51社区黑料

Ashley Ruskowski has accepted an offer of admission from the University of British Columbia鈥檚 MSc in Speech-Language Pathology program. Ashley was inspired to pursue SLP because of the ways in which the field provides opportunities to have a positive impact on others. This was her first time applying to an SLP grad program. 

What inspired you to pursue speech-language pathology?

Growing up, my younger brother presented with a speech delay. I would tag along with my mom and attend his speech therapy sessions. I watched him go from being shy and reserved to a confident little boy with a lot to say. This really opened my eyes to the impact that an SLP can have on an individual鈥檚 life.

At 16 years old, I developed a passion for working with children when I began teaching swimming lessons. Seeing the little ones鈥� faces light up after grasping a new skill is immensely fulfilling. Working as a swim instructor made me realize that I wanted to pursue a career that involves working with kids. Thinking back to my brother鈥檚 experience solidified the fact that becoming an SLP was the perfect career path for me.

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

I began working as a lifeguard and swimming lesson instructor in 2019. Teaching swimming lessons allowed me to gain valuable experience working with a wide age range of people (6 months old up to adults). I furthermore developed skills communicating with parents about their children鈥檚 progress.

I started volunteering with the in 2023. This organization鈥檚 focus is early intervention and offers speech therapy to children under the age of five. In this role, I was able to work alongside the SLPs, observe therapy sessions, and prepare materials for them to use with their clients to target specific sounds.

Shortly after I started this role, I decided that I would like to gain experience working with adults. I started in their 鈥淎phasia Peer Connect鈥� program. In this role, I led weekly Zoom discussions with a group of stroke survivors with Aphasia in BC. The goal of this program is to create a safe space for participants to talk, have genuine conversations, and form connections which are often lost after being diagnosed with Aphasia.

I began as a research assistant in the Language Learning and Development Lab in 2024 under Dr. Henny Yeung. I worked extensively on a project entitled 鈥淐ommunity鈥� which investigates the various aspects of the language development of monolingual and bilingual children through online experiments. In this role, I conducted experiments and completed data annotation. 

My other role at LangDev Lab was being a member of the recruitment team. In this role, I attended numerous community events where I would deliver presentations focusing on ways to foster child language development. I would also answer parents鈥� questions about their child鈥檚 language acquisition.

In 2025, I began a paid position as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant at . In this role, I work with a diverse caseload of clients, providing targeted support in communication and articulation under the supervision of an SLP.

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

First Language Acquisition (LING 350), taught by Dr. Henny Yeung, sparked my passion in this area of linguistics. Specifically, I was fascinated by how during early childhood the brain is like a sponge, soaking everything up, and easily mouldable. This inspired me to work in Dr. Yeung鈥檚 lab and in my future career to promote early intervention. 

Psychology of Language (LING 315), taught by Dr. Meg Grant, explores how language works in human cognition. I thoroughly enjoyed this course as I gained insight into how psychological and cognitive systems coincide with language.

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

Dr. Henny Yeung significantly shaped my journey to admission to UBC. He allowed me to gain valuable experience in his lab and sparked my interest in first language acquisition during LING 350.

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

I participated in the Speech and Hearing Club (SHLUB). Personally, I felt that SHLUB was incredibly helpful in preparing for grad school applications. I would encourage students who are applying to SLP programs to refer to the , which shows each SLP program's specific requirements. I referred to this page numerous times when selecting courses and used it as a checklist to ensure I had everything that I needed for the three schools I applied to.

Please explain your approach to the Letter of Intent. 

My approach to the Letter of Intent was to tell my story. I shared my journey all the way from being a little girl watching my brother attend speech therapy to a 22-year-old woman who has finished her Bachelor of Arts degree and is working as an SLP assistant. 

I made sure to highlight all of the hard work that I have done that has set me up for success in the UBC SLP program.