MOUNT VERNON – For the fourth year in a row, graduates of Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) degree program have achieved 100% placement in graduate programs.
The students in this year’s graduating class are Jonah Barnett, Samantha Collier, Loralei Breakey, Ashley Weber, Danielle Clark, Salena Lehman, Deborah Jenkins, Ean See, Casey Bunner and Lauren Klopfenstein.
The students in MVNU’s CSD program have a reputation for their hard work, faculty members Dr. Carol Dorough and professor Florence Hardjono said. They were active in organizations across campus, and many were athletes and leaders as well. High expectations from faculty have helped these students become knowledgeable, competent and professional.
Like their peers, Samantha Collier and Jonah Barnett, two members of this year’s graduating class, have worked hard to graduate in spite of the coronavirus pandemic, and they shared a bit about their experience at MVNU.
Collier, who will be attending The Ohio State University, was accepted into all three graduate schools that she applied to and commented that every school noticed her above-average understanding of what it takes to succeed as a speech language pathologist.
“Most students from other universities do not obtain any clinical experience until they go to grad school,” she said. “I feel confident enough to step into the grad school clinic on my first day (thanks to her extensive hours at the Hunter Hall Clinic for Communication Sciences and Disorders).
“You will learn at any institution, but to thrive as an undergraduate CSD major, you need professors who truly care about your education and your success as a future clinician. I found this at MVNU.”
Similarly, Barnett, who will attend Ohio University, was accepted into four different graduate programs and received numerous compliments about his education at MVNU.
“The CSD program at MVNU was the only program I looked at that offered clinical hours to undergraduate students,” he said. He appreciated the “diverse curriculum” that focuses on the lifespan of the individual in terms of communication.
When asked why other students should consider MVNU’s CSD program, Barnett said he would encourage others to enter this program because it opens up multiple career paths and offers total fulfillment for anyone whose desire is in helping others. He also reflected that MVNU allowed him to grow in his faith while learning to become a competent professional.
The 10 members of CSD Class of 2021 have been accepted into a combined 22 schools, with many also receiving scholarships and assistantships. A partial list of accepting programs include Boston University, New York Medical College, Northwestern University, Case Western Reserve University, Penn State University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, Calvin University, Indiana State University, Ohio University, Miami University, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, Cleveland State University, Thiel College and the University of Cincinnati.
Hardjono noted that current CSD alumni are excelling in their graduate programs. As a result, graduate programs are aware that MVNU students are well prepared and ready for graduate school.
MVNU is the only Nazarene university in the United States — and the only member of the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities in the state of Ohio — to offer a degree program in Communication Sciences and Disorders. MVNU operates a speech therapy clinic in its downtown Mount Vernon Hunter Hall that allows undergraduate students to gain real clinical experience while also serving the community.
For more information on MVNU’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program, visit mvnu.edu/undergraduate/academics/csd.
