Abstract
This presentation will explore the process, including barriers, for the creation of sensory spaces on a university campus. Research on graduate students indicates that over 80% of students report moderate or a great deal of stress when surveyed, demonstrating they are experiencing some of the highest levels of stress they have ever experienced (Ickes et al., 2015). Needs assessment data collected from interprofessional students from the Creighton University Health Science Phoenix campus indicates a desire and a need for opportunities and spaces open to students to mitigate this stress. University campuses offer a variety of unique stressful environmental contexts, including high-stakes practicums and exams, anatomy cadaver labs, and simulation events, lending toward the need for different opportunities for non-traditional sensory-friendly spaces to allow for student self-regulation. OTs should consider this client population and play a role in designing and implementing these opportunities specific to graduate-level students. During this presentation, participants will be able to view and interact with Creighton’s Cura Corner, a current space in the library that offers sensory and mental health grab-and-go services accessible to students.