Class of 2026: Sydney Hilovsky takes occupational therapy to the pool for children with autism

By Joan Tupponce

With both parents in teaching careers, Sydney Hilovsky thought she wanted to follow a similar path. Then she saw an occupational therapist working with students and she experienced an “a-ha” moment.

“I fell in love with OT and the fact that I can work with people of all ages and all abilities,” Hilovsky said.

The Roanoke native came to Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023 to take advantage of the VCU Occupational Therapy Doctorate, Entry Level program at the College of Health Professions after earning a bachelor’s degree in health sciences with a minor in occupational therapy and special education at James Madison University.

She began the Ph.D. program in June 2024 and has since been working toward both degrees simultaneously. She graduates from the OTD program in May.

“I knew that VCU’s graduate OT program was nationally ranked,” she said. “I was excited about the potential opportunity to work toward both degrees and further my education beyond an OTD.”

Hilovsky has served as a neuroscience teaching assistant for Stacey Reynolds, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and director of the Ph.D.in Health Related Sciences program.

“She has been a great mentor to me, guiding me toward meaningful opportunities and experiences I never thought possible,” Hilovsky said. “She has played a key role in shaping my professional goals.”

Reynolds sees Hilovsky as an exceptional student.

“What stands out most is her intellectual curiosity,” Reynolds said. “She is not motivated by grades alone but by a genuine desire to understand complex material deeply.”

That commitment is reflected in Hilovsky’s capstone project, in which she used her swimming skills to start an adaptive swimming program in the fall 2025 semester.

“Aquatic therapy is an emerging area for OT,” she said. “While I was doing research on it, I found an intervention for aquatic occupational therapy for kids with autism that was created by Erika Kemp, OT at Ohio State.”

Hilovsky was trained for Kemp’s intervention, AquOTic, and since January, she has been working with four children with autism once a week at RecWell, collecting data and tracking their progress. Though the program ends April 12, it will expand into a fully powered study for Hilovsky’s dissertation.

“They have improved their swim skills, have become more comfortable and safe in the aquatic environment, and they know the rules of the pool,” she said.

Hilovsky is passionate about teaching children with autism basic swim skills because “drowning is the No. 1 cause of unintentional injury-related death in kids with autism,” Hilovsky said. “They are 160 times more likely to die from drowning compared to their typically developing peers. And I think everyone deserves the opportunity to engage in aquatic environments safely.”

Reynolds called Hilovsky’s work with the adaptive swim program “a perfect example of doctoral-level initiative and follow-through. … She is now graduating with a fully completed, publishable research project. Importantly, her work has already had real-world impact: She has helped four children with autism become safer in the water, which speaks to both the scientific and human value of her work.”

Hilovsky appreciates how OT can address everything from social, communication and behavioral challenges to cognition and safety awareness, as well as motor skills and participation in everyday activities.

“In OT, we treat people holistically and look at all the things that can promote participation,” she said.

Hilovsky is passionate about working with patients who have endured an unexpected stroke or spinal cord injury or who are navigating other challenges.

“I truly enjoy helping them get back to their life,” Hilovsky said. “I love the OT community and that we can work with other professionals in the health care field.”

After graduation, she will sit for her board examinations to get licensure to work as an OT. While pursuing her Ph.D., Hilovsky would like to work at an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

“Long term, after working in OT,” she said, “I see myself transitioning into academia or research and continuing to promote the field.”