Why I Want To Be A Speech Language Pathologist

After my cousin lost his life to depression, my aunt founded Suicide Prevention Education Awareness and Knowledge (SPEAK). I was eight years old, and it was the very first time I had learned the importance of communication. Since then, my family has lost three more loved ones to that same battle. Through tragedy, I have developed a hyper-aware perspective that is crucial in the field of speech-language pathology. I am also compassionate, patient, flexible, and empathetic. Together, these qualities contribute to my compatibility for the role of a graduate student at Kent State University and my future as a speech-language pathologist.

Due to my personal and professional experience, I exhibit a unique perspective that differentiates me from my peers. Several years ago, I worked in specialized foster homes as a respite provider with high-risk and high-needs youth in care. The youth placed in these homes are of highest-risk youth in Manitoba and receive extended funding. They experience a number of difficulties including, but not limited to: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Generalized Learning Disorders, Oppositional Defiant Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Justice Involvement, Aggression, and Attachment Disorders.
I efficiently responded to emergencies and developed thorough documentation practices. My ability to maintain a steady rapport with high-risk youth and their care providers speaks to my success in working with diverse cohorts. And my instinctive sense of empathy and analysis alike has proven strong in this line of work. I remain eager to grow and utilize these characteristics in furthering my contribution to the lives of disadvantaged