Students pair SLP with variety of majors
Last fall, Messiah College launched a speech and language pathology (SLP) minor. The program aims to teach students the behind-the-scenes aspects of language—how to process and articulate it.
The new minor provides the first building block to becoming a licensed speech and language pathologist. After graduating from Messiah, students then can pursue a master’s in speech and language pathology in graduate school. Once licensed, speech pathologists can work with people of all ages in hospitals, schools, government agencies, private practice and other organizations.
“The addition of this minor opens many career doors for students as it allows them the opportunity to prepare for graduate school in speech and language pathology while also allowing them to pursue an undergraduate degree in a related field,” said Caroline Maurer, dean of the School of Business, Education and Social Sciences at Messiah.
Melinda Burchard, associate professor of education, helps students fit this new minor alongside their current majors. “We ensured that our courses are robust and that we’re helping students individually set themselves up for earning their degree,” she said.
Students have paired the SLP minor with majors in human development and family sciences (HDFS), psychology, biopsychology, biology, education, and peace and conflict studies.
Abby Kazee ’18, an HDFS major, added the minor to bridge gaps in the field of social justice, specifically in working with refugees. “Refugees are expected to do well with no prior knowledge of our language or our culture,” she said. “Speech and language pathology will help me help people who don’t speak English adjust to being in the U.S. so that they, too, can be successful.”
Elementary and special education major Emily Deardorff ’20 says she considered majoring in SLP before coming to Messiah. When the College debuted the minor, she added it to her courseload. She says she carefully considers the lives she will impact in her future career.
“There is a seamless flow between elementary education, special education and speech pathology,” said Deardorff. “If we can help cure speech issues for young children, then they will become more self-confident and independent as they grow and mature into the people they were destined to be.”
— Jake Miaczynski ’20