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I believe firmly that effective communication is the central key for having a healthy social life. Human speech, therefore, stands at the center of virtually all forms of participation in social life, virtually everything for which life is worth living. Thus, I also feel strongly that it is our duty as an advanced society to provide assistance to those who are unable to speak normally, to help them overcome their language or vocal difficulties. This is why I hope very much to be accepted to your highly esteemed Master’s Program in SLP, so that I can become the very best speech and language therapist possible in my native Hong Kong where there is a great need for therapist’s like myself who want to help the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of our society at XXXX University.

I am a young Chinese woman who is now firmly established in California and I seek to respond to the need in the Bay Area for multilingual speech and language therapist. Probably my greatest assets are my language skills and my great passion for serving my community, especially the most vulnerable among us and in particular multilingual children with communication challenges. I speak 4 languages, Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Japanese. I first fell in love working with kids as a kindergarten teacher in Japan. I especially adore working with this age group and hope to continue to study and focus on children for the balance of my professional life.

Throughout my four years of study, subsequent clinical internship, and current job as a Teaching Assistant in the Speech Therapy and Audiology Department at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Saudi Arabia, I have taken advantage of every opportunity to increase my knowledge base, further develop my clinical skills, and gain exposure to a broad variety of interesting cases and patient conditions. I enjoy pathologist-patient interaction enormously as well as the problem-solving challenges that present themselves in our profession. I am convinced that my experience, dedication, high level of motivation, and refined work ethic will enable me to hit the ground running in your program and distinguish myself as a zealous and engaging graduate student.

 There is a chronic lack of awareness in Saudi Arabia of the need to help people, especially children, with speech and language difficulties, and how best to help them, what treatments are most effective and why, etc. The great need that exists in my country is perhaps the single greatest driving force leading me to make this choice for a vocation.  If accepted to and given the opportunity to complete your program, I will be able to utilize the skills and knowledge gained during my studies towards the Master’s Degree in SLP to raise awareness of the important challenges that we face in Saudi Arabia, and to help as many of those who suffer as possible.

There is nothing that I love more than a challenge and I have been drawn to the field of SLP because it is highly demanding, requiring the design of a development management pathway for each patient and carefully observing and recording improvements in their quality of life. I have been able to help my patients express themselves better and communicate more successfully with those around them which is a very rewarding experience because it is perhaps the greatest gift that one can bestow upon another. I have observed the impact of communication disorders on social and academic skills, but also seen the improvement that can be achieved when these are managed appropriately. In particular, I enjoy working with children because of the life-long positive effects that are gained as a result of the successful management of childhood communication-related issues, and the creativity I so much enjoy exercising in the development of their treatment plans. To further improve my communication and interactive skills with children, I have taken opportunities to volunteer as a teaching assistant in an international school in London, UK, as well locally here in a school in Jeddah, KSA. I have had the intense privilege of interacting with children of varied cultural backgrounds and at different stages of development, developing my problem-solving skills as a result of managing the behavior of large groups and adapting to challenging situations.

I have acquired additional invaluable experience in the clinical setting through my internship at King Abdullah Medical City’s Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City’s Hospital, and in my current role as a part time speech-language pathologist at the KSAU-HS associated National Guard Hospital (NGH). Being involved in the process of screening, assessing and treating cases of communication disorders has strengthened my skills and abilities in many ways and in all aspects of practice, including documentation. Being fully fluent in English has been one of my strong points. Being exposed to a broad variety of cases such as swallowing, voice and articulation disorders, stuttering, language delay, speech and language issues related to cleft lip and palate, tracheostomies-related issues, and auditory verbal training has helped me to better develop my own interpersonal and communication skills, dealing not only with clients but also their families, specialists, professors, etc. My sense of responsibility has been heightened and I am now more professional, committed, and likely to take the initiative.

 I am eager to be at the forefront of research and development in SLP, particularly with respect to the context of the Arabic-speaking world so as to make a solid contribution in this area to my people and culture, especially in the case of our children. I have been proactive in keeping up-to- date with the latest research and developments in my field, attending conventions and workshops in addition to staying up late reading the literature most of the time. I have also taken several highly relevant online courses.

In my current role as a Teaching Assistant at KSAU-HS, I am helping with two research projects in my field, Auditory Verbal Training and Cochlear Implantation, and Pediatric Swallowing. I look forward to very much improving my research skills as a graduate student in your program and to someday turning out my own highly significant research publications in the field. I believe this is imperative to becoming a very competent SPL professional.

I am also focused on my personal growth and development and have always been active as a volunteer in a number of different areas. For example, I am currently the chairperson of a Saudi book club that holds monthly meetings and discussions. Also, I was involved in the Saudi Entrepreneurs’ Program in 2011, serving as the production manager for my team. The project was successful and my team won the award for “The Most Creative Idea”. These roles have greatly improved my leadership as well as my communication skills. 

