Meet Tala Farah. Tala is enrolled in her second year of the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program. Her undergraduate degrees are in Psychology and Sociology, which she earned from Jacksonville University in 2014.
Why did you choose the JU MS SLP program?
While an undergrad at JU, I appreciated the role the rest of the faculty played in my academic journey. I felt so welcomed by the faculty I met. As a lost undergraduate senior, I scheduled a meeting to talk to Dean Sapienza, on JU campus. Talking to her and the rest of the faculty in the JU SLP program I was touched by their passion for the field and I wanted to feel the same way. The faculty wanted to learn more about me on a personal level and that meant a lot to me.
What do you like best about the program?
It’s hard to pick one thing. Not only do we have professors who literally are a phone call away or are constantly in their office with open doors for help; Jacksonville has an awesome opportunity in the healthcare field. JU has partnered up with stellar facilities for our practicum placements such as Brooks Rehabilitation, major local hospitals and clinics that have spoiled us with knowledge and practicum experience. Having these facilities and supervisor mentors as well as our JU SLP faculty members, have truly made the program one of a kind. The Jacksonville community has a growing healthcare field and I am honored that the JU program has allowed us to be exposed to these facilities.
What made you choose to pursue a career in speech-language pathology?
I caught love for the field of Speech-Language Pathology my senior year of undergraduate study. With my degrees, I always had a drive for being interactive with individuals but didn’t know in what field I wanted to work. Dean Sapienza took me under her wing and recommended I take an observation course as a senior in undergrad to get a feel of what this field entails. I left the facilities wanting to go back and learn more about this field. There are such a variety of populations in this field. I was so interested by the fact that no two patients are the same and every therapy is modeled to the individual. After shadowing local SLP’s in the Jacksonville community I realized that this field was for me!
What do you hope to pursue after graduation?
My dream career after graduation is to be a clinician in a hospital setting working with adults. I really enjoy the upbeat fast pace setting of a hospital and the adult population. I hope to specialize in individuals with swallowing impairments and cognitive deficits.