A bilingual and bicultural Dominican woman born and raised in New York City; I hope to attain a master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology with a bilingual extension (Spanish/English). Looking forward to advice and guidance concerning career options as a graduate student in your program, I have taken several education courses because I am considering working in a school setting but want to keep my options open at this point. Being selected for your program will allow me the opportunity to give something back to society and especially to the neediest members of my local community. I am active in social justice issues, which is tied to the fact that I am a person of color, a woman, and a member of a minority group.
I hope to be of special assistance to Spanish-speaking children who face communication challenges. Spanish is my first language, and English the language that I learned to speak in school as a little girl. This will help me reach and lift some of the most vulnerable little people in our community. I am proud that in July of 2015, I quit one job to accept another, which resulted in my earning half what I was making before. Going from being first a server and then a restaurant manager to becoming a Care Provider Assistant at a large daycare center was the best decision of my life so far. Now, I have a mission, a calling, and I cannot wait to get to work each day to see the children.
At the same time, I have been working most diligently on my undergraduate degree. I will finish this coming May of 2016 with my major in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences with a concentration in Bilingualism, complimented by minors in Early Childhood Education and Spanish. Among my many activities at the daycare center is tutoring children with special needs and helping to develop their reading skills. I also train bilingual children having trouble with English as a second language. Giving back to the community has given me a brighter perspective on life; there is no better way to understand your blessings than to help people in need. I help in my community, churches, and other facilities that collect donated clothing and help with activities for the Bronx Parents Autism Support Circle.
In the daycare where I work, a child was speech delayed. I would see the speech therapist come weekly for short sessions with the child. She would focus on his unique learning styles, creating activities designed to respond to his challenges and enhance his communication ability. I was intrigued by the fact that, over some time, I was myself witness to his vast improvement. I would mimic her activities after observing her lessons and noticing how this improved his communication capacity.
I love the emotional and intellectual aspects of SLP, the teamwork, and most of all, the extreme privilege of helping children better communicate – throughout their lifetimes - with those who share their social world. I want the sheer joy of seeing positive changes in a child’s life across developmental domains and watching the child open new worlds along the way. In addition to practice, I look forward to a lifetime of research into language-based learning disabilities, particularly among Spanish-speaking children.
Thank you for considering my application.
SLP Personal Statement
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