As a first year speech and hearing science major I am always looking for ways to best prepare myself for my future career goals and further my education outside of the classroom. As a member of Ohio State’s National Student Speech Language Association, I had the opportunity to not only attend the 2017 Ohio NSSLHA Conference, but help make this amazing event happen as well. I was on the administrative committee for the conference. I planned the logistics of the conference, helped purchase the necessary materials to put on the event, as well as assembled gifts and lanyards prior to the conference. In addition to my role on the administrative committee, I was also a conference group leader, leading my group of future speech language pathologists and audiologist from colleges across the state to each panel.
I not only helped put the conference on, but I also had the pleasure of attending the event and participating in all the wonderful opportunities it offered. The conference’s theme, “Keep Calm and Lead On,” emphasized the idea of career development, but also taking care of oneself. Guest speakers spoke on topics such as life and work balance as well as how to foster social intelligence for better collaboration. The event also consisted of three workshops. One of which focused on service learning and the incorporation of service dogs into therapy. The second breakout secession highlighted the importance of professionalism, especially in the face of today’s social media trends. The final session, my personal favorite, gave students the opportunity to ask a panel of graduate students question, enabling me to get insights on everything from GREs to graduate school applications, better preparing me for my future endeavors.
The NSSLHA conference was a once in a lifetime experience, and the fact that I was able to help my school host such an event was incredibly rewarding. In addition to experiencing the hard work it takes to put on a state conference, I learned more about my career goals and how to best set myself up for success. I was able to spend the day interacting with students who share the same passion as me, as well as network with professionals in the field. But more than anything, it sparked my inspiration, making me more excited than ever to pursue a career as a speech language pathologist.