Children drove their vehicles through obstacle courses and into cones as they enjoyed their newly found mobility. (BGSU photo/Haven Conn '22)
The first-time event allowed the doctoral students to apply their knowledge in real-world patient interactions
During a first-of-its-kind Go Baby Go event at Bowling Green State University, students in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program customized battery-powered vehicles for children living with disabilities. In all, seven children received vehicles modified for their unique needs and abilities. The event was part of the program's immersive, in-person labs that bring students to campus for a two-week period.
Key Highlights
Event: Go Baby Go
Who: BGSU Doctor of Occupational Therapy students
Impact: Seven children with disabilities were outfitted with customized vehicles, allowing for accessibility and mobility
Hands-on learning in Bowling Green's OTD program
After learning about low-cost fabrication and adapting toys and tools for occupational use, Bowling Green's OTD students were paired with families with children living with disabilities. The Go Baby Go event allowed students to apply their education to create a real-world impact for children with mobility issues.
A life-changing event
With sponsorship from the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, the vehicles were customized for children and sent home with families to allow for continued mobility.
Accelerated, hybrid program
Bowling Green's Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is the first and only public OTD program of its kind in Ohio, allowing students to earn their degree in just two years through a combination of online and in-person coursework.
“I saw students thinking critically and clinically about situations before making adaptations on the fly. I saw collaboration, problem solving and compromises being made in real time. Students were advocating for what they thought was best for their patients. These are skills they will carry forward with them into their internships and employment as occupational therapists."
ALLEN KEENER, PH.D.
ASSOCIATE CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Five-year-old Cooper Mowen loves to go fast. However, because he lives with cerebral palsy, riding a battery-powered car independently wasn’t possible. That all changed with the Go Baby Go event at Bowling Green State University.
The event paired Cooper and six other children with disabilities with students in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, who customized battery-powered vehicles to match each child’s unique needs and abilities.
“This is what occupational therapy is all about,” said first-year OTD student Noah Zebrak. “We’ve been working really hard all week with assistive technology and modifiable devices and adaptations. Go Baby Go allows us to bring together what we’ve learned in the lab and classroom and be creative while helping put smiles on the faces of kids and their parents.”
Working with the families, Zebrak and his classmates modified the vehicles using low-cost materials to improve accessibility and safety. While all the vehicles were modified to include a remote control for parents, students were tasked with making personalized adjustments to meet their assigned child’s specific needs.
“I saw students thinking critically and clinically about situations before making adaptations on the fly,” said Allen Keener, Ph.D., associate clinical professor of occupational therapy. “I saw collaboration, problem solving and compromises being made in real time. Students were advocating for what they thought was best for their patients.
“These are all skills they will carry forward with them into their internships and employment as occupational therapists.”
Because of his right-sided weakness, Cooper often leans over and turns his head, making a standard electric vehicle unsafe for him to ride in alone. To make his vehicle safer, Caidence Jennings and her classmates created an adapted seat to raise him higher to accommodate his long legs, installed a push-button accelerator so he wouldn’t have to use the pedals and added support barriers and shoulder straps to help him stay upright.
The attention to detail and the time committed to making Cooper’s vehicle safe did not go unnoticed by his mother.
“We’ve always wanted to get a car like this, but the vehicles aren’t safe enough for him,” said Emily Mowen ‘20. “Now he will be able to do something that other kids his age do on their own, while having the support and adaptations needed to make it more accessible for him.”
Now that her son is five years old, Mowen said carrying him and pushing him in strollers and wheelchairs is getting more difficult. The personally outfitted motorized vehicle makes it easier to go adventuring, whether it’s down the street or through the campgrounds.
“I am so thankful for BGSU for hosting this event,” Mowen said. “Not only was it an opportunity for the occupational therapy students to gain more experience, but it also opened so many doors for Cooper to grow.”
Spending nearly three hours with Cooper and his mom, Jennings asked questions, made the proper adaptations to the vehicle and learned more about Cooper. In addition to modifying the vehicle, Jennings took the time to hand-paint flames on the front and back of Cooper’s vehicle to make it look “faster.”
A New Orleans native, Jennings chose BGSU for the hybrid, accelerated program, enjoying the flexibility of the hybrid delivery model and the ability to earn her doctorate at just 23. While on campus for two weeks of hands-on psychomotor skill development in immersive lab experiences, Jennings and her classmates couldn’t contain their excitement for the Go Baby Go event.
“Staying with two other girls in the program, the Go Baby Go event was all we could talk about,” Jennings said. “Everything we did on campus was a building block leading up to the event. We kept talking about the modifications we wanted to make and the personalization we wanted to add.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time on campus and reaffirmed that I made the right decision to attend BGSU. I am thankful to have been a part of this event, and I look forward to continuing the OTD program.”
Jennings, Zebrak and their classmates will wrap up their first of two hybrid years this summer before beginning rotations during their second year.
As for the Go Baby Go, the BGSU OTD program hopes to make this an annual event and continue to have an impact on the surrounding community. This year’s event was sponsored by The Ability Center of Greater Toledo, allowing all vehicles outfitted during the Go Baby Go event to be sent home with families at no cost.
Related Stories
Updated: 07/28/2026 04:54PM