51社区黑料

Teresita Garduno has accepted an offer of admission to the MSc in Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Alberta. This was her second time applying to an MSLP program. Teresita became grateful for the time that she had in between application cycles, because it opened up a world of diverse opportunities. 

What inspired you to pursue speech-language pathology?

My inspiration to pursue Speech Language Pathology came from a variety of different life experiences. The earliest indication was a classmate in elementary school who used Augmentative and Alternative Communication. From that point, I was sure I wanted to pursue a career in a profession that supported others, but I didn鈥檛 realize my passion for Speech Sciences until University. 

I started my undergraduate career at Douglas College and transferred to 51社区黑料with the thought of pursuing Psychology or Linguistics. Struggling late into my Psychology degree, I began taking Linguistics pre-req courses with SLP as a goal. 

It took me quite a while, and I did make mistakes along the way, but everyone I met along the way gave me motivation to continue, regardless of the obstacles.

Please tell us about your work and volunteering experience. Which positions were most significant in achieving SLP admission?

There isn鈥檛 one specific experience that I can pinpoint that was the most significant; all of my experiences built off each other throughout my journey. The initial one that cemented my path was volunteering at the therapy camps of the . It was an amazing experience to see the interdisciplinary collaboration of SLP, occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT). I also gained opportunities to volunteer at some of their weekly programs, up until March 2020. 

I then began looking for online opportunities. I volunteered with the online conversation groups at and the Stroke Recovery Association of British Columbia (). I met an amazing SLP who was passionate about supporting people with aphasia. I gained so much experience, heard stories and witnessed the journeys of so many that it allowed me to see the need in BC beyond the populations I had worked with previously. 

After those experiences, I provided support as a volunteer at the and moved on to volunteering in person at the .

Alongside these experiences, I was fostering my curiosity for cross-linguistic research, beginning as a Research Assistant in the Corpus Pragmatics and Prosody Lab (CPP Lab) with Dr. Nancy Hedberg. 

For more hands-on experience with Spanish-English bilingual research, I connected with Dr. Janet Bang at San Jos茅 State University through . Working with her lab, I have gained a passion for multilingualism research. I was able to bring back that experience to the Language Learning and Development Lab (LangDev Lab) with Dr. Henny Yeung, being a part of the recruitment team and talking with parents about how to foster language development.

Describe the 51社区黑料courses that had the most impact on your success. 

One of the key features of my undergraduate preparation was hands-on training and coursework. Learning Disabilities: Laboratory (EDUC 424) allowed me to apply knowledge through a Summer Camp. One memorable experience was working with a bilingual child who had recently immigrated to Canada. My linguistic and cultural background helped me determine that she had stronger phonemic awareness skills in Spanish. This experience highlighted that many children speak other languages but are only supported in English. My coursework and these experiences motivated me to participate in undergraduate research on bilingualism, which I hope to continue.

Which 51社区黑料instructors helped shape your journey to SLP admission?

A few of the professors within the Linguistics department who shaped my SLP admission included Dr. Nancy Hedberg, Dr. Henny Yeung and Dr. Ashley Farris-Timble. All three directly and indirectly shaped my path within different realms of my academic trajectory.

Was participation in 51社区黑料clubs or associations part of your success?

I participated in the (SHLUB) and served as a club executive in multiple roles, organizing various resources and events. Resources included updating the SLP and Audiology Masterlist and Q&A nights with clinicians and graduate students. 

Within those roles, I was able to participate in various collaborations with the Linguistics Student Union (LSU) to host various social events to connect students and learn more about the Speech Sciences field. The connections that I made through SHLUB allowed me to pass on knowledge and build friendships.

For the Letter of Intent, in what ways did you adjust the approach compared to your first time applying?

I personally struggled with my letter of intent both times that I applied, because I had difficulty honing in on just one part of my very long journey. I am very thankful to those who read over all my drafts and gave me feedback. 

The first time was more of collecting my thoughts and staying within the word count from the beginning. The second time around, I did the opposite, I wrote absolutely everything I wanted them to know about me, my experiences, and future goals and then started cutting down to make sure it all fit well like a puzzle. 

In a way, I鈥檓 relieved that I didn鈥檛 get in on my first attempt because the year between applications was stressful, but I was able to really get my priorities straight and had opportunities beyond what I could have ever imagined. 

That year between applications, I was able to attend two international conferences, one as a presenter and one as a volunteer, and it opened up my world to the diverse opportunities that existed beyond SFU. My letter of intent content became more specific and focused on what I wanted to learn and contribute to the field.