Nevaja Brown is a new Speech-Language Pathology graduate. She shares about her path to pursue speech-language pathology, key takeaways from her time in the program and her favorite memory at Carolina.
What made you decide to pursue Speech-Language Pathology?
As a first-generation college student, I had very limited knowledge on all the possibilities that I could pick to pursue. I had always loved education but didn’t want to be a teacher necessarily, and I also loved medicine but didn’t want to pursue medical school to become a physician. I wanted to find an intersection between the two and was actually introduced to speech-language pathology by someone I knew when I was in my final semester of high school. I decided to try it out and ended up loving all of my classes. Eventually, I would grow to have a personal stake in the field as my younger sister was diagnosed with Autism and my grandma suddenly had a stroke, both of whom taught me the real power of communication.
What are some of the most valuable lessons learned in the SLP program that you’ll take with you?
Some of the most valuable lessons I have learned in the program is that communication may look different for everyone, but everyone deserves the chance to communicate. Communication is how we build relationships, advocate for ourselves and one another, and most importantly, how we find out what is truly meaningful in our lives. I’ve also learned that there is so much that makes up our identity that there’s no possible way all we could ever be is just our job title!
What are your future plans/career goals?
My future plans/career goals include working at a multidisciplinary pediatric private practice, challenging myself to develop some expertise in areas I find most difficult, and forming community with all kinds of individuals across my field and others.
What is your favorite Carolina memory?
One of my favorite Carolina memories is attending a UNC vs. Duke basketball game because the intensity and electricity in the stadium that day has not been like any other that I’ve experienced at a basketball game! I’m also so grateful for the lifelong friendships that I’ve built here and am super thankful that I got to experience graduate school with the 2022-2024 SLP Cohort.
The Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences sends each graduate into their field knowing they will make a considerable impact on their community. If you are an alumnus of one of our programs and would like to share your achievements, please get in touch.