11 minute read
Everyone Deserves A Voice
LVC-Educated Speech-Language Pathologists Help Clients Communicate and Thrive
Brock Stabinger loves LVC Flying Dutchmen football. The 16-year-old often cheers on the team from the sidelines at home games at Arnold Field while wearing his LVC jersey. He’s even marched alongside the Dutchmen and their other fans across the Fasick Bridge and up the hill to President MacLaren’s home at Kreiderheim to request a day off for LVC after the 2021 win over Albright.
I love LVC because the students work extra hard to help me say words correctly, and encourage me
Brock was not always as confident as he is today, say his parents, Michelle and Matt. At four years old, he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech, a neurological disorder in which the brain cannot effectively communicate to the muscles used to speak. The condition can be frustrating and isolating for those living with it, and Brock was no exception. Luckily for the Stabingers, in 2020, Brock’s previous speech-language pathologist (SLP) for the Palmyra Area School District, Mindy Nguyen P’24, P’25, was the director of a brand-new clinic just up the road that offers services to help Brock speak. The Center for Speech, Language, & Hearing Disorders at LVC is a free community clinic where LVC’s Speech-Language Pathology majors gain clinical experience by helping community members gain communication skills. (Nguyen is now the College’s Director of Clinical Education and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Speech-Language Pathology, overseeing all student clinical placements.)
Brock has bonded with students and faculty at the Clinic and never visits without wearing his LVC jersey. “LVC has become a safe space for Brock,” says his mom. “He can let loose and be himself without judgment. The students and professors are great role models who inspire Brock to be his best self. Everyone always asks him what’s going on, and how he’s doing. They are so good at boosting his confidence.”
the program's vision is to educate students to provide compassionate and evidence-based care to individuals of all ages
Brock is one of many who have benefited from the caring and skills of LVC’s SLP students and graduates. The program began seven years ago as an accelerated direct-entry five-year program in which students earn a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) and a master’s in SLP. In higher education, the shorthand for such programs is 3+2 because graduate coursework begins in the fourth year. The program has evolved to include numerous social skills groups, a post-baccalaureate master’s degree option for bachelor’s degree holders who want to add a master’s degree, and an SLP Assistant undergraduate option, preparing graduates to help those with disabilities reach their potential while filling an acute need for this allied health field.
“The program’s vision is to educate students to provide compassionate and evidence-based care to individuals of all ages with communication and swallowing disorders,” notes Dr. Michelle Scesa, Chair and Associate Professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) and Speech-Language Pathology. “Our graduates can positively impact LVC’s campus and local communities by filling the shortages of speech-language pathologists in medical and school settings. In addition, they will be able to train and educate our future LVC SLP graduate students in their clinical placements to continue our department’s mission.”
IMPROVING SPEECH AND SWALLOWING ACROSS AGE GROUPS
According to the American Speech Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), “SLPs work with people of all ages, from babies to adults. [They] treat many types of communication and swallowing problems, including speech sounds, language, literacy, social communication, voice, fluency, cognitive-communication, and feeding and swallowing. They work in healthcare settings private practice, skilled nursing facilities, educational settings, and colleges and universities.” SLPs help aging people with many issues, including communication and swallowing issues after a stroke, memory issues for those with Parkinson’s or dementia, and aphasia, which can occur after a stroke, head injury, or brain issue, often causing the patient to lose the ability to understand or express speech.
Nguyen notes that the curriculum embeds aspects affecting all ages. “Our program provides coursework and clinical practice in settings across the lifespan, including disorders experienced, such as Parkinson’s disease, by adults and the geriatric population.” Students must complete 375 direct client contact hours, including one at an off-site adult facility to provide group therapy addressing strategies for age-related memory and word retrieval difficulties.
A PROGRAM THAT LEADS TO SUCCESS—FOR STUDENTS AND CLIENTS ALIKE
Scesa says the program prepares SLP majors to pass the stringent Praxis Exam and enables students to encounter multiple areas where they can make a difference. Each student is required to participate in five clinicals—three in the Center and one each in a medical and an educational setting. The external clinical placements, each 15 weeks long, are guaranteed. Faculty placement coordinators have established an ever-growing list of partners for students to gain experience.
Junior Eleanor Deeg’s ’25, M’26 journey into the field was inspired by her three younger brothers, each navigating speech therapy journeys while growing up. “I did an internship with an SLP during my senior year of high school, which helped solidify what I wanted to do,” says Deeg, who has a double major in Spanish. “I looked at some larger schools, but liked the personal attention and five-year accelerated master’s LVC offers.”
Deeg is now president of the LVC Chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and a Student State Officer for the NSSLHA national board. The experience has driven her to explore how to empower current and future SLPS to enhance their community service, and elevate the quality of care they offer.
this opportunity allows me to bridge the gap between the national landscape and the needs of programs in Pennsylvania
“Collaborating with other SLP student representatives, I engage in discussions identifying strengths and areas for improvement in the state SLP and Audiology program,” she says. “This opportunity allows me to bridge the gap between the national landscape and the needs of programs in Pennsylvania, enabling me to implement strategies that positively impact LVC’s SLP program.”
