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Breelyn Plesha has been accepted into the MSc in Speech-Language Pathology program at UBC. Experience at both the Phonological Processing Lab and the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Lab helped shape her journey to SLP admission. This was Breelyn鈥檚 first time applying to grad school. 

What inspired you to pursue speech-language pathology?

I first started exploring speech-language pathology as a career in the twelfth grade because of a school capstone project. It was a career that a couple of my family members who worked in the school system suggested I look into, because they knew I enjoyed working with kids. It turned into a career that over the course of my undergrad I slowly fell more and more in love with. Over the years, I have had the chance to meet and work with so many wonderful adults and children, who have continued to inspire me to pursue this career.

Please tell us about your work and volunteering experience. Which positions were most significant in achieving SLP admission?

I tried hard to have varying experience in different areas. It was advice I was given while in my undergrad, and I think it was beneficial when it came time to apply. I tried to have diverse experiences to gain valuable hands-on experience. 

I worked in the Phonological Processing Lab and volunteered in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Lab, which were both valuable research experiences. 

Additionally, I wanted to have clinical experience and worked as a speech-language pathologist assistant, as well as volunteering with adults with aphasia. These clinical experiences are what really gave me a chance to learn first-hand about this field.

Describe the SFU courses that had the most impact on your success.

There were several courses that had a lot of impact on me. First Language Acquisition (LING 350) and Neurolinguistics (LING 415) were two classes that showed me how the speech sciences apply to real life and, more specifically, what I want to be doing in the future.

Which SFU instructors helped shape your journey to SLP admission?

Dr. Ashley Farris-Trimble was an amazing professor and research director/supervisor. She was one of my favourite professors to take classes with and I also was given the opportunity to work in her lab, the Phono Lab. I learned a lot from her and really appreciated all of the help she gave me on my journey during my undergrad degree. 

Please explain your approach to the Letter of Intent.

I tried to communicate in my letter the reason why I wanted to be a speech-language pathologist. All applicants put a lot of work into getting in and therefore have many different experiences and backgrounds. In my letter, I really tried to explain how every experience and opportunity I pursued helped me become the person I am and shape the clinician I want to become. 

One of the first reasons I wanted to become an SLP was because of two girls who used AAC devices that I鈥檇 met early on while learning about this career. I saw the impact these devices had on their lives, and as I continued to work and volunteer in the field I was able to learn more about alternative communication and how I could help others have a voice just like those girls that I met. I wanted to communicate who I am and why this career is important to me, which was my approach while writing.

My second piece of advice for writing the Letter of Intent is to just start typing. I spent a lot of time staring at my computer screen and an empty Word document. The best piece of advice I received from a friend was to just sit down, set a timer, and write whatever comes to you. Don鈥檛 worry about starting points or a word count, just start writing. 

Once you have some words down, then you can begin to worry about the specifics of your letter, but don鈥檛 let the pressure of it needing to be perfect prevent you from starting.

I wish everyone applying next year a lot of luck! The process of applying can definitely feel overwhelming, but in the end it鈥檚 all worth it.