Why Students Choose COSD

A Highlander is not afraid to stand up and say 'I can do this'."

Hannah Tuttle '20

Communication Sciences and Disorders major with a minor in Psychology

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Past Student Spotlights:

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Joshua Tuggle '21

Joshua is a senior in the COSD program and was elected our NSSLHA Chapter President for the 2020-2021 year. He became interested in COSD because it was the perfect mixture between becoming a teacher and working in the medical field. Joshua is passionate about working with kids and would like to learn how his role as a SLP could help kids expand their literacy skills. He loves socializing and collaborating with others and would like to put his strengths towards helping children communicate for the first time. During his free time, he likes to spend time with his friends and watch supernatural shows. Joshua sees himself working in a school or private practice in the next 5 years and potentially pursuing a Ph.D. program afterwards.

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Jenna is 2nd year graduate student. She received speech therapy services in elementary school and her experience drove her to pursue a career in speech-language pathology. Jenna wants to work with adults and is interested in adult neurogenic communication disorders. She knows firsthand how much of an emotional toll certain experiences can have after speaking with a stroke survivor. She loves the profession because while she helps others communicate, she also gets to build up their confidence while helping them grow in other abilities. In her free time, she enjoys running, playing the violin, spending time with her family, and ending the day with ice cream and an episode of The Office. Jenna sees herself working with adults in a long-term care facility or an inpatient rehab setting within the next 5 years.

JennaAbrahamsen

Jenna Abrahamsen '21

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AlannahWilson

Alannah Wilson '24

Alannah is a freshman Pre-COSD major. She chose COSD because she had been exposed to speech-language pathology since a young age. She received speech services as a child and her mother works as a physical therapy assistant. People, especially those with disabilities, have a special place in Alannah’s heart and she wants to make people’s lives better. She enjoys working with both children and senior citizens and sees herself working either in a special education classroom or in a group home for adults. She belives a career in speech-language pathology would be fulfilling because she describes herself as a people person who wants to make an impact on her patients. Alannah has a genetic disorder called Classic Galactosemia. This condition causes difficulty with digesting dairy but can affect patients in other ways. Her twin sister also has Classic Galactosemia and her family noticed how Alannah has a softer and breathier voice while her twin sister has a louder voice. She therefore wants to research whether Classic Galactosemia plays a role in these vocal differences and whether the condition can affect other speech patterns. She likes to hang out with her friends and family, play with her service dog Mimi, and write and sing her own songs. In the next 5-10 years, Alannah sees herself finishing up undergrad and attending Radford for graduate school where she can eventually find a good job and change people’s lives for the better. 

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Kevin is a first-year graduate student in COSD. When asked what drove him to choose a career in speech-language pathology, he said: “My grandfather, Dr. Otis Simmons is one of my heroes. I loved listening to his stories because they were all filled with wisdom and he always quoted famous philosophers. I remember one of his favorite quotes was: "Find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." – Confucius. A career in speech-language pathology allows me to do what I love (listen and share stories with others). It was God's provision in my life and my grandfather's values that were instilled in me that were driving forces to choose a career in speech language pathology. We're in a field of work where we can make a huge impact in an individual's life as well as their family. That right there is so rewarding to me.” He sees himself working in the school setting with the pediatric population and he is interested in fluency research. In his free time, he likes to listen to Justin Bieber, draw, and eat great food. In the next 5-10 years, he sees himself opening a private practice, The Singing SLP, and partnering with ASHA to foster the recruitment of people of color for speech-language pathology.

COSD Professor Dr. Diane Millar had this to say about Kevin: “The world is a better place because of individuals like Kevin. He’s gracious, generous, thoughtful, and compassionate. Every day, I see the people around him change because of his positivity, and whenever anyone mentions him by name, their smile gets a little bigger and their voice a little softer. Thank you, Kevin, for all that you do and all that you inspire!”

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Kevin Simmons '22

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StudentambassadorBettina

Bettina Comparativo '21

Bettina is a senior in COSD and a Waldron College Student Ambassador. When asked what drove her to pursue a career in speech-language pathology, she said she chose it because: “SLPs train to treat across the entire lifespan. In addition to having a variety of work settings, being an SLP enables us to work with a diverse client, be creative to keep therapy interesting, and most importantly make a lasting impact in their lives.” She sees herself working in a medical setting (rehabilitation center,  skilled nursing facility, or hospital) and potentially opening her own practice in the future.  Through her work as a caregiver at a long-term care facility, she has developed a passion for the geriatric population. Alzheimer's disease research has always been an interest of hers as she works with individuals with Alzheimer's disease and knows first-hand how awful it is. 

