CDIS student recruited for leadership program

A smiling female GovState student

Xochitl Regalado, a Governors State University (GovState) graduate student in Communication Disorders, was recently selected to participate in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP).

Xochitl is one of 40 students selected from nearly 200 applicants for MSLP. She will attend ASHA’s national conference in Boston this November, where she will have the chance to meet and talk to MSLP alumni and other young leaders amongst other professional networking opportunities. 

When asked about receiving this honor, Xochitl said she’s “Thrilled. Grateful. Excited! I was extremely honored that they selected my application. I got a lot of support from one of my professors to apply, and I’m really glad that I listened!”

Xochitl is looking forward to gaining as much educational and clinical experience as possible during her week in Boston to strengthen her leadership skills as a future speech-language pathologist.

“I'm also excited for the chance to meet with and learn from ASHA leaders, university faculty across the country, and speech-language pathologists currently in the field,” said Xochitl.

Looking beyond the conference, Xochitl is open to exploring the diverse field of speech-language pathology to find the professional environment where she feels she fits best.

“While I haven't set my heart on a specific setting or population yet, I wish to gain the necessary skills to amplify the voices of those previously overlooked and underrepresented,” said Xochitl. “My greatest aspiration in life is to support and encourage my future clients to find their voice and the communication style that works best for them, and my degree will help me do this!”

She credits her experience at GovState and the diverse people she has met along the way for helping prepare her for her journey beyond higher education. 

Xochitl notes that the faculty in the Communication Disorders Department have not only taught her extensively about theory and disorder classification, but have also been great guiding forces and mentors, imparting valuable practical skills, too.

“We [students] are being taught with genuine care and respect, which makes us believe that we can go far within our chosen field. I have gained a greater confidence regarding my personal and professional aspirations since transferring to GovState in 2021 and am excited to grow as much as possible before stepping out into the field,” said Xochitl.

Congratulations, Xochitl!