Grace Sheldon Fisher, Ed.D., OTR/L, is Associate Professor
and Chair of the Misericordia University Occupational Therapy
Department. Dr. Fisher holds a doctoral degree in
educational administration from Temple University (’97), a
master of science degree in human services administration
from Misericordia University (’87), a post-baccalaureate
certificate of proficiency in occupational therapy from
the University of Pennsylvania (’79), and a bachelor of
arts degree in psychology from Wilkes College (’74).
Dr. Fisher’s professional experience includes adult and geriatric physical disabilities practice and occupational therapy management. She previously held positions as an occupational therapist at White Haven Center in (‘80-‘81), and as Manager of Occupational Therapy at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center (‘81-‘95). She also taught Occupational Therapy at Gannon University in Erie PA (‘00-‘03).
Dr. Fisher has been associated with Misericordia University since 1990, when she began teaching here as an adjunct instructor. She assumed a full time teaching position at Misericordia in 1995. Dr. Fisher currently teaches OT 520 Research Design and OT 320 Impairments and Disabilities.
Dr. Fisher is certified in neurodevelopmental therapy for the person with adult hemiplegia. She is involved in conducting collaborative research with graduate occupational therapy students in areas which include environmental safety for older persons, the role of occupation in the lives of individuals with chronic pain, and the provision of occupational therapy to individuals who have severe and persistent mental illness. She has a special research interest in the development of health and occupational therapy assessment instruments.
Dr. Fisher is a health and wellness proponent. She commits to walking for one hour on a near-daily basis. Although she is “not an athlete”, she also likes to swim and bicycle whenever she can. Dr. Fisher takes pleasure in nature and the outdoor world. She enjoys reading and going to the movies. She is fond of all kinds of music, including rock and roll, Celtic music, and Broadway show tunes. Her favorite books include works from Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, as well as the Isabel Dalhousie novels by the same author. Her interests vary. Currently, Dr. Fisher is reading J. Rutledge’s novel called “Coverup”- about a German submarine which was sunk off the coast of Nantucket during WWII.
The MU Occupational Therapy faculty are, according to Dr. Fisher, an “awesome” group of individuals to work with. She says they are a close group of colleagues who are all deeply committed to their students and to the provision of quality occupational therapy education. She is also proud of all of the past and present occupational therapy students. She states that the OT program attracts highly committed and intelligent students who are also friendly and compassionate. All of the Occupational Therapy faculty are looking forward to the move of the OT program to the new Frontier Building on Lake Street in Dallas in 2010. The new labs and equipment which await the program in the new building are something to look forward to!