When she has free time, she likes to give back to the community. Bettina learned how to coupon so that she can stretch her money further and be able to donate the products (toiletries, food, and more) to various shelters and rehabilitation facilities. It gives her joy to be able to help others.

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Bethany is currently a junior in the COSD program at Radford. She chose to study COSD because it is a diverse field that will provide her the tools to help patients effectively communicate. Bethany enjoys the fact that she can specialize in several areas with the ability to work in many settings. She is interested in working with pediatrics at a clinic or school setting to provide children the essential skill of communicating which would impact the rest of their lives. She feels that someone being confident in their voice and helping a child say their first word or helping a stroke survivor eat a first meal is the most fulfilling aspect of becoming an SLP. When asked about her areas of research interest Bethany shared that she is a singer and vocal performance minor and is therefore interested in exploring the field of vocology. She would like to learn about how voice disorders impact the singing voice and would like to find a way to incorporate her minor within the field of Speech-Language Pathology. She’s further interested in finding the relationship between articulation and acoustics to understand the aspects of vocal tract shaping during speech. During her free time Bethany enjoys spending time with family, friends, singing, reading, watching Netflix, and attending bible study. In the next 5-10 years she sees herself becoming a practicing SLP, but is still deciding which setting to practice in. She looks forward to exploring her options and is thankful for her professors at Radford for helping guide her in her future endeavors. 

BethanyDavis

Bethany Davis '22

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DeniseThomas

Denise Thomas '21

Denise is a second-year graduate student in the COSD department. Denise was driven to study speech-language pathology as it proved to be the perfect intersection between her interests of language, cognition, and therapeutic services. She is currently interested in working with the pediatric population in a public-school setting. She finds the field fulfilling because she can watch patients grasp new concepts, become more communicatively independent, and know that she was part of their lifechanging process. Her research interests include studying AAC devices where she would like to research intervention techniques and available AAC technology options to provide the most effective evidence-based practice for her clients. During her free time, Denise enjoys being outdoors as much as she can and doing activities such as hiking, fishing, and camping. She additionally enjoys spending time with her two dogs and two cats. In the next 5-10 years Denise would like to continue to serve her community in either a school or outpatient clinic setting. As she gains experience, she would also like to assist graduate clinicians and new SLPs with developing their knowledge in the field. Denise credits her supervisors for helping her build the strong foundation of her clinical knowledge and skills during grad school and she would like to pay the service forward to future clinicians. 

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Alexis is a sophomore in the COSD program. Her SLP journey began when she cared for a girl with a cleft lip and watched her develop with help from her SLP. Alexis stated that she has always been drawn to helping children. Additionally, her grandfather has dementia which makes the field even closer to her heart. When asked about the most fulfilling thing about a career in speech-language pathology, Alexis stated that it will be fulfilling to help children get through their difficult phases and leave a lasting positive impact in their lives. During her free time, Alexis likes to play and coach volleyball. She additionally loves being outside, fishing, hiking, kayaking, and going to the beach. In the next 5-10 years, Alexis looks forward to working as an SLP in a school system near home and coaching volleyball on the side. 

AlexisEllis

Alexis Ellis '23

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EmilyComper

Emily Comper '22

Emily is currently a 1st year graduate student. Emily finds speech-language pathology a fulfilling career as it allows her to instill a sense of independence and confidence in others. In her clinical experience she found it rewarding watching the faces of her clients light up when she informed them that they met a goal. Empowering clients to have a voice and aiding them to become the most confident communicators they can be is the most fulfilling aspect of speech-language pathology to Emily. Emily graduated from Virginia Tech in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and minors in Linguistics and Psychology. Emily’s dedication to the field led her to becoming a co-founder of the Speech-Language Pathology Club at Virginia Tech. During her first year of graduate school at RU she accepted a graduate assistantship position in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. During her free time, Emily enjoys hiking on the weekends and hanging out with her friends in Radford. She described a love for shopping, working out, and traveling. She loves experiencing new places and meeting new people. In the next 5-10 years, Emily hopes to be enjoying her career as an SLP in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. 

