MENTORSHIP

Giving the gift of shared understanding through teaching effective communicative practices has resonated throughout my commitment to providing high quality, culturally sensitive speech therapy services, and has even served me well as a mentor to rising college students, graduate students, clinical fellowship candidates, and colleagues. According to the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, there is a critical shortage of: ASHA certified professionals equipped to serve culturally and linguistically diverse populations, doctoral candidates and those willing to work in the university setting with a Ph.D., and representation of “minorities” within our profession. This disappointing reality compels me to do my part to increase diversity among practitioners and university faculty members. I pledge to focus on recruitment and retention of highly qualified “minority” students because our perspectives and tongues must be valued; and cross-cultural competence among all practitioners because we value our clients.

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