children. The education will highlight Universal Design for Learning, which considers the variety of styles or preferences learners have. In addition, my goal is for visitors to take-away and utilize these resources by providing information on these tools to use at-home. Stay tuned for these additions around the art studio area.

Another focus during my capstone will be to support parent participation with their children during museum visits. I plan on expanding the parent guides that are offered at various exhibits throughout the museum. The guides focus on providing specific language, ideas, and tips for play. Be sure to check out the parent guides that are hanging around each exhibit!

I am grateful that my work this summer can impact the Richmond community, especially through the Children’s Museum of Richmond. I am passionate about childhood development and education and hope to bolster inclusion and accessibility in this setting!