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Nivardo is a rising 2nd year graduate student in the communication sciences and disorders (COSD) master’s program. He grew up in Rappahannock County, Virginia and received his bachelor’s degree in COSD from the University of Virginia. Nivardo is the 2021 recipient of the James E. Nicely Scholarship for Graduate Studies in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. James E. Nicely is a Professor Emeritus of Communications Sciences and Disorders and when notified Nivardo was this year's recipient he said:

“Congratulations and best wishes to Nivardo being named this year’s recipient of my scholarship. It was established in 2018 to assist COSD graduate students in their educational and research endeavors. I am delighted to know that another person will soon be making contributions to the field of speech pathology and that my scholarship played a minor role. “

After graduation, Nivardo hopes to work in a medical setting and is interested in working with individuals with traumatic brain injury, aphasia, dysphagia, and neurocognitive disorders. He feels the most fulfilling thing about a career in speech-language pathology is working with clients and making their day better by making them laugh or smile. He is also interested in vocal paralysis research and would like to research this area further as a clinician. In his free time, Nivardo likes to workout at the gym and learn about investing and business pursuits. In the next 5-10 years he sees himself working in a hospital and possibly starting a private practice in northern Virginia. 

NivardoLoyaVillalobos

Nivardo Loya Villalobos '22

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Kati is a senior in the COSD undergraduate program. She chose to pursue a career as an SLP because it’s the perfect mixture of her affinity for language arts and her desire to help people. As an SLP, Kati wants to work with children in a private practice or school setting. She feels that she connects well with children and wants to give them the tools to express themselves and feel confident, comfortable, and valued while doing so. Kati is also interested in exploring the social language differences in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and working to provide well-informed services to children with ASD. In the next 5 to 10 years, she hopes to be providing these services to children in the Southwest Virginia area.

In her free time, you can find Kati spending time with her friends and family, exploring the outdoors through hikes and bike rides, or watching a variety of new TV shows.

KatiPoole

Kati Poole '22

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MeganStinnette

Meghan Stinnette ‘22

Meghan is a senior in the COSD program and Radford’s NSSLHA Chapter President for the 2021-22 school year. She is also currently researching the effects of body language on communicative competence alongside Dr. Millar. She is interested in how people outside of COSD view different aspects of communication. Meghan chose COSD because she wants to connect with people and help them feel more confident. She is passionate about the depth of knowledge SLPs have of the human body and its seemingly simple, everyday functions like breathing. Meghan is interested in working with children, whether that’s in a medical setting or as a school-based SLP. Although she isn’t sure about the setting, Meghan sees herself as a practicing SLP making a difference in someone’s day in the next 5-10 years.

As a de-stressor during the week, Meghan spends time with her friends and goes to work out classes at the gym. On the weekends, you can find her at church or with friends. They often look for fun, adventurous new places to hike in the area. 

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MadisonDavis

Madison Davis '23

Madison is a junior, transfer student in the COSD program. As a Waldron College student ambassador, she attends open houses and provides prospective students with information about COSD. Madison intended on being a nursing major, but found Speech-Language Pathology to be the perfect middle ground between therapy, medicine, and advocacy. She is interested in working with adults in a hospital setting and has a special interest in transgender voice modification. As an SLP, Madison wants to aid people in expressing themselves in a way that they feel is right for them and wants to support the mental health of people transitioning. In 5-10 years, Madison plans to be home, helping people in the LGBTQ+ community find their place in her rural community of Russell County, VA.

In her free time, Madison loves to shop, read and be outside. She isn’t much of a hiker, but loves to “just exist outdoors.” Additionally, Madison is an active member of the Women’s Studies Club at RU and a note taker for the Center for Accessibility Services (CAS). 

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Hannah Martin is a 1st year graduate student in the Radford COSD program. She attended Patrick Henry Community College for a year before completing her undergraduate degree in COSD here at Radford. Hannah chose COSD after shadowing a speech-language pathologist (SLP) at an elementary school and seeing how hands on she could be working one-on-one with clients. Hannah has always known she wanted to effect change and improve the quality of life of others. She got to experience this firsthand during her first semester of graduate school with a young client. She said, “helping free him of the stress of not being able to communicate effectively was one of my favorite things.” Hannah also channels her helpful spirit into her experience as a mentor and team leader for the Appalachian Arts and Studies in the Schools program (AASIS). As a leader, it is her responsibility to organize communication and visits between Radford students and local high school students to help them learn about the college experience and what opportunities are available to them after high school graduation. Outside of her busy academic and extracurricular activities, Hannah enjoys spending time with friends and family, watching Netflix, and cleaning!

In the next 5 to 10 years, Hannah plans to remain in Virginia as a school based SLP for young children with disabilities. She is interested in furthering her education and experience with alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) and sensory integration to provide high quality services to her future clients. Hannah is passionate about her future as an SLP and sharing her love for learning with others. 

