Worcester State University Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders

Worcester State University Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders The goal of the WSU Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is to facilitate an understanding of the human communication processes.

Worcester State University offers both an undergraduate and graduate program of study. The undergraduate program is designed to prepare students for jobs in a caring profession and for graduate school. The graduate program is designed to provide a high caliber academic and clinical program for the preparation of speech-language pathologists. The program prepares students for positions in public sc

hools, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, speech and hearing clinics, special-care facilities, and private practice. The graduate program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

💚 September is NICU Awareness Month This summer, students in our pediatric feeding elective got hands-on with the skills...
09/09/2026

💚 September is NICU Awareness Month 

This summer, students in our pediatric feeding elective got hands-on with the skills that support our smallest patients. We practiced side-feeding techniques and learned the importance of swaddling. We used syringes to measure the thickness of liquids to meet IDDSI standards using products like Gel Mix, among other brands, weighing the pros and cons of each so we can help families make informed decisions. These skills support infants as they work on their swallowing skills and suck-swallow-breathe pattern. Small adjustments can mean the difference between a stressful feeding and a calm one.

We were also lucky enough to have a NICU parent join us this summer to share her story. She talked about the fear, the fight-or-flight of it all, and the PTSD she still carries with her, sixteen years later. It's a good reminder that our job isn't only about technique. It's about walking alongside families in one of the scariest moments of their lives, with empathy, patience, and grace for ourselves when we don't get it perfect. 💚

Happy first day of clinic! 🎉As our Level 2 clinicians transition from on-campus practicum to their outplacements, we're ...
09/04/2026

Happy first day of clinic! 🎉

As our Level 2 clinicians transition from on-campus practicum to their outplacements, we're sending good luck to the student clinicians receiving their first clinical assignments today.

Some sage advice from the cohort above you:

✨ Give yourself grace. You are learning, and that's exactly where you're supposed to be.
✨ Always keep your client in mind. They're the reason we do this work.
✨ You know more than you think you do. Trust the training that got you here.

We'll miss our clients dearly, but we know they're in good hands.

Good luck, Level 1s! We're cheering you on. 💙

🌟Feature Friday🌟 This week's feature is Audrey Benoit, one of the department's Graduate Assistants. Audrey graduated fro...
09/04/2026

🌟Feature Friday🌟 This week's feature is Audrey Benoit, one of the department's Graduate Assistants. Audrey graduated from WSU's undergraduate SLHS program this spring after beginning in the graduate program as a 4+1.5 student last summer. She has also worked with children for the last 3 years while in school and is excited to start working with adults! After graduation, Audrey sees herself working with adults in medical settings and has a strong interest in research.

Photo Description: A headshot of Audrey Benoit, a blonde white woman, where she is wearing clear glasses, a gold heart-shaped locket, and a black shirt while smiling.

Excited to kick off the Fall 2026 semester by welcoming our newest faculty member, Dr. Lindsey Parker! 👏We can't wait to...
09/03/2026

Excited to kick off the Fall 2026 semester by welcoming our newest faculty member, Dr. Lindsey Parker! 👏

We can't wait to learn from her expertise in voice, swallowing, and her research on social media's influence in the field of CSD. This semester, she'll be teaching CD 925: Motor Speech Disorders.

Welcome to the team, Dr. Parker — we're so glad you're here! 💙

Last week Dr. Meyer presented research that she, Dr. Sam, and SLP grad student Audrey Benoit have been working on, at th...
06/01/2026

Last week Dr. Meyer presented research that she, Dr. Sam, and SLP grad student Audrey Benoit have been working on, at the Pacific Rim International Disability Conference at the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa campus. 🌺Aloha!🌺

Photo description: Dr. Meyer, a brown haired woman wearing a purple dress and grey sweater, is standing in front of a research poster titled Using Social Media to Connect Undergraduate Students with Authentic Disabled Experiences

05/28/2026

Our very own Abigail Saner! So proud of all our undergraduate students in the program. You will all do amazing things. Stay in touch!

Congratulations to the MS-SLP 2025 and 2026 cohorts! 💛💙🎓We are so proud of you!
05/16/2026

Congratulations to the MS-SLP 2025 and 2026 cohorts! 💛💙🎓We are so proud of you!

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Athena Reese on earning her clinical doctorate of speech-language pathology (SLPD) ...
05/11/2026

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Athena Reese on earning her clinical doctorate of speech-language pathology (SLPD) and presenting her capstone project! Her dedication to the field and commitment to learning is truly inspiring! 🎓

📢Calling all practicing Speech-Language Parhologists📢 Are you interested in mentoring our MS-SLP student clinicians? We ...
05/04/2026

📢Calling all practicing Speech-Language Parhologists📢 Are you interested in mentoring our MS-SLP student clinicians? We are looking for more supervising SLPs to help guide and teach our student clinicians as they move throughout the program here at WSU! If you are interested, please reach out to our Center Director, Andrea Quinn. Contact information can be found embedded in the post above. Your time, expertise, and consideration is greatly appreciated! 💫

✨GA Appreciation✨ As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to recognize the SLHS graduate assistants, Hail...
05/02/2026

✨GA Appreciation✨ As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to recognize the SLHS graduate assistants, Hailey & Caitlin and the SLHC graduate assistant, Sam.

Hailey & Caitlin- From designing bulletin boards that brighten our spaces, to managing social media and keeping our community connected, to handling administrative responsibilities that keep everything running smoothly, to supporting peers through tutoring —your impact is everywhere.

Sam- In the clinic, you’ve been essential to day-to-day operations: preparing materials, building an informative bulletin board that is truly client- focused, troubleshooting in the moment, and ensuring that everything flows seamlessly behind the scenes.

You’ve all created spaces for collaboration, and helped build a genuine sense of camaraderie within the cohorts. You have helped shape a supportive and collaborative community within our program. You consistently go above and beyond—not for recognition, but because you care—and that makes all the difference.
Thank you all for the time, energy, and heart you’ve poured into this year 💙💛

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Worcester, MA
01602

Telephone

+15089298055

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