Meet Alexandria Froehlke
This column originally appeared in the Huntington University Magazine, Spring/Summer 2024, vol. 30, no. 2, and was written by Annie Seboe, Class of 2024.
Huntington University emphasizes a Christ-centered and experiential approach to academics, and our first doctoral program reflects that attitude. HU’s Doctoral Program in Occupational Therapy (OTD program) prepares graduates to be highly qualified, confidently connected and competitively placed in the OT field. With locations in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Peoria, Arizona, the OTD program seeks to develop healthcare professionals who go on to impact their communities through holistic healthcare.
Words like “community” and “highly qualified” may describe HU’s doctoral program, but they also perfectly describe one of the program’s graduates: Alexandria (Bope) Froehlke. A graduate of both the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and OTD programs in 2021 and 2024, respectively, she is the definition of the Forester traits of caring completely and embracing interconnectedness. Froehlke expresses a deep appreciation for the preparation that has been instilled within her because of HU’s commitment to undergraduate and doctoral academic excellence.
“The past seven years as a Huntington University OT student have been formative in my academic, athletic, spiritual and emotional growth. My experiences throughout HU’s OTA undergraduate program prepared me profoundly for the OTD program. Throughout the OTA program, I gained knowledge through hands-on experiential learning, which set me up for success at the OTD level. I have had wonderful experiences because of how personable and caring the professors are at all levels.”
Froehlke has poured into the community that she has called “home” for almost a decade. She was a member of the women’s basketball team and served as a student body representative of the Student Government Association, as a member of Joyful Noise, HU’s praise and worship team, and as a tutor for the Academic Center for Excellence during her time as an undergraduate. Despite her full schedule, this outpouring of care and service for the Forester Family has come easily.
“My investment comes naturally, as the opportunities I have been given and the accomplishments I have achieved come as a result of my experiences at HU. The curriculum with Christ, scholarship and service are embedded into every aspect, which has taught me to implement what I have learned in the classroom and translate it into all areas of life. I love giving back to the place that shaped so much of who I am today. By continuing to invest in HU, I hope it will encourage other students to experience all HU has to offer.”
After graduating from the OTD program earlier this year, Froehlke accepted an outpatient OT position at the Parkview Whitley/Kosciusko Hospitals, where she will be starting this summer.
She and her husband, Ethan, a fellow HU grad (2021), attend Life Church in Huntington, where they serve in multiple areas, including the young adult ministry, children’s ministry and events and environment team. Froehlke has a heart for Foresters, and she does not plan to stop pouring into the Forester Family and the world of OT anytime soon.
“I plan to be in the Huntington area for a while, and my prayer is that I can continue to follow God’s leading and give back to the place where my husband and I met, where I learned invaluable academic and life lessons and where my ‘home away from home’ is.”