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Hannah Martin '23

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Bri Litton is a senior in the COSD program and member of the honors college. This year, she has been working closely with her faculty mentors, Mrs. Shelor and Mrs. Epperly, on an honors capstone project titled, "Radford University Brain Injury (RUBI) Center Needs Assessment." They are surveying brain injury survivors to determine the need for community programming in the New River and Roanoke Valley. They hope to provide evidence to support the need for the RUBI center and collect data regarding the effects of brain injury in the areas of physical, psychological, social, and daily life functioning. This research is ongoing, and Bri hopes to make a positive impact on brain injury survivors in the new river valley.

From an early age, Bri realized what a significant impact meaningful and functional communication can have on a person. She always knew she wanted to work in a health care setting but loves our field because we can truly help clients to gain confidence and share their ideas and thoughts with those they love. In the next 5 to 10 years, she hopes to be enjoying married life and working in a hospital or outpatient setting with adults experiencing dysphagia or aphasia resulting from brain injury.

In her free time, Bri enjoys hanging out with family, friends, and her puppy Levi. She also enjoys craft projects such as scrap booking, crochet, and Cricut projects.

BriLitton

Bri Litton '22

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Lauren Buenviaje is a first year graduate student in Radford’s COSD program who recently won 3rd place in the poster competition at the Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia’s (SHAV) Annual Conference. Her poster presentation was based on her honor’s capstone project about interprofessional practice (IPP) between school based SLPs and allied health professionals. She worked alongside Dr. Abdelaziz, to research North Carolina SLP’s perception of collaboration and the impact of COVID-19 on IPP in public schools. Lauren commented that she, “had great conversations with SLPs who gave [her] more insight on IPP in the schools and ways [she] could broaden her research.”

As a graduate student, Lauren hopes to continue researching IPP in other settings and is also interested in researching Autism Spectrum Disorder. Lauren finds speech-language pathology fulfilling because “communication is what makes us feel connected to one another.” She wants to help people regain or learn how to communicate with loved ones and feel more connected to the world. This desire to help goes hand in hand without how she found the profession. After losing her grandma to ALS, Lauren began reading about treatment options and found her place in COSD.

In the next 5-10 years, Lauren sees herself happily working as an SLP and is considering getting her PhD as well. Lauren enjoys playing instruments, singing, dancing and hanging out with friends in her free time. 

LaurenBuenviaje

Lauren Buenviaje '24

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Emily Moore is a first year COSD graduate student at RU and recipient of the 2022 Rita Purcell-Robertson Scholarship from The Communication Disorders Foundation of Virginia. She attended UVA as an undergraduate student where she double majored in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Cognitive Science. Emily had the opportunity to assist in research at the Jaswal Lab during undergrad and intends on completing a thesis while attending RU. She is passionate about advocacy and wants to contribute to the body of research that supports neurodiversity affirming care for nonspeaking people with autism. Emily discovered speech-language pathology accidentally during her undergraduate career but quickly realized that it combined all of her professional interests. She enjoys the clinical aspect of the profession but also the opportunity to influence policy changes for individuals with complex communication needs.

In the next 5-10 years, Emily sees herself working clinically before continuing her education through either a PhD or MBA. In her free time, Emily enjoys playing anything Nintendo, especially Zelda games. She also enjoys keeping her Christmas tree up and decorating it for various seasons/holidays year-round. 

EmilyMoore

Emily Moore '24

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Kalianna Brooks

Kalianna Brooks '23

Kalianna is a senior in COSD and Radford’s NSSLHA Chapter President for the 2022-2023 school year. She discovered speech-language pathology in high school while researching potential careers and realized it combined her interest in healthcare and education. She has also had the opportunity to see the impact that SLPs can have on their clients, and this continues to encourage her to pursue a career in this field. She is interested in researching aphasia treatments and working in a medical setting with either children or adults. In the next 5-10 years, Kalianna wants to have completed graduate school and work as an SLP helping people regain or develop their communication skills.

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Maegan Burnette, Grace Burke, and Kelsey Patton are COSD seniors completing their honors capstone projects.  Each student had a unique path to Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and their research interests reflect their individual experiences.

Maegan is working with Dr. Millar to explore freshmen and pre-COSD students’ knowledge of the SLP profession. Her goal is to identify misinformation or confusion surrounding speech-language pathology and educate people on the scope of practice and the variety of opportunities within the field. As a future SLP, Maegan wants to work with children in the NICU or at an elementary school.  In her free time, Maegan enjoys trying new things and experiencing all that life can offer. This summer she got her motorcycle license and has been learning how to ride!

