October 13, 2021
On Wednesday, October 13, Dr. AnnMarie Knight and the Speech Language Pathology (SLP) program at Columbia College organized a panel of recent graduates that were able to share their experiences with and answer questions from current students in the program. Following the panel, was a Graduate and Career Fair designed to allow current students the opportunity to network with individuals from graduate programs in SC and potential employers.
According to Christen Townsend, current SLP student and panel attendee, “I had questions about clinical placements, study strategies, and the graduate application process. All of my questions were addressed, and the panel was so helpful and gave me a sense of peace. I would love to offer that same sense of peace to those behind me.” Eandra Goldsmith says that attending the panel changed how she plans to pursue her career in SLP. "After hearing the panel, I now know how important it is to choose a graduate program that fits YOUR life and not the other way around. For example, I am married, just bought a house, and plan to start a family in the near future. Therefore, choosing a program that is strictly on-campus or full-time online would not work for me. However, I now know as long as I choose a program that fits me and my lifestyle, I will succeed!”
Faculty at Columbia College and especially the SLP program are deeply invested in their students’ experiences here and are committed to offering a diverse selection of opportunities to grow their professional networks even before graduation. This became an increasingly difficult task in the last 2 years, as the world continues to maneuver through the COVID-19pandemic. Dr. AnnMarie Knight said, “This event is an invaluable opportunity for our students to practice their professional skills. I am so grateful that we were able to hold this event in- person again this year.”
By organizing events and initiatives like these, Columbia College prepares students to enter not only their field, but also the workforce as a whole, displaying professionalism and adequate preparation to live lives of impact and enable their fellow aspiring Speech-Language Pathologists to do the same.