My experience at Longwood as an undergraduate student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program has been so rewarding. I have made lasting relationships with Longwood staff and have grown to appreciate their teaching styles and compassion in the field of speech-language pathology. I am seeking graduate education in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders to pursue my career as a speech-language pathologist in the area of pediatrics. Longwood's graduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders is the best fit for me as campus is close to home and their educational and clinical settings provide many opportunities to learn.
I was born with a rare form of primordial dwarfism, leaving me small for gestational age. I was prone to teasing and bullying because of my size for as long as I can remember, but I never let anyone's negative comments bring me down. At the age of seventeen I was diagnosed as infertile due to health complications, something that I did not expect. I came to the realization that God had other plans for me, even if they didn't seem in arm's reach at that moment. Because I am unable to have children of my own, I want to pursue a career that allows me to become a positive influence in children's lives. Because of my hardships, I understand what it's like to feel insecure and unnoticed because of being different. Although, I never want a child to feel like they can't succeed because of those differences.
Growing up as a petite young woman, I have always tried my hardest to live up to my own expectations. I never let anything stop me from accomplishing my goals, especially not something as simple as a height difference. Others may view it as a crutch, but I have only found positivity in my differences. I hope to promote that positivity into other's that may feel different, impaired, or lesser than because of a speech impediment. I want them to know they are capable of anything they set their mind to, even if it means working a little harder than one might expect.
During my internship this summer at TALK (Teaching Articulation to Young Kids), I was able to observe therapy sessions with school-aged children with articulation disorders. One client in particular won my heart, she was nine years old and presented with derhotacization of her vocalic /r/ sound. She had been struggling with her self-confidence and my supervisor had a hard time getting her to open up as she is normally very timid. The first day she and I met, she instantly felt comfortable around me and we shared thoughts about how much we both loved Taylor Swift and sparkly dresses. My supervisor was so pleased that she came out of her shell, and she was able to gather a conversational speech sample from our interaction. This young-lady changed my perspective, and in that moment I felt like I could really see myself as a clinician. She is my motivation as to why I want to work with children with speech disorders, as I want to make all of my clients feel like they can be successful in anything they set their mind to. I want to enlist self-confidence in mastering their goals as well as build positive relationships with them.
Longwood University has become my home away from home, and I am not ready to leave. I hope to continue my legacy as a Longwood Lancer for two more years in the graduate program of Communication Sciences and Disorders and learn to become a citizen leader in the field of speech-language pathology. This program will open new windows of opportunities for me to experience an education that will allow me to be successful in my future career. I am humbled and thankful to have been a part of this program as an undergraduate, and I look forward to the future ahead.