Having travelled to the USA and Europe several times, I am familiar with the diversity of cultures outside the Middle East and look forward to meeting new people and learning more about other cultures and societies during my graduate education. I feel this will greatly enhance both my general life skills as well as my professional interpersonal skills. By earning my Master’s Degree, I will be able to attain the position of lecturer at KSAU-HS and a speech-language pathologist at NGH.

I thank you for considering my application.

Now 61 years old, I remember being diagnosed with a speech impediment in the 6th grade and placed in therapy. I acted out in response, showing off, and accidentally banged my head against the corner of a file cabinet requiring stitches. Now, when I draft a statement in SLP, I reflect back upon that occasion and upon the emotional and psychological sensitivity attached to diagnosis and treatment in this area. My son David, now five, has some issues as well, which I am monitoring, investigating, and working with on my own.

Thus, I am very interested in and engaged with the field of Speech Language Pathology and it is a great privilege for me to help as many applicants as I can in this area. It is a special honor for me to draft statements on behalf of those applicants whose story excites me, clients who I feel strongly are in a unique position to contribute to SLP practice and research. I only do my best, taking the time to reflect on your story as well, usually doing some internet research on your behalf.

Most applicants who decide to pursue Speech-Language Pathology do so because they are interested in working with people. The wide scope of practice for a speech-language pathologist allows therapists to work with people in any age range, from infancy to geriatrics. They are also attracted to the career because it serves to improve the quality of life for those with whom you work as well as their family members and friends. In this field, you provide an invaluable contribution, helping others by enhancing their communication abilities.

 An individual pursuing speech pathology must have a true interest and investment in the field.  Graduate school is not easy, is exhausting and stressful.  If one does not have a true passion for the field, completing this degree will be incredibly difficult. It is critically important that one have a sincere interest in helping people with various speech, language, cognitive-communication, fluency, voice, and/or swallowing disorders. Those considering going into the field should also be flexible, patient, persistent, and tolerant. This is because all of these characteristics are needed in order to be successful at performing evaluations and conducting therapy.

The Personal Statement of Purpose for Graduate School in Speech & Language Pathology and Therapy.

I strongly suggest that you gain as much exposure to the profession as possible before applying to a Master’s program. Not only will this experience be beneficial when applying to Master’s programs and throughout graduate study, but it also may help to shape your eventual career path by providing you with a better sense of what Speech-Language Pathologists do on a daily basis. Take advantage of any mentoring programs offered by your graduate program. Also, don't be afraid to seek advice from others who you may know that have already been through the speech-language pathology graduate school process. If you are truly dedicated to building a career in this area, you will find that there are a vast number of opportunities available for clinician practicum placement.

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With maximum creativity, research as indicated, priority attention, and as many drafts as needed!

Now 21 years old and a citizen of the USA, I was born in my native Ecuador and raised there until the age of 6, so, I remember just about enough of it to be able to consider myself fully bicultural as well as bilingual. This is a great asset in New York where so many of those who are underserved by our health care and educational resources tend to speak little to no English. I want very much to give my life to children, developing a special focus on the little Latinos and Latinas who have communication problems, irrespective—to the extent to which this is possible—of the legal status of their parents.

A healthy, stable, normal, young white woman from Wisconsin, still only 22, I think that I worked very hard to achieve close to an intermediate level in conversational Spanish as well as ASL because I want to help people, especially children, to learn to communicate effectively so that they will have fuller and richer lives. My short term goal is to excel in your distinguished program at XXXX University, which is my first choice due the diversity and thoroughgoing nature of your curriculum. I hope to achieve my long term goal shortly after graduating: working with students from pre-k to secondary. Above all, I want to work in a school district that has an option for early intervention because I love working with children from birth to 3 and their families, the younger they are the more I find the challenge especially engaging.

Back in the summer of 2006, Gordy Rogers had the opportunity to take part in one of the most enriching experiences of his career, the Bosnia Speech and Hearing Project.

Founded in 1997 by California-based SLP Judi Jewett, the project at its outset primarily supported children with hearing loss, both congenital and those who had experienced traumatic hearing loss. After all, this was only a couple years after the historic Dayton Accords of 1995 that ended the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Judi assembled whatever resources she could, mostly via her church community. But over time, the project grew to include hundreds of mostly US-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) looking for speech therapist volunteer opportunities. They donated their services to thousands of Bosnian children in need. Recognizing that a lasting contribution is about empowering local communities to help themselves, the program was instrumental in founding an SLP training program at the University of Tuzla, right there in Bosnia.

For him personally, not only did he get to experience a fascinating culture, punctuated with adventures in the Balkan region (in addition to a long weekend trip to the Croatian coast—his itinerary took me to Belgrade, and the historic Hungarian cities of Pecs and Szeged). He made lasting professional contacts and still keeps in regular contact with one of the local translators on the project.

