Malini Laxman’s introduction to speech-language pathology came from a simple Google search.
Laxman (B.S. ’19) was an undergraduate biology major at Georgia State University at the time, and she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field. But her experiences shadowing professionals at local hospitals and clinics didn’t feel like the right fit for her.
“I opened Google and typed ‘careers related to’ and my interests — health, foreign languages and public service — in the search bar. Among multiple results, I saw the words ‘speech therapist,’ which I’d never heard of before,” she said. “Out of pure curiosity, I clicked on the link to find out what it was about. What I found was a fascinating prospective career with a vast and growing scope of practice. I shadowed a speech-language pathologist at a pediatric clinic and for the first time, I felt like I belonged.”
Malini Laxman was recognized for an Outstanding Clinician in Communication Sciences and Disorders Award for excellence and creativity in clinical skills in speech-language pathology at the 2023 CEHD Honors Day ceremony.
Speech-language pathologists are trained to diagnose and treat a number of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Laxman applied to several communication sciences and disorders master’s programs in hopes of becoming a speech-language pathologist. She ultimately decided to stay at Georgia State when she saw the diversity among faculty and students in the university’s master’s program, housed in the College of Education & Human Development.
“I thought this would be a program where I could talk about being a minority in communication sciences and disorders and feel supported by my teachers and my peers,” she said. “Upon joining the program, I was not disappointed.”
As a master’s student, Laxman worked with Assistant Professor Ai Leen Choo on a research study to better understand how to diversify the speech-language pathology profession. Their results — which they published in an ASHA journal and presented at the Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s 2023 conference — revealed the importance of recruiting and retaining a diverse group of students in communication sciences and disorders programs.
She participated in internship experiences at the Marcus Autism Center, Building Bridges Therapy and Peachtree Ridge High School, working with different groups of children and young adults on their speech and language needs. She also provided speech therapy to members of the Voices of Hope Choir, a singing group for stroke survivors with communication disorders.
“This was a very cool and unique experience that showed me how I can provide therapy in unique ways to make it more fun for my clients,” Laxman said. “The choir members were engaging and very supportive of each other. It was very fulfilling to be part of a program that created a community for these individuals.”
Laxman graduates this fall and will join Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Buice Center, which provides community and vocational skills for high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome and other disabilities.
“There is a high demand for speech-language pathologists right now, so it’s a great time to get into this field,” she said. “Communication skills are so vital for our quality of life, and it is so fulfilling to be able to give someone those skills to live a better life. Our profession may not be known by many, but the people we work with are so grateful for us.”
Story by Claire Miller