What inspired you to pursue speech-language pathology?  

My inspiration to pursue speech-language pathology (SLP) developed across many years and a variety of experiences. When I was applying to SFU, I discovered the Department of Linguistics. I was reintroduced to SLP, which reminded me of my own experiences attending speech therapy as a child. 

During my degree, I began working as a behaviour interventionist (BI), where I had the opportunity to shadow and collaborate with wonderful SLPs whose mentorship continuously inspired me and helped me develop valuable skills. 

Over the past few summers, volunteering at an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) camp had completely solidified this path for me. Learning from many professionals and AAC users showed me how empowering communication access can be, deepening my passion for the field.

I’m so incredibly excited to continue learning and be inspired at UBC in the MSLP program this fall! 

Which aspects of preparation had the most impact on your success? 

So many of my experiences built off of one another, and I think all significantly impacted my success. Working as a BI laid a foundation for me because of its interdisciplinary environment, creating opportunities to constantly learn from the SLPs and other professionals.

I then built on those experiences in my role as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA). I’ve been able to apply what I’ve learned in coursework and from my supervising SLP while supporting a variety of clients with different communication needs. Volunteering at an AAC summer camp was also incredibly impactful because it helped me discover the areas in the field I feel most passionate about.

Academically, volunteering as a research assistant at the Language and Brain Lab under Dr. Yue Wang and participating in Dr. Henny Yueng’s graduate-level seminar strengthened my research and academic skills, developing my potential as a future graduate student. 

I think all of these experiences (and more) impacted my success and made my motive as a future clinician and graduate student that much clearer. 

Please explain your approach to the letter of intent. 

I began writing ideas down for my letter of intent (LOI) at least a year before I submitted my application. One valuable piece of advice I received from Rita Parmar, Student Advisor, was to keep track of meaningful “ah-ha” moments throughout my academic, volunteer, and work experiences. Any time I had an idea for my LOI, I wrote it down. Sometimes it would be a short comment, other times it would be more. Over time, this helped me identify the themes and experiences that shaped my interest in the field rather than trying to remember all at once. 

When writing the letter itself, I took a narrative approach. I didn’t just write my experiences and accomplishments as a list. I focused on key experiences and drew examples to reflect on what they taught me and how they all contributed to the clinician (and grad student) that I aim to be.

If you could give one piece of advice to yourself as a first-year student, what would it be? 

I would tell my first-year self not to focus so much on “checking boxes” or trying to build the longest resume possible of experiences I thought I needed to have in order to get accepted.

I’ve realized it’s much more valuable to gain experiences that genuinely interest and inspire me (quality over quantity). Having meaningful experiences helped me find a more unique path and ultimately made my LOI easier to write since I could speak authentically about personal experiences that shaped my application.

Is there anything else that you would like to share? 

It’s okay for your path to look different from others or from what you originally planned. Take your time with your degree and experiences. I took longer than expected to complete my undergraduate degree, including taking a year off in the middle. I was worried this would negatively impact my chances of getting accepted, but looking back, it ended up being incredibly valuable. It gave me the time to gain work experience and figure out where I “fit” within this future field. I got to take a step back to find my niche and interests, which all helped motivate me once I returned to finish my degree. 

I also think it’s important to remember that you don’t need to have a “perfect” application to be accepted. I had many moments throughout my degree where I was worried about my withdrawal notations, grades, or the extra time it took me to finish my program. However, I think it’s more impactful to the admissions committee for your application to show your authentic self, how you’re inspired to pursue this career, and what makes you unique in the field.