Grace’s capstone, supervised by Dr. Millar and Dr. Lei, focuses on the effect that music has on a person’s ability to learn and understand tonal languages. Tonal languages, like Mandarin Chinese, are languages that use tone changes to reflect different word meanings. She hypothesizes that non-Mandarin-speaking people with musical expertise will acquire the tonal language better than their non-musical counterparts. As a future SLP, Grace wants to provide rehabilitative services to people suffering from traumatic brain injury. In her free time, Grace enjoys reading, listening to music, and attending concerts.

In collaboration with audiologist, Dr. Flora, Kelsey is examining the potential connection between personal listening device (PLD) usage, listening habits, attitudes toward noise exposure, hearing status, and general awareness of noise-induced hearing loss. The long-term goal of this research is to increase public awareness about noise-induced hearing loss and encourage healthier listening habits. As a future SLP, Kelsey wants to work as a traveling SLP and see a variety of clients across the lifespan. In her free time, Kelsey enjoys working out, reading books, listening to music, and creative writing.

Capstone students 2022

Maegan Burnette '23, Grace Burke '23, and Kelsey Patton '23

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Shauna Huguley, Hannah Martin, and Hillary Erp are second year speech-language pathology graduate students and the 2022-2023 recipients of the Scottish Rite Research and Clinical Service Scholarships. Each of them are committed to contributing to the field of speech-language pathology through research and serving their communities here in VA after graduation.

Shauna’s clinical service, supervised by Dr. Millar, seeks to educate families and daycare workers on introducing new foods to children. Her research specifically applies to the eating habits that can be seen in picky eaters or children with autism. Shauna became interested in the field when her cousin was born with hearing loss and received early intervention. She saw the impact the SLP had on not only her cousin, but his parents and wanted to help others in that same way. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dogs, cooking, shopping, and spending time with her family.

Hannah is working with clinical supervisor, Rachel Greene, to review current research related to self-regulation in children with communication disorders. Additionally, she is using her research to disseminate clinically applicable self-regulation strategies to first year graduate students as they help RUSLHC clients regulate their behavior and emotions during sessions.  As a graduate student, Hannah says it has been rewarding to work with children with autism and their families, but she enjoys gaining experience with patients across the lifespan. In her free time, she enjoys going to concerts, binge-watching TV shows, reading, and spending time with family.

Hillary’s project, also supervised by Dr. Diane Millar, was developed to educate daycare workers on early detection and screening of autism symptoms using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT). She is also providing daycare workers with tools and strategies to better serve their autistic clients. Hillary changed her career path from respiratory therapy to speech pathology after seeing patients who suffered strokes in the hospital and the impact their SLPs had on their quality of life and well-being. In her free time, Hillary enjoys hanging out with her family, taking her kids to the playground, attending church, and playing tennis with her husband. 

Scottish Rite Recipients 2022-2023

Shauna Huguley '23, Hannah Martin '23, and Hillary Erp '23

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Brianna Collins and Anna French are students within the COSD program and are employed as newborn hearing screeners at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center. Their duties are to screen all newborns before being discharged from the hospital, so that they may receive early interventions, if necessary.

Brianna Collins is a first-year speech-language pathology leveling graduate student who plans to graduate in 2025. Brianna chose to pursue a degree in COSD because she wanted a career that allowed her to make a positive difference in a person’s quality of life. She would like to work with older adults in long-term care or through home health and be part of a team that helps individuals regain their “voice.” What she enjoys most about being a newborn hearing screener is being part of a team that helps families welcome a new bundle of joy into their lives. In her free time, Brianna enjoys spending time with her dog and playing the occasional video game.

Anna French is a junior in the COSD program, who will be receiving her bachelor’s degree in 2024. Previously a Deaf Education major, Anna always had an interest in ASL and the deaf community because of a relative who is deaf and uses a cochlear implant. Anna attended an information session for the COSD major and decided to switch tracks. Along with administration of the hearing screenings, Anna schedules outpatient appointments, helps with referrals to audiologists, uses electronic and paper charting systems, and processes the billing. Anna enjoys being a newborn hearing screener because it allows her to gain relevant experience before beginning the grad school process and solidifies her love for Audiology. In the next 5-10 years, Anna sees herself being Dr. French, practicing audiology in a small city. 

COSD Students Anna French and Brianna Collins

Anna French '24 and Brianna Collins '25

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Brianna Collins, Lauren Bledsoe, Megan Jacobs, Payton Good, and Meredith Gwinn are "leveling" students in the COSD master's degree program. The 3-year "leveling" track allows those with undergraduate degrees other than COSD to take the necessary prerequisite courses prior to beginning the 2 year master's degree program. The many benefits of this track include a place in the graduate program, an opportunity to be a therapy assistant in the on-campus clinic prior to beginning graduate course work, and the professors of the COSD department teach both the prerequisite courses and graduate courses.

