Why FSU?
I’m an FSU Legacy Scholar and received my bachelor's degree in 2013. The faculty in FSU's Communication Science and Disorders program aligned with my ideology and research interests, so returning felt like the right choice for me. I appreciate that my program values the diversity and perspective of all students.

Motivation to pursue a graduate degree
Prior to starting my program, I worked as a school based speech language pathologist for six years. I felt like I found my niche in the school system, but I was always interested in research and continuing education courses. I decided to pursue a graduate degree after witnessing so many disparities in education during the pandemic. I want to do my part to invoke change and equitable research partnerships.

Importance and impact of research
I have a research interest in non-mainstream dialects of English and language and literacy acquisition in minority children. There is a perpetual achievement gap among minority students and their peers. My hope is that my research will help educators better understand how language differences and contextualized factors impact student outcomes. As a former educator, I also want to create equitable research community partnerships that benefit the schools we partner with.

Advice for prospective graduate students
I encourage anyone who is considering graduate school to do it! We need diverse voices with unique perspectives in academia. Everyone is nervous to take the first step, but it is well worth it.

Accomplishments
Awarded the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship and FIREFLIES Interdisciplinary Training Grant as an incoming doctoral student.

Career aspirations
My future career aspirations are to work as a research scientist at an interdisciplinary research center. I want to conduct research that is meaningful and find practical ways to disseminate current research findings to the community.