Congratulations to the 2025 Frieda J. Behlen Scholarship Winners

The NYU Steinhardt Department of Occupational Therapy is pleased to recognize Peter Hardy (MS '26) and Caroline Norwood (MS '26) as the 2025 recipients of the Frieda J. Behlen Occupational Therapy Scholarship. The award, named to honor the memory of our department’s generous founder and former chair, Frieda J. Behlen, recognizes high-achieving MS students with a demonstrated commitment to contributing to the NYU OT community.

Learn more about Peter and Caroline below, as they reflect on their studies, professional aspirations, and what this accomplishment means to them.

Which parts of your NYU OT studies are most exciting to you?

Peter: Everything about this program is so exciting! I’ve loved learning about how our bodies work, how our muscles exert force to move us around, how our brains receive and deliver messages. I’ve enjoyed exploring new adaptive technologies– the things both low and high tech that allow people to engage in their meaningful occupations. And I'd like to give a special shout out to the study abroad program in South Korea with Professor Grace Kim, which was an unforgettable experience. I also love learning about the underlying theories of the profession, and the philosophies connecting us all to the broader occupational therapy community. Honestly, it just feels good to learn skills I can use to help others. And the professors at NYU are so knowledgeable and experienced, it’s such an honor to learn from them every day.

Caroline: There have been so many exciting parts of this program. First, I have loved learning about all the different settings OTs can work in— I honestly had no clue just how many possibilities were out there. Second, I’ve loved that most of our professors still work in clinical settings. It’s been so helpful getting advice and insight from all of them. 

What are your professional goals as an aspiring OT?

Peter: I joined this program after five years of teaching preschool with the goal of becoming a pediatric OT. I still want that and would love to work in a school, particularly one with a Nest Program or any similar inclusive classroom structure. But I also want to explore more of the profession. I’ve become interested in neuro rehab and community-based mental health, particularly substance use treatment. I would also love to be involved in a maker space that allows people to create their own adaptive equipment, and I’m interested in using video games as a therapeutic medium.

Caroline: I came into OT school certain that I wanted to be a school based OT. Now that I’ve learned about all of the different possibilities, it’s much harder to answer this question. I’ve loved pediatrics, geriatrics, ortho, and neuro and wish I could do them all. Right now though, I’m very interested in pelvic health and would love to work with new moms and their babies one day! 

What does winning this scholarship mean to you?

Peter: I am so honored to have been selected for the scholarship and be connected to the kind and generous NYU OT alumni community. Looking back at winners of previous years, I really have no words to describe how it feels to be considered with such passionate and hardworking people. I am inspired by them and by this scholarship to continue working hard in this program and to accomplish my goals after I graduate.

Caroline: It’s hard to put it into words. Moving to NYC and pursuing OT school has been incredibly challenging. I feel so grateful for my friends, family, boyfriend, classmates, and professors who have supported me through it all and helped me end up here! This scholarship feels like a representation of all of the love and support that has been given to me along the way.