Q: What made you choose the College of Education & Human Development to earn your graduate degree?
A: “When I was applying to graduate programs, I was initially drawn to Georgia State for its affiliations with the hospitals, schools and clinics across the metro-Atlanta area. The internship opportunities in Atlanta are plentiful with these affiliations and the university’s strong alumni network.”
Q: What has been your favorite moment during your graduate program (in class, in an internship/experience in your field, etc.)?
A: “It’s difficult to choose just one moment to highlight from my time at Georgia State – I’ve had so many wonderful experiences – but the one thing that all of my favorite moments have in common is the people! Many of my professors go beyond their role of a teacher to support and guide us through our graduate program. The clinical supervisors, both on and off campus, give so much of themselves to the students and the profession. My classmates are among my closest friends and we provide endless support to one another. The support system provided by the professors, supervisors and my peers is unparalleled.”
Q: What is one interesting fact/detail you’ve learned about the field of communication sciences and disorders?
A: “Before entering this program, I thought speech language pathologists were limited to working in hospitals, schools or private practice clinics. During my coursework and clinical work, I have learned about the diversity of the speech language pathologist’s role. From serving as an expert witness in legal cases to treating business executives for communication difficulties, there is so much more than meets the eye in the world of speech language pathology.”
Q: How do you plan to move lives forward after you complete your degree?
A: “I can’t wait to enhance the lives of others by making people strong communicators! As I become more seasoned in my training as a speech language pathologist, I look forward to stepping into a supervisory role to serve future students. I have been humbled by the time and effort put forth by my clinical supervisors during my time at Georgia State – especially during a global pandemic. I can’t wait to continue the cycle of giving back to the profession and educating other Georgia State students!”
Q: What’s one fun fact about yourself you’d like to share?
A: “I come from a long line of family members who have worked with people with disabilities. My great-grandfather was among the first activists to work on deinstitutionalizing care for children and adults with disabilities.”
This story is one in a series on College of Education & Human Development graduate students.