Brianna graduated from Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC, with bachelors degrees in Psychology and Sociology and is from McCormick, SC. Lauren is from Roanoke, VA and completed her undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech, majoring in Biological Sciences. Megan received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Mary Washington. She is from Salem, VA. Payton is from Lynchburg, VA and graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Special and Elementary Education. Meredith graduated from Concord University, double majoring in Speech Communications and Psychology and her hometown is Shady Spring, WV.  

COSD Students Anna French and Brianna Collins

Brianna Collins, Lauren Bledsoe, Megan Jacobs, Payton Good, and Meredith Gwinn '25

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Four seniors, Kelsey Patton, Madison Davis, Kalianna Brooks, and Hadrian Reeves were offered and accepted therapy assistant positions in the Radford University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic this semester. They were offered the position because of their hard work and excellence in the undergraduate COSD courses. As a therapy assistant, they collaborate with a clinical supervisor and a graduate clinician during weekly therapy sessions.

Kelsey is from Fort Chiswell, VA and states that she helps prepare materials with a graduate clinician and model social behaviors for the client that she sees. She plans to attend graduate school in SLP at Radford in the fall. Madison is from Honaker, VA and wishes to continue her education at Radford to receive her Master’s degree in SLP and return to her hometown to work with adults in the medical setting. She says, “Being in the clinic room has been so rewarding. My understanding of the material that I have learned is so much deeper, and I really enjoy seeing things that I have learned about first-hand.” Kalianna is from Clintwood, VA and plans to begin graduate school in the fall and is open to working with both children and adults after graduate school. She states, “I learned that sometimes a session may not always go as planned and it is important to have other ideas in mind and be able to think on the spot when needed.” Hadrian participates in the clinical process by helping prepare for the session, being involved in session activities, and collecting data. Hadrian is from Tazewell, VA and enjoys birdwatching and painting in her free time. 

COSD Students Anna French and Brianna Collins

Kelsey Patton, Madison Davis, Kalianna Brooks, and Hadrian Reeves '23

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Hi! My name is Anna French! I am a senior COSD student and will graduate in May of 2024. I am also Radford’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) President for the 2023-2024 school year. When I first started at Radford, I was a Deaf Education major, but I switched to COSD after meeting Dr. Flora and Dr. Millar. There are multiple populations within the COSD field I am interested in. I currently work as a newborn Hearing Screener at a local hospital, which has given me lots of insight into the medical field. I would love to stay within the medical field, but I am not sure which specific population. I have interests in Aural Rehabilitation, AAC, Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy, Cochlear Implants, and the impacts of speech-language-hearing professionals in the Deaf Community. The best part about the Communication Sciences and Disorders field is the impact we will have on people. What we do may appear small, but it could completely change someone’s life.

I work at the hospital, work at the Radford University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic's front desk and I am president of both NSSLHA and Red Door Collegiate Ministries. I am also the Communication Chair for the LGBTQ+ CSDSA (Communication Sciences and Disorders Student Association) and a member of the National NSSLHA IDEA (inclusivity, diversity, equity, and action) committee.  When I’m not at school, I play bass clarinet with the Blacksburg Community Band. With these extracurricular activities, a full class schedule, and an Independent Research Study with Dr. Flora, I don’t have much free time! If I do have free time, there’s a good chance I’m crocheting.

AnnaFrench

Anna French '24

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Kelcie Lemons is currently a senior in COSD at Radford University and plans to graduate in May of 2024. Kelcie was driven to pursue a career in speech-language pathology because of the ability to make a difference in people’s lives by improving speech and language, all while building their confidence. Furthermore, a career in speech-language pathology is fulfilling to her because of the differences and lifelong impressions you can make in a person’s life. She is drawn to the flexibility in the field and the many settings she can work within.

Currently, Kelcie works as a paraprofessional for Montgomery County Public Schools. She states, “The On-Campus Transition Program at Radford gives students with disabilities the opportunity to experience college life. The students have on-campus jobs, classes, and get to explore all that Radford has to offer. My job is to assist students in their classes, with their jobs, or whatever they may need. My job is also to help the students learn to be as independent as possible so they can potentially live on their own one day. My favorite part about this program is creating a bond with each student and watching them learn new skills.” Kelcie is interested in the private practice/outpatient setting and sees herself working in one in the next 5-10 years. She is not quite sure which population she wants to work with yet, as she has a big heart for both adults and children. In her free time, Kelcie enjoys spending time with family and friends.

