Elant awards inaugural scholarship to SUNY Orange graduate Monroe resident Amanda Hetherington to use $500 to pay for certification test

GOSHEN – Elant, the provider of senior health and housing solutions, announced this week its first-ever Elant-SUNY Orange Community Partnership Scholarship to Amanda Hetherington of Monroe.
Hetherington, who graduated this spring, has put the $500 award toward the fee for her National Board Certification for occupational therapy examination. Once she passes the exam, she will be a certified occupational therapy assistant.
“Elant is proud to have SUNY Orange as a community partner,” Todd A. Whitney, president and CEO of Elant Inc., said in the press release announcing the scholarship. “This scholarship is an extension of our externship program that we have had with the college for years, which has provided Elant with excellent students that have enhanced the daily lives of our residents.”
Hetherington was a member of Elant’s externship program and created a wheelchair Zumba class that she began leading at Elant at Fishkill. The program, which provided therapy through music and dance, became so popular with residents that Hetherington was allowed to expand it to all facilities.
“What I did with Elant was take my passion for dancing and my passion for occupational therapy and I combined them into one program to rehabilitate people,” said Hetherington. “The residents loved it. We take their exercise and we do it a different way. They were always asking for more.”
“It has been such a pleasure to have Amanda as a part of our program,” said Donna Frazier, Elant’s corporate rehabilitation director. “I look forward to endless opportunities for our residents through this program.”
Hetherington has wanted to work with seniors for a long time. “I always have had a passion for the elderly since my grandmother lived with me,” she said. “I watched my mother take care of her and I would always try to help. My grandmother inspired me to enter this career.”
“I am pleased to have had Amanda as the first recipient of the Elant-SUNY Orange Scholarship,” said Tracey Cassel-Dworetzky, director of rehabilitation at Elant at Fishkill. “This specialized Zumba program was beneficial to our residents both physically and mentally. Amanda is a deserving candidate, as she exhibited such enthusiasm and dedication throughout her externship at Elant at Fishkill.”
Elant will award $500 to one SUNY Orange student annually.