Speech-Language Pathology Program Wraps Up Fall Community Service Events

Speech-Language Pathology faculty and students, including members of the Midwestern University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) on the Downers Grove Campus took part in several events during the fall focused on education, community service, raising awareness of language development, and preparing the future speech-language pathologists for a variety of situations.

Chicago Walk for Apraxia

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, patients with apraxia have difficulty speaking and executing gestures and movements, despite having the desire and physical ability to carry out these actions. Raising awareness about apraxia resonated on a deeper and personal level for Speech-Language Pathology student and NSSLHA member Kelly Zaksheske (CHS-Downers Grove SLP ’25). “I have three kids, and my youngest son has apraxia. I’ve also had clients with apraxia. I’ve seen the devastating impact it has on someone’s communication. That’s why I wanted to raise as much money as I could for the walk to help everyone that I’ve seen impacted by apