MAKING WAVES
Emily Laxson discovered her passion for recreational therapy on the water
Volunteering at a water sports event helped Emily Laxson, recreational therapy major in the College of Health and Human Performance, chart the course for her future.
The annual Splash Bash Adaptive Water Sports Day, a collaboration between the nonprofit STAR (Support Team for Active Recreation) and ECU’s recreational therapy program, sparked Laxson’s passion.
“School had just started, and I’d had my first recreational therapy class that week, but I wasn’t sure yet if it was for me. That weekend, I volunteered and got to see recreational therapy in action and I knew it was what I wanted to do. I found my passion,” she said.
That event was the annual Splash Bash Adaptive Water Sports Day, a collaboration between the nonprofit STAR (Support Team for Active Recreation) and East Carolina University’s recreational therapy program.
The experience opened the Charlotte native’s eyes to the therapeutic benefits of recreation. “Being out there on the water with so many people of different ages and abilities was amazing,” Laxson recalled.
As a senior, Laxson’s semester-long internship with Vidant Duplin Hospital’s behavioral health unit both helped her add to her professional experience and challenged her. “I didn’t know if I was prepared to work with people with psychiatric disabilities. I realize now that I had misconceptions about mental health. As I met the patients, those ideas changed completely. I learned so much. After working on this unit, I feel so empowered and prepared for the future.”
During her years at ECU, Laxson has not only become more confident, she’s helped others feel empowered through her involvement with the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGTBQ Center as a center assistant and a student panelist. “The day I walked into the center’s former office in Brewster is my favorite ECU memory. I needed to find my community here. It took so much courage for me to step inside there, but everyone was so welcoming. Now I get to talk with different areas and groups on campus and educate them about the LGTBQ community.”
Laxson also served as an officer in the Recreational Therapy Student Society.
“I think of myself as an advocate first,” she said, whether she’s advocating for people with disabilities or diverse populations and communities.
Laxson will graduate with honors this December. “I want to work with children who have differing abilities after I get my recreational therapist licensure,” Laxson said. “I want to explore different areas of the field before I go back to school to earn my master’s and doctorate.”
Her ultimate goal, though, is simple. “I want to help people. That’s what makes me happy. That’s how I follow my heart.”