My Story at IUP
My name is Emily Oakes, and I am from Chadds Ford, PA, which is right outside of Philadelphia. I am currently a freshman at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), where I am studying Speech-Language Pathology. I had always wanted to attend college and knew what I wanted to study, but choosing the right school for me was not an easy task. I will share my story of why I chose my major, the experiences that led me to IUP, and my current experiences at the school.
Having a career in the healthcare system interested me from a young age, so I already had an idea of the type of work I wanted to do. It was not until the end of my sophomore year of high school though, that I knew I wanted to pursue a career in speech pathology. I have a sister who has a disability, and watching and being involved in her therapies growing up piqued an interest in me. Knowing how speech therapy could impact someone’s life firsthand, made me want to provide a life changing experience for others too. After I figured out what I wanted to study, I researched a few schools that had excellent speech-language pathology programs.
IUP was not my top choice for the college that I wanted to attend. I had my heart set on studying at Duquesne University, but it was just too expensive in the end, and I was very disappointed when I could not go there. I knew that I had to choose a school that would not only land me a decent job out of college, but also one that would not leave me in overwhelming amounts of debt. When I found IUP, I was very impressed with their program for my major, and I knew that I would greatly benefit from all that it had to offer. I could apply to their five-year program for speech pathology and graduate early, have hands on experiences in the clinic and simulation lab, and have access to almost any internship that I wanted.
Now that I am at IUP, I am glad that I chose to come here for my major. I love the program that I am in, and it makes me excited to become a speech pathologist in the future. I also love that IUP offers so many great opportunities to meet people and find your interests through clubs and organizations. I am currently a part of the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association, the Sign Language Club, the Catholic Student Association, and the University Band. As a quieter person, I never thought that I would be a part of so many groups, but doing so has allowed me to put myself out there more and experience new things.
While I enjoy being at IUP, there are times that I face challenges with my coursework and social life. My major requires many science courses, which are not always the easiest subjects. However, I learned that I need to put in a great amount of effort if I want to accomplish my goals and receive a good grade in the class. I attended my professors’ office hours and found studying strategies that helped me overcome the challenges. In my first semester, I also had a bad experience with a roommate and had to switch dorms. This definitely impacted my life and feelings about IUP in a negative way, but in the end, I learned how to handle conflict and that I may not get along with every person I meet.
Every person’s college experience looks different from choosing a major, to choosing a school, to their academic and social life, but these are the events that led me to where I am at IUP today. While I was unsure if IUP would be the right fit for me in the beginning, I can now say that I feel that I am in the right place. I have experienced so much growth by stepping outside of my comfort zone and learning how to overcome challenges that I may face along the way. So, if someone is considering coming to IUP, my advice is to not be afraid to take a risk because it could lead to great things.