With two area job offers in hand, SLP graduate student Miguel Rosario ’23, M’24 is also on target to continue the success of the program’s first two graduating classes. He decided to pursue the SLP 3+2 direct-entry program after meeting Dr. Scesa at an LVC Live admitted student open house. “I immediately realized that I wanted to be an SLP after she explained what they do, who they work with, and the various settings to pursue, which meant I would get to do something different every day,” he says.
Rosario did clinicals at Lebanon Middle School and the WellSpan Dixon Foundation Health Center. He also served three semesters in the LVC Clinic, rising from observer to therapist. “It was a great experience working in the clinic with all age groups and various disorders and deficits,” said Rosario. “My clinicals were equally valuable, but I really enjoyed working in a school. It never felt like a job; it was just something I enjoyed doing!”
I immediately realized that I wanted to be an SLP after she explained what they do, who they work with, and the various settings to pursue
He recounts working with a student who had trouble producing an /r/ despite trying several methods, including showing them pictures and videos and trying to model the correct pronunciation of the sound. He said he became discouraged after six weeks with no progress, but his supervisor assured him that improvement often takes time, especially with /r/ being the most difficult sound to teach.
“We finally tried having them say a /g/ before the /r/, which led to success about half the time. The child was amazed and overjoyed at accomplishing this goal after putting so much work into their therapy,” says Rosario.
Rosario and Pamina Nieves ’23, M’24 have contributed to SLP work in Spanish and English. The two collaborated as English-to-Spanish translators for Dr. Rebecca Landa on her book, Bears Applesauce Picnic, for young learners to engage in a fun way to enhance their learning of language skills. Landa is the director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Johns Hopkins Medicine and vice president and executive director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is one of several international experts Scesa has invited to campus to teach about burgeoning areas of knowledge.
PROFESSIONAL PATHWAYS
Despite an estimated $84,140 median pay per year and an estimated 19% growth rate through 2032 with 171,400 jobs available, the need for well-rounded and highly trained SLPs persists. LVC’s SLP graduates are prepared to meet society’s needs. Student outcomes are proof of the effectiveness of LVC’s SLP program: The first two classes of LVC SLP graduates achieved a 100% pass rate on the national Praxis Exam and a 100% fulltime job offer rate for those seeking employment.
the most rewarding part of the job is seeing my students’ growth and watching their confidence grow with communication
Kelsey Bouder ’21, M’22 is applying the deep knowledge she acquired at LVC as a graduate of the first SLP cohort in multiple settings. She is an SLP at Lebanon High School, works in private practice at Goepfert Speech Associates LLC, and serves as a PRN [as-needed staff] at WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon, where she had a graduate externship.
“While it seems like a lot, and it is, the clinical skills I gain help me become a more well-rounded therapist,” says Bouder. “The most rewarding part of the job is seeing my students’ growth and watching their confidence increase with communication. Watching some of my students cross the stage at graduation has been one of the biggest pleasures of my career thus far. Graduation is always a special day!”
Jessica Gornall M’23 took a less traditional route to LVC and has taken her skills back to serve clients in her home state of Arizona. An alumna of Arizona State University’s undergraduate Speech and Hearing Science major, she applied to LVC the same day after being on a social media platform for SLPs and interacting with Dr. Scesa. She, her husband, and three children packed up and moved east.
“My family and the LVC faculty took a huge gamble on me, and I will forever be grateful for that. The rest fell into place once we made the choice,” says Gornall. “My classmates and the faculty were incredibly supportive of this part of our transition. Several of my fellow majors babysat so I could have a break, and they were always willing to listen to my concerns,” adds Gornall. “I never thought I would have so many people I could call friends more than a decade younger than me.”
my classmates and the faculty were incredibly supportive
Today, Gornall is an SLP at the Arizona State Prep Charter School and East Valley Language and Literacy, where she developed programs like those at LVC. She’s also earning her Ph.D., hoping to become a college professor to teach and guide students through the clinical process.
“Jessica, who also worked with Brock at the Clinic, is a good example of how our students learn to use their clients’ strengths to support their growth and communication needs,” says Scesa.
“Another example is the student clinicians who worked with Brock incorporating his interest in football, combined with evidence-based practice, to help him communicate more clearly.”
“Just try it,” advises Brock. “If you don’t like it, then at least you tried. But you are going to love it. I love LVC because the students work extra hard to help me say words correctly, and encourage me.”
The master’s degree (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at Lebanon Valley College is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and SpeechLanguage Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.
Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders Free Community Programs
LVC’s Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders offers community members of all ages and levels opportunities to learn, bond, and grow. The programs include those endorsed by national bodies and many created by SLP faculty and students.
Adventurous Eaters—Explore new foods to become brave eaters.
Circles—Understanding appropriate social boundaries and learning interpersonal skills.
Confidently Me—Helping girls 8-10 confidently grow into adolescents.
Empower Her—Helping girls 14-19 aid in the navigation of discovering oneself.
EFFORT—Learning strategies to support flexible thinking, working memory, impulse control, planning, and organizational skills.
Girls Are…—Promoting confidence and empowerment for girls 10-15.
LiPS—Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program for Reading
See It, Read It, Write It—Gain strategies for 3rd through 8th grade students struggling with reading comprehension and written expression skills.
Social Connections—For younger social groups: 3-11 and 12 years through adult.
SPEAK OUT! & LOUD CROWD—Therapy program for people with Parkinson’s disease to improve their speech and voicing. LVC is an approved provider for this national organization.