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Kelcie Lemons '24

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Seven 2nd year graduate students received Scottish Rite Fellowships for the 2023-2024 academic year.  They will complete a service or research project with a mentor.

In collaboration with advisor Dr. Millar, Emilee Lane plans to conduct a research study in which she will incorporate a virtual reality, gamified approach to intervention to teach adolescents with autism conversation skills including greeting others and initiating small talk, topic maintenance with non-preferred topics, turn taking, use and understanding of nonverbal cues, wrapping up and ending a conversation, and looking in the general direction of a conversation partner when speaking. Emilee’s study will seek expertise from her peers and other college students regarding the usability of the program before implementing the intervention with participants diagnosed with autism.

Lauren Buenviaje is working on her project with advisor Dr. Lenhart. The project's focus is providing parents of children who are bilingual with information about the misconceptions of bilingualism, along with guidance related to difference vs disorder. Lauren wants to provide these parents with the resources to feel confident advocating for their child if they suspect they may need speech or language intervention. She will be working with the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership and Kipps Elementary to distribute this information. 

Reilly Burns and Bettina Comparativo are working with their advisors Dr. Cassidy and Dr. Lenhart on a project to revamp and enhance the Project Sprout program and to reconfigure strategies for student recruitment and volunteer training, ensuring its continued success. The Project Sprout program was developed in 2013 and its main objective was to provide services to children birth to five years old and their families experiencing homelessness in the New River Valley. Unfortunately, due to the impact of COVID, Project Sprout had to be temporarily suspended. 

Emily Moore is completing a thesis on 1st year SLP student perceptions of interprofessional education and collaborative practice in a community-based fieldwork placement with her advisor Dr. Corey Cassidy. Emily’s research will examine the factors that may contribute to successful teaming between SLP students and early childcare educators in an inclusive preschool setting. Her hope is that results will contribute to the body of knowledge on how to optimize speech and language outcomes for children receiving early intervention services.

While working in the schools, Bristol Choquette observed that many students had AAC devices, but rarely used them outside of speech therapy. In her project with advisor Dr. Millar, Bristol is making a training resource for teachers and paraprofessionals that shows them how to integrate and provide functional opportunities for students to use their AAC throughout the school day so those students can become more effective, social communicators. 

Grace Currey is working with Dr. Lenhart on a project about dialogic reading. She is planning to host a book drive and distribute books and information to underserved populations.

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(Left to Right) Emilee Lane '24, Lauren Buenviaje '24, Reilly Burns '24, Emily Moore '24, Bristol Choquette '24, Bettina Comparativo '24, Grace Currey '24

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Sara Inayat is a first-year graduate student in COSD, who plans to graduate in 2025. Sara has come back to school to pursue speech language pathology as a second career. When asked what drove her to choose a career in this field, she says, “As with most people who do not personally know someone who has/is getting speech therapy treatment, I knew nothing of speech pathology until I started looking for a suitable career in health services. My search for a fitting area of studies for myself was driven by my desire to be part of a community of professionals who are kind, generous, and who’s driving force in life is to be of service to others. The faculty, staff and students at Radford University have more than fulfilled that criteria.”

Sara recently received an International Student Scholarship, which is one of the sponsored awards from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation). Her award is sponsored by the Kala Singh Memorial Scholarship Fund. Kala Singh was an audiologist who dedicated her life to helping others so they could achieve their communication goals. She was a pioneer publisher of speech-language and hearing publications and co-founded College-Hill Press, Inc., with her husband, Sadanand Singh, founder of Singular Publishing Group, ContentScan, and Plural Publishing. The Singhs co-authored the well-known audiology textbook "Phonetics." On September 5, 1986, while returning from visiting family in India, Singh was killed during an attempted hijacking of a Pan Am jetliner in Karachi, Pakistan. She was 36. The Kala Singh Memorial Scholarship Fund was established by the ASHFoundation and Little Brown, Inc., in collaboration with Sadanand Singh, to honor her contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the communication sciences and disorders field.

To Sara, the most fulfilling part about a career in speech-language pathology is that clients and their families come to SLPs because they have great hopes for the future, and that SLPs get to be a part of their journey of recovery and rehabilitation. Although Sara is open to working with all populations, she is currently most interested in the area of dysphagia, both in research and in practice. Additionally, she is interested in research in the area of head and neck cancer treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation. When asked where she sees herself in the next 5-10 years, Sara states, “I believe that everything in life is preordained. So, I’d say, exactly where I am supposed to be.”

Sara believes that ‘downtime’ is key to personal growth and development. Therefore, her free time is just that - free time! “I do nothing, and hope that it will eventually turn in to a kind meditation” Sara says. 

