Research was grad student’s motivation in scholarly accolades

Sept. 8, 2026 – DENTON – Texas Woman’s doctoral student Jessica Marchant has always had a passion for research. Long before enrolling in TWU’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program, she was reading research articles and other scholarly literature.  

“I know that I am definitely a different type of person who really dives deep into research,” Marchant said.

While managing full-time coursework on TWU’s Houston campus and clinical fieldwork rotations, Marchant is finding time to conduct a doctoral-level scoping review examining occupation-based, task-specific occupational therapy interventions associated with measurable neural and functional outcomes.

Supportive faculty, programs and scholarships have assisted her in this unique endeavor. 

Marchant was one of two TWU students who received scholarships from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). She was the recipient of the Lands Banks Memorial Scholarship, established in the memory of longtime AOTA employee Lands Banks, who passed away in 2023. 

“I just am just really blown away and just really honored that they (AOTA) would look at the past service that I've done and what I want to do in the future and think that I was worth awarding this,” Marchant said. 

With Marchant in school full time and her husband working, the funds from the scholarship will help with childcare and allow her to spend more time on research. 

Marchant was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years before deciding to return to school when her youngest child entered kindergarten. She decided on OT after working with seniors as a personal trainer at her local YMCA.  

“Everything about occupational therapy spoke to me,” Marchant said.

Marchant was also selected for TWU’s Experiential Student Scholars Program, a competitive, mentored research initiative that supports original student scholarship. She gained a mentor in Diana Elrod, who directs the Center for Student Research.  

“Jessica has been a model student researcher, demonstrating tremendous initiative, drive, tenacity and perseverance throughout her work,” said Elrod. “ She is an excellent communicator who is thoughtful, receptive to feedback, and able to clearly convey the importance and potential impact of her research. I have been especially impressed by her commitment to connecting research with practice in ways that can ultimately benefit patients.” 

Marchant was drawn to neurorehabilitation research and the interventions that occupational therapists perform with stroke patients. She was curious why research was pointing toward certain interventions without more concrete evidence of changes that happened in the brain. 

Marchant used an example of a stroke patient who was relearning how to brush their teeth. An occupational therapist might utilize an intervention that will help them resume normal arm function.

Marchant wanted to know if that intervention was also facilitating neuroplasticity in the brain, supporting it to reorganize and adapt after the stroke. 

“One reason I really want to focus on research as an OT is because there seems to be a lot of research out there but not specifically for OT,” Marchant said. “There isn't a current comprehensive synthesis that brings together all the research on OT interventions and shows which ones actually create measurable changes in the brain.” 

Next, Marchant plans to synthesize the top articles she has collected into one article to further show the need for more neuro rehabilitation within occupational therapy. 

“I do feel like there are a lot of gaps in occupational therapy research as a whole, just because there are just not very many occupational therapists in comparison to other professions, and then within OT there are not enough OTs willing to do research that's needed.”

Stroke research is the foundation of her capstone project, which is the culmination of an OTD student’s work at TWU. In her final semester, she will be helping UT Health Stroke Institute do its research while continuing her own.

Marchant is also preparing to present her research in October at the International Conference on Neurology and Brain Disorders, which brings together experts from across the globe to engage in advancing neurological research, brain health and innovative therapies.  

“For them to give me a 20-minute speaking spot is a huge honor,” Marchant said.

Even though there are many steps to research and hers is just the beginning, Marchant believes every contribution is needed.

“And even though I am just this one OT that is pushing the meter of research in what seems like a small, small way, you need people like me and everyone who's doing their research, you need everyone to push the meter just a little bit.”