Jerome "Jerry" Kevin Burik

Mr. Jerome Kevin Burik, 52, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, August 13, 2012 while on vacation in Florida. The relatives and friends of Mr. Jerome Burik are invited to attend his Memorial Service on Friday, August 17, 2012 in Christ Episcopal Church at 10:30 am. Burial will be private. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR Mount Pleasant CHAPEL.The family will receive friends after the service in the Parish Hall of the church.

Jerry was born on August 13, 1959 in McKees Rock, Pennsylvania, son of Claudia Lusko Burik and the late Jerome Stephen Burik. Jerry graduated from Canevin High School, Pittsburgh, PA and attended West Virginia University, transferring to the Medical University of South Carolina Occupational Therapy Program. He graduated from MUSC in 1982 with a BS degree in O.T. In 1991, he graduated from the MHS program in OT where his research project as titled "Assessment of Life Satisfaction Post-Stroke in Elderly Adults." As a licensed Occupational Therapist he has been an independent contractor, a consultant, and adjunct instructor and an entrepreneur. He co-founded the first private practice of Occupational Therapy in Charleston, SC (Therapy Resources) prior to joining the faculty at the Medical University. From 1992-1996 he was appointed as an Adjunct Instructor in the Occupational Therapy Program and in 1999, he was appointed a full-time Assistant Professor and the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the Division of Occupational Therapy, College of Health Professions at MUSC, where he served at the time of his death. Jerry was a licensed Occupational Therapist with the South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy and an active member of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the South Carolina Occupational Therapy Association (SCOTA). He was on a number of Advisory Boards including the Trident Technical College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. He was a great collaborator with his faculty colleagues which led to his participation in many funded grant activities and publications. He also held a leadership role in the MUSC Leadership Initiative, C-3. Creating Collaborative Care, which promotes inter-professional education strategies that builds teamwork for bridging the classroom to the clinic. He fulfilled the academic expectations of teaching, research, and service to the community. In 2002, Burik was awarded the MUSC Health Science Foundation Teaching Excellence Award, in the Developing Teacher Category. When interviewed about this award, he said he loved his profession and wanted to educate his students, not only train them. One of the ways he encouraged experiential learning and exposure to real life situations and people was to bring 25-30 local adults to the OT classroom each spring semester where their daily functions were assessed by the OT students. The adults and the students were equally enthusiastic about this experience. He was nominated for the Educator-Lecturer Award of the MUSC Health Sciences Foundation in 2006 and 2009 and nominated for the Teacher of the Year Award from the College of Health Professions in 2002, 2003, and 2006. Likewise, he was nominated for the Developing Scholars Award at the college of Health Professions in 2005 and 2006. An inspiring and dedicated OT Faculty member, Burik was a role model who had excellent community relations with rehabilitation facilities and personnel. With his experience in consulting and managing a rehabilitation facility, he was an excellent fieldwork coordinator and his organizational skills helped the MUSC OT program to win national awards. Phone calls from students and cooperating facilities occupied many of his days, nights, and weekends. He also was known to work weekends in his office, perfecting his lesson plans for his classes or preparing for national presentations. A gifted teacher, Burik spent his life passing his love of Occupational Therapy on to his colleagues, students, and his patients.

Jerry will be missed by his mother, Claudia Burik of Mt. Pleasant, SC; his long-time companion, Bill Fiddie of Mt. Pleasant, SC; the faculty and students at MUSC and the many friends he held dear from throughout his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Foundation, Occupational Therapy Program Support Fund, 18 Bee Street, MSC 450, Charleston, SC 29425.