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Sara Inayat '25

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Madison Davis and Daphne Thompson are our Waldron College Student Ambassadors!

Madison is currently a first-year graduate student and will graduate in Spring of 2025.  She states that being a student ambassador has been fulfilling for her because she has been able to tell others about her love for speech language pathology and Radford University’s program. Madison completed her undergraduate degree at Radford, and is currently doing her graduate work at Radford, which she says has made the relationships that she has built with faculty and staff here invaluable! She loves telling prospective students about the supports and care that the faculty and staff provide to students.

Madison was drawn to pursue a career in speech-language pathology because she was looking for a career that was a cross between something in the medical field and something in human services. Speech-Language Pathology was just the right fit for her! To Madison, the most fulfilling part about a career in speech-language pathology is the relationships one is able to build with their clients.

When asked what setting and which population she desires to work with, she says that she is currently open to change, but at this time she is most interested in Skilled Nursing and Long-Term Care. Madison is interested in finding ways to help people with dementia, maintain autonomy and be independent for as long as possible.

In her free time, Madison enjoys spending time with friends and reading books!

Daphne Thompson is currently a senior at Radford University and will graduate in May of 2024. Daphne is a student ambassador for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department and is a part of the “Waldron College Strategic Planning Task Force”. Within that role, she has been working alongside other faculty and students to revise the mission, vision, and value statement for the college as well as the “5-year plan”. Daphne says this experience has been very meaningful to her, as it has allowed her to have a voice regarding the potential of the COSD department and Waldron College as a whole.

When Daphne graduated high school, she chose to attend community college to receive her associate degree, as she was unsure which area she wanted to study. During her two years at community college, her father got severely sick which led to him undergoing several surgeries and facing a variety of complications. Throughout his recovery, he was required to work directly with a speech-language pathologist. Daphne states that being able to experience the life-changing impact the SLP had on her father and his abilities was something she can’t even put into words. She says that the interactions between her father and his speech-language pathologist held such a weight for her and flooded her with a sense of interest in the field. Daphne then began researching the profession and found her passion in speech pathology.

Daphne states that the most fulfilling part about a career in speech-language pathology is the true impact you can make on an individual’s way of life. “Not only can SLPs help individuals with their speech abilities or social engagement, but we can also work in other areas such as their swallowing and eating functions,” Daphne says.  

In the future, Daphne sees herself working either in an acute care medical unit or in a VA hospital, both with adults. Research wise, Daphne is most interested in topics regarding dysphagia. She sees herself working as a travel SLP initially, and then finding a permanent position in a medical center or VA hospital. 

In her free time, Daphne enjoys being outdoors- the lake specifically. She also enjoys playing volleyball, spending time with her family, and involving herself in church-based events. 

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Madison Davis '23 and '25 and Daphne Thompson '24

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Rachel Millirons is a 1st year graduate student who plans to graduate in May 2025. Rachel was a student athlete for Radford University through undergrad until recently as a graduate student. Rachel has been running since 6th grade, and she says that being a student athlete has allowed her to continue doing something that she loves. Her favorite part about being a student athlete are the skills that she learned to successfully balance academics and athletics, as this has served her well when the rigor increased in graduate school.

Rachel says that she choose a career in Speech-Language Pathology for two reasons. One, she saw the impact that the profession had on her childhood best friend. “Since I was just in elementary school, all I knew at the time was that she would leave class with someone, and at the end of the school year, she no longer had any issue pronouncing her r’s.” It was only when she got older that she says she understood that a Speech-Language Pathologist was the person who got her friend from class and helped her overcome that issue” Rachel says. Second, Rachel’s decision to pursue a career in this field was cemented when she shadowed her aunt (who is an SLP - Radford graduate) when she conducted summer school preschool and elementary sessions. Rachel thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

Rachel expresses that she wants to work in a school system environment as this will allow her to pursue both her passions, running and Speech-Language Pathology. She states that she not only loves working with the school-age population, but that the setting of a school will also allow her the schedule to coach track and cross country, as running is her second passion.

For Rachel, the difference that is made when you help someone is the most fulfilling part of this field. She states that this goes back to her childhood friend - she didn’t have to go through life with a speech sound disorder because of the intervention that she received. “No matter the population, an SLP can assist in bettering difficulties their clients experience. That is very rewarding” Rachel says.

In the next 5-10 years, Rachel wants to be a Speech-Language Pathologist that continues to grow and learn skills to better help her clients. She also wants to hone her coaching skills and help students who love running as much as she does – and maybe even develop a few state champions! 

Rachel-Millirons

Rachel Millirons '23 and '25

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