Speech-Language Pathologist Personal Statement

My mother has been able to introduce me to some of the Speech-Language Pathologists she has worked with. They have kindly made themselves available to describe exactly what they do on a typical work day. I have been able to shadow them and observe how their interactions can change their patients’ future. After hearing their stories, I immediately became enamored by the entire field. I want to become a Speech-Language Pathologist because I know I have the strong will, collaborative nature, patience and tools to make me an incredible asset to this profession.

The ability to connect through speech is an enormous gift of life, and the ability to communicate effectively is an immense aspect of life. The job of a speech-language pathologist is one that comes with a great deal of responsibility and dedication. As you are taking on the position of providing the skills needed for an individual to have successful communication in a way that best suits them given their personal conditions. In order to be a successful speech-language pathologist, a required set of skills is needed. Good interpersonal skills, the ability to take another person’s perspective and the ability to problem solve are three essential abilities that constitute a successful speech-language pathologist.

Within my year and half of clinician experience, I constructed a few future goals that I would like to achieve while in graduate school. One goal is to continue growing my knowledge with working with children with language impairments. This goal is one reason that drew me towards The University of North Texas. With the hands on experience from the preschool for children with language impairments, I could work towards my completion of this goal. Another goal of mine is to gain more experience with working with adults. My clinical experience was centered on children; therefore I would like to become better rounded as a clinician by getting the opportunity to work with adults who may have diverse impairments. Lastly, I would enjoy learning new therapy techniques and how to ultimately become the best Speech-Language Pathologist that I can

Interprofessional collaboration is an important component in any health care. According to the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) Code of Ethics, Individuals shall uphold the dignity and autonomy of the professions, maintain collaborative and harmonious interprofessional and intraprofessional relationships, and accept the professions’ self-imposed standards (ASHA, 2016). With this in mind, it is our duty as future speech-language pathologist (SLPs) to adhere to this principle. Clinicians should utilize every resource available to assist his/her client. This even includes if the client needs a referral to a different specialist.

The opportunity to observe the work overview of a Speech Pathologist, has tremendously solidified my interest in this field. At the Diana Rogovin Speech Center at Brooklyn College, I observed clients of various ages with different speech language disorders including articulation, language, voice, fluency and accent modification. Observing clinicians at the speech center gave me the opportunity to learn how important client-clinician interaction is for the session and how essential it is to build a good relationship with the client. Although I learned the

The charge of this committee was to make recommendations regarding the programs mission, vision, strategic initiatives, curricular changes and/or adjustments. Additionally, the SPC identifies critical strategic issues facing the program and provides recommendations of alternative strategic options. Even though, we all must remain current with trends in the profession, advances in evidence-based practices, and the needs of all stakeholders of speech-language pathology, it falls to the SPC to provide recommendations relative to those market trends, the needs of the community program and making the program more viable and competitive than it is presently. Therefore, the SPC is mandated to develop measureable strategic goals for development and implementation for five-year interim periods. In the beginning of the academic year, the SPC met with faculty and staff to review the current strategic plan and to map out potential changes and future goals that the SPC will formulate. As a former SLP program director, I am well familiar with past goals of the program (since I drafted them), including curricular changes, teaching and employment needs as well as needs of the students as they progress through their matriculation. Additionally, as a former program director I managed the elimination of the undergraduate division of the program and wrote a monograph recommending a doctoral program in speech-language pathology to be created once the university forms an infrastructure to accommodate such a program. As always, the strategic plan is student-driven. Those goals that ensure students are ready to take the board examination (PRAXIS), are ready for employment and patient engagement are the primary concerns of the SCP. As a former coordinator/program director and current associate professor, researcher and clinical consultant, student needs are considered

When undergoing the professional training needed to practice as a speech-language pathologist (SLP), we pride ourselves in “achieving and maintaining the highest level of professional competence and performance (ASHA Code of Ethics, 2016).” Even with the many clinical hours needed as a graduate student and the additional hours needed as a clinical fellow (CF), there are some areas in the scope of practice of an SLP one might not gain experience in. When applying for our first jobs in our field, SLPs should feel comfortable with the potential clientele we will be working with.

I put my best effort into everything that I do because I believe that a person’s work reflects who they are as an individual, thus, I strive to ensure that my work is a true representation of who I am. The challenges and obstacles that I have endured and overcome have helped build my character of being a resilient individual that is willing to do whatever it takes to pursue my dreams. I can honestly say adversity transformed me into the strong-minded person I am today. I do not take anything for granted because I know what it feels like to not have much. I do everything with a purpose and the desire to make a better life for myself so I work hard to achieve all of my goals. I want to be a speech pathologist that delivers and promotes the highest professional standards in a variety of clinical educational settings across a culturally and linguistically diverse client population. Ultimately, I know that if given the chance to obtain a Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of West Georgia, I am confident in my ability to be a devoted student who is eager and willing to learn how to work closely with faculty and staff to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively assess a patient and be a remarkable speech

I plan to continue that work ethic in college so I can pursue career as a Licensed Speech Pathologist. I have maintained “A” grades in all of my classes all while being on the St. Joseph Bowling Team, an Interact Club Board member, President of the Book Club, member

A Marywood liberal arts education allows me to have “access to education that enables all to achieve their full potential.” The knowledge and experience that I will receive during five years at Marywood will empower me to become the best speech-language pathologist that I can be. My education will also allow me to empower others with whom I am working with in my field. By helping clients with their speech, I will empower them to be the best that they can be and have the confidence to do so. By majoring in speech pathology, I will also gain a new level of respect, another core value of Marywood University. The core value defines respect as “honoring the uniqueness and dignity of each human person.” As a speech-language pathologist, each client I work with will be unique, and I must be able to respect that and adapt to the situation of each individual. Marywood will allow me to do this by teaching me necessary skills and knowledge that I will need in the professional

I’ve always had a passion to work with children. I decided to pursue Speech Language Pathology because I want the reward of assisting children overcome their speech insecurities. I am determined to gain the skills and knowledge, from the Communication Sciences and Disorders program at UF, that will prepare me for a master's program in Speech Language Pathology. I hope to learn how to evaluate speech, language, and hearing disorders by having the needed knowledge of the anatomy of hearing and speech mechanisms. This is a demanding field and it will be a rewarding experience to work in the language therapy field.

My passion for Speech Language Pathology developed later than most of my peers. I was naive enough freshmen year to think that I could settle as a Psychology major. Thankfully, Speech Pathology crossed right into my path at the most unforeseen moment. One introduction class was all it took, I was hooked. I’ve been exposed to first-hand clinical experiences, job shadowing opportunities, and professors who were so passionate about their job that they made me want to experience the same thing.

I believe that my academic performance in my Communication Sciences and Disorders curriculum accurately represents my ability to succeed in the field of speech-language pathology. I also feel that my temperament, as well as personality, add to my overall competence as a future graduate student and a aspiring

I not only learned more about speech and language therapy, I also learned a lot about myself. I had crossed the Atlantic unsure of my abilities and lacking confidence. What I found was I had not only learned much more than I thought during my undergraduate studies, but that not all of it had come from speech and hearing courses. By being involved on campus I had provided myself with skills I found essential. Holding multiple leadership positions helped me understand the importance of constructive criticism and personal growth.

I am fortunate to have found a profession that I can be more than just a speech therapist, but an inspiration. During my undergraduate studies in Communication Science and disorders, I completed observation hours and two semesters of clinical practicum. With this experience I became