Being Human - Rockhurst University

The ScienceofTalkA thriving new program in communicationsciences and disorders is preparing Rockhurststudents to help people do what most of ustake for granted — carry on a conversation.By Nancy MaysFor most people, talking is likebreathing, done without effort orthought. But for others, speakingwith sounds is not a seamless act:sentences sputter, letters tangleand words flee the mind all together.Frustrating? Unbelievably so, says ShellyChabon, Ph.D., chair of Rockhurst’sCommunication Sciences and Disordersprogram. As she says, “Communicationis our most human quality.”Indeed, whether it is indicating a benignneed, “Pass the milk, please,” or a deeply feltemotion, “I need you,” communication iswhat keeps us connected.“You can’t minimize the importance ofbeing able to communicate,” says Chabon.“Language forms the basis for who we are,what we do.”Addressing the NeedAt Rockhurst, the CommunicationsSciences and Disorders Program graduatesspeech-language pathologists trained to helppeople communicate. Launched three years agoto meet the field’s growing demand, Rockhurst’sprogram is already booming. The undergraduateprogram is in its third year. The graduate program,offering a master of science degree, is inits first. Associate Professor Chabon, who leda similar program at Howard University inWashington, D.C., was hired to lead Rockhurst’sefforts, an endeavor she calls “exciting andchallenging.”Students, who come from across the country,are drawn to the field for one reason — tohelp people connect.“I was interested in communications butI also wanted to work in a helping field,” saysAmanda Schaefer, a Kansas City native in thegraduate program. “Once I started learningabout speech pathology, I knew that’s whatI wanted to do.”The program gives students a solid groundingin both normal and disordered communicationprocesses, as well as therapies used to treatpeople with troubled speech or hearing. At thegraduate level, students are required to log inmore than 370 hours in clinical settings underthe supervision of practicing speech pathologists.An important component of both the undergraduateand graduate programs is the specialemphasis on multicultural populations, trainingstudents to work with people of diverse ethnicand linguistic backgrounds.As an African-American, Stephanie Barryappreciates the attention given to ethnic diversity.Barry also appreciates the program’s flexibility.For the last five years, she has worked for theColumbia, Mo., school district but knew sheneeded a master’s degree to advance her career.Because her husband works as an engineer inMexico, Mo., she didn’t want to uproot herselffor a program. Rockhurst allows her to attendpart time.“It’s perfect for me,” she says. “The programhas been so inspiring.”When Problems AriseWithin the field, disorders are rooted ineither speech — how someone talks — orlanguage — the words used to talk.Problems rooted in speech include stutteringor faulty articulation, like substituting a “w” for19 SPRING 2000