Even as it may be difficult to imagine that the pall of winter will ever be lifted, summer is indeed only a few months away and since clinical schedules are somewhat lighter in the summer, this is often the time when these programs solicit interest from practicing SLPs. Now is the ideal time start thinking about getting involved, and below is a list of several well-established charitable organizations that coordinate international volunteering opportunities. If you’re looking to enrich your professional and personal lives—while enjoying an adventure of a lifetime, then look no further than these volunteering opportunities, which can be enjoyed by SLPs from almost anywhere in the world.

Speech Therapists Volunteer Abroad

One of the first places you could start is your own graduate program. Gordy has heard anecdotally of a real increase in the number of smaller scale, more grassroots volunteering projects, particularly in the least ten years. His own graduate program, Teachers College Columbia University, has had active volunteering projects in Bolivia, Cambodia, Ghana, and coming this summer, to Ethiopia.

Often, these student-oriented trips are in need of experienced clinical supervisors, which is where you might come in. Also, depending on how developed the program is and what its mission may be, experienced clinicians may be particularly valuable for some of the more policy-focused work involved in the project. 

Your role may not simply be one of providing or supervising speech and language services, but may also involve setting up local training programs or advocating for children special needs.

If your own graduate program doesn’t have its own international charitable or educational project, ask your contacts in the program who might be able to help you find one. Programs are in contact with each other and may be able to put you in touch with one who would be happy to talk to you.

You may have to be flexible regarding where you go. You can’t just pick and choose Trinidad and Tobago or the Philippines, for example. Being bilingual is also a big plus: especially in Spanish as you’d expect, given how widely spoken the language is and the number of programs focused in Spanish-speaking countries.

However, even if you’re not fluent or even proficient in the official language of the host country, these programs may have support from local translators or provide intensive language classes at the beginning of the program.

If you don´t have any language skills, no problem. But you, as the volunteer, may have to partially or fully finance the translator’s services. In other cases, proficiency in the local language will be a requirement if you are to participate. Often, these smaller, more grassroots projects have a more intimate feel to them and if you cast a wide enough net, you will be more likely to find a location and a project mission that really gels with your interests and scope of practice—so it´s worth pursuing these kinds of options.

Finding Speech Therapy Volunteer Opportunities

One organization that is dedicated to expanding volunteering opportunities across the globe is Children’s Services International. This charitable organization is associated with Speech Pathology Group, a large private practice in Walnut Creek, California. One of the SLP staff supervisors at the practice is a former leader of the Bosnia Speech and Hearing Project. They’ve extended this work into the Bosnian Autism Project.

They plan to expand their reach into other countries in the near future. It would be worth keeping abreast of their plans as they are openly soliciting interest in volunteers.

Another not-for-profit that keeps a database of opportunities throughout the world, is Projects Abroad. The site is geared toward a wide range of health and education disciplines. It tends to feature longer-term projects and may be less suitable to SLPs who currently have employment in the field and those who are just looking to complement their overall clinical experience.

Investigate the organizations included on the ASHA list of international volunteering. The list includes information on organizations that are not necessarily speech and language-focused, as well as information for government-funded projects such as the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, which administers the Fulbright Scholar Program, but they may all be interesting for you.

Other International Charities

Established charitable organizations with international reach would be an excellent option for your volunteering efforts, too. Gordy met with executives in person at Smile Train at their headquarters here in NYC. And while they do not currently have a dedicated speech therapy team in place, they do encourage SLPs with an interest and clinical experience treating post-surgical cleft palate and other craniofacial abnormalities to contact a mission of their choice.

Providing the actual surgeries for families in need, free of charge, is Smile Train´s primary mission.

However, in developing economies with a more advanced medical and therapy infrastructure, a prospective volunteer like you would be more likely to find an existing program in place that you can simply join and “hit the ground running” clinically.

Examples of countries like this would be Chile, Colombia and Brazil, but it is crucial to note that all therapy is done in the patient’s native language so the pertinent language skills are a must.

Similarly dedicated, relatively larger scale organizations like Operation Smile would warrant investigation, too. It may be most effective to contact a medical mission in a country that interests you and ask how you, as a speech pathologist, can support the mission and the speech therapy programs of the children they serve.

But whatever avenue you choose, I would say that becoming an international volunteer will undoubtedly be a deeply enriching experience, both personally and professionally.

However, from when you decide to investigate the location of your work, to when you actually complete your charitable mission, it will take initiative. Although the term “proactive” is a bit trite sounding, it does accurately describe how you will have to approach international volunteering.

Many organizations will require you to make local contact, join a project and, for the most part, make your own travel and accommodation arrangements. They will often have a network of on-the-ground support but really, you will have to make it happen.

If you would like documents to assist in the process of becoming a volunteer abroad or at home, let us know. We would love to help.