May 2018 graduate Q&As: Master's degrees

03 May 2018    

Alyaa Aljeeb  |  Bahrain

Fulbright Scholar
Master of Arts in Special Education
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, University of Jordan

How did you become interested in special education?
I've always been fascinated with education and my background in occupational therapy enabled me to interact with individuals with disabilities. Working along with them sparked an interest in wanting to further support them academically in educational settings.

How did you hear about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
My Fulbright Advisor recommended this university to me and upon closer inspection of the program and the city, I decided it aligns with my goals.

What made Nebraska the right fit for you to pursue your master's degree?
Lincoln is a perfect place to study for me as it provides the right amount of balance between studying and having a social life. It doesn't have too many distractions, just enough to experience different things. The people here have been beyond amazing and I'm thankful for the time spent here.

What aspect of Nebraska's special education master's program has had the greatest impact on you?
The program has been flexible and designed to fit my needs and goals. I had the pleasure of working with my advisor on a project that interested me and enabled me to have a research experience in collaboration with an elementary school.

What will you remember most about Nebraska?
That's a hard question as everything has been amazing. From the unpredictable weather, the random hellos on the street, the amazing conversations with people, Lincoln's sense of home, etc.

In what ways has your time at Nebraska helped you as a future educator?
The courses have been really relevant and I can definitely see myself implementing what I've learned as a future educator. From textbook readings to school observations, projects, interviews, etc.

What advice would you give to other students interested in studying abroad on a Fulbright Scholarship?
When searching for a program, study different aspects of the program itself and the city it is being taught at. Consider the costs of living, quality of living, the weather, the city's culture, along with the program itself and whom you'd like to work with. These factors can greatly affect your experience abroad. Also, try to get your information from different sources of information to minimize bias as people tend to reflect based on their values and interests.

What's next?
I'll be working with the Department of Special Education at the Ministry of Education in my home country of Bahrain. However, I'm giving myself a two-year deadline in which I assess my path in life back home. I might consider pursuing a Ph.D. in special education later on as well.

Andrea Kremeier  |  Battle Creek, Nebraska

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
Bachelor of Science in Education with endorsement in Speech-Language Pathology, University of Nebraska at Omaha

How did you become interested in speech-language pathology?
I was looking to switch majors in the early years of my undergraduate studies when I was introduced to the field of speech-language pathology. I had never heard of it, but instantly fell in love. When I learned how much communication impacts everyone daily, I was sold. I soon found out that my aunt was a speech-language pathologist in both medical and school settings. Learning more about the diverse settings SLPs can work in just furthered my love for the field!

What made Nebraska the right fit for you to pursue your master's degree?
I visited a few schools before choosing where to obtain my master's degree. For me, it wasn't so much about the resources available, but rather how I felt when I was visiting the school. (That being said, the vast amount of resources available at UNL, along with the wide range of clinical and doctoral expertise was definitely still a big plus!) I knew I wanted a place that would feel like home for my next two years of study. After visiting UNL, I instantly knew I was in the right place.

What aspect of Nebraska's speech-language pathology master's program has had the greatest impact on you?
Definitely the people, but especially my clinical supervisors. They really helped me figure out who I am as a clinician. I formed some amazing relationships during my time here, but I am most appreciative of those who have pushed me to be the best student, clinician and professional I can be.

What advice would you give to the incoming first-year master's students?
There are so many things I wish I could share with them, but here are a few:
1. You know more than you think you do.
2. Form new friendships - they will be your saving grace and future colleagues.
And 3. Don't be afraid to ask for help, but always attempt to figure out the answer first - push yourself to be the best you can be!

What's next?
I plan to take a nice long vacation to reward myself for the past couple years' hard work. Then, I will begin working as an inpatient SLP-CF at Madonna Rehabilitation Specialty Hospital - Lincoln Campus. I am extremely excited to put this degree to use!

Jett Mickelsen  |  Superior, Nebraska

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, University of Nebraska at Omaha

How did you become interested in speech-language pathology?
I had always known that I wanted to pursue a career involving some sort of rehabilitation of the body. I originally considered physical therapy; however, the idea of supporting an individual's ability to communicate was fascinating to me. Another aspect of the profession that interested me was that the field is not limited to a specific age range, diagnosis, or patient population. With that, I was immediately intrigued by the endless opportunities that accompanied a career in speech-language pathology.

What made Nebraska the right fit for you to pursue your master's degree?
After my first visit to Nebraska, I was hooked. Not only did the clinical opportunities interest me, but also the wide range of medically based elective courses (e.g., Traumatic Brain Injury, Right Hemisphere Dysfunction, Dementia) that are offered to graduate students. Further, the opportunity to learn from professors who have had such a profound impact on the field of speech-language pathology made Nebraska the perfect fit for me.

What aspect of Nebraska's speech-language pathology master's program has had the greatest impact on you?
Personally, the clinical opportunities provided by Nebraska's speech-language pathology master's program has had the greatest impact on me. Not only was I able to treat individuals at the Barkley Speech Language and Hearing Clinic, but also at a skilled nursing facility, an AAC preschool, an elementary school, and an acute care hospital. As a result, I had the opportunity to work with individuals of all ages and diagnoses.

What advice would you give to the incoming first-year master's students?
I would advise all incoming first-year master's students to take advantage of the endless opportunities - both academically and clinically - provided by Nebraska's speech-language pathology master's program. Even if you do not feel confident in your background knowledge of a medically based elective course, take that class. Even if you do not feel confident with an acute care medical externship placement, accept that position. The professors and clinical supervisors at Nebraska have adequately prepared you for the challenge and you will become a better clinician as a result!

What's next?
I have accepted an inpatient speech-language pathologist position with Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital here in Lincoln.

Dana Todoruk  |  Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders, Minot State University

How did you become interested in speech-language pathology?
When looking at possible future career options in high school, the only thing I knew was I wanted to work with kids. So my mom asked me about speech-language pathology. I had no idea what speech-language pathology was or that we had a speech-language pathologist in our school division. To learn more, I shadowed the SLP in our school division for a day and instantly fell in love with how she could help students communicate their wants and needs.

What made Nebraska the right fit for you to pursue your master's degree?
When I first started my undergraduate program, I was 100 percent sure I wanted to work with kids. But the more I learned about the plethora of settings, populations and disorders SLPs can work with, the more I wanted to experience the medical side. The UNL master's program offers a combination of medical- and educational-based SLP courses and clinical experiences that allowed me the opportunities to dive into those different areas.

What aspect of Nebraska's speech-language pathology master's program has had the greatest impact on you?
My medical- and school-based externships have had the greatest impact on me. I worked with clients to help them overcome obstacles and meet goals, which is incredibly rewarding. I also gained confidence in myself and my abilities so I feel more prepared to embark on my journey as an SLP.

What advice would you give to the incoming first-year master's students?
I would tell first-year students not to limit themselves to one area of interest. We have the privilege to serve many different populations and work in a variety of settings so take the opportunity to experience as many as you can during your master's program. You never know what you will learn and fall in love with until you try it!

What's next?
After graduation, I am going to move back home to Manitoba, Canada. I am excited to start my career as a speech-language pathologist by working in the Park West School Division!