Speech Therapy Personal Statement

Personal Statement
It only took a moment for my perspectives and life goals to change. My sudden and unexpected insight came during the summer of 2011 when, as a high school student, I volunteered at Schramm Educational Center, an alternative school for children with severe and profound disabilities. On this particular day, I observed an unforgettable speech therapy session, which inspired me to pursue my studies in Speech and Language Pathology. I watched in awe as a nonverbal, wheelchair-bound child with significant cognitive and motor impairments used her eyes to express “yes” and “no.” Her eye movements, while subtle, allowed her to make choices, identify known objects and, according to her speech therapist, could one day communicate her thoughts and needs through the use of
assistive technology. Some onlookers might have had difficulty recognizing intellectual ability in this child, unable to see past her physical limitations imposed by her diagnosis of cerebral palsy. However during this session, the worlds of disability, diversity, and advocacy became intertwined as I realized the importance and basic human right of communication. Little did I know that my journey to become a Speech and Language Pathologist would begin on this day; I had not only found my passion, but also my true vocation.
Motivated by this experience, and inspired to take action immediately, I graduated high school a semester early, achieving twenty-three credit hours at Illinois Central College prior to attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Those early credit hours allowed me to fully focus on academics, research, and clinical volunteer opportunities, while also maintaining part-time employment. In addition to my undergraduate studies, I sought out scholarly research positions in the areas of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), neuroscience, infant cognition, and telepractice intervention strategies. As part of my AAC research position, I organized data/audio clips into concise videos demonstrating the success and barriers of the teaming and teaching strategies used to promote team functioning, evidence-based practices, and child communication with the Pragmatic Organized Dynamic Display Device. My involvement in this project extended beyond its initial scope, culminating in co-publishing (in development) and co-presenting our findings at multiple local and national conferences, including the 2016 TASH Convention (an advocacy group for individuals with disabilities), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Educational Seminar, and the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
In preparation for graduate school, I decided to pair each research experience with supplemental academic coursework.
This strategy provided me the multi-factorial background and detailed information necessary to better understand the technology, evidence-based practices, and underlying research, while making the coursework more meaningful. Additionally, my diverse academic and research interests inspired me to pursue clinical volunteer experiences throughout the community. Through the Carle Foundation Hospital, I observed adults with aphasia/dysphasia as part of a weekly Aphasia Group and aided in the planning and facilitation of group activities. I also especially enjoyed working with children with hearing impairments; many of which utilized hearing aids, bilateral cochlear implants, or other assistive technology. Each of these experiences gave me a greater insight into communication disorders, sharpening my inquiries, knowledge, and understanding of both the challenges and possibilities within our field. And although I am partial to working with children, I am greatly interested in broadening my educational and professional experiences to include working with individuals of all
ages.
Other influential experiences were not solely in the classroom, or as a result of professional research. Having grown up on a farm in a small rural community, I was eager to explore the world’s diverse cultures, global perspectives, and social norms. Therefore, during the summer of 2015 I journeyed to Barcelona, Spain to intern as an English teaching assistant and camp counselor at a local public school. Through this experience I challenged my communicative and cultural perspectives and learned to embrace the beauty of diversity. These new roles required a total immersion of myself and acceptance of others in order to successfully engage with my students and coworkers. While I possessed the technical skills to teach English, I quickly learned that compassion, patience, and active listening were of equal importance to being an effective teacher and communicator. I found that this international teaching experience closely mirrors the client-clinician relationship in that exercising sound clinical judgment and engaging others in the process of remediation, involves both art and science. Moving forward, I am determined to apply this knowledge into my professional practice.
My primary professional goal is to become an evidence-based clinician who leaves no stone unturned, thoroughly explores clients’ abilities without preconceived limitations, and individualizes treatment methods based on each person’s unique needs and personal capacities. Through research, education, and clinical experience, I hope to advance my profession and the health and wellness of clients by improving evidence-based practices while breaking biases and barriers toward individuals with disabilities. I am most drawn to Speech Pathology as it fits my character. I see opportunities in challenges and work hard to seek solutions. I value the flexibility to work in a variety of settings and enjoy working with others. I recognize that Vanderbilt University offers a rich and vigorous curriculum and is nationally recognized for high standards, scholarly research, and innovative teaching. During the graduate school orientation in July 2016, I saw the exemplary quality and rich variety of educational and clinical opportunities for students. I am especially interested in cochlear implant research opportunities to further advance my knowledge and prepare me to work in a variety of settings with clients of all ages. With this in mind and given my previous educational and professional experience, I would be honored to be included in your program.
Thank you very much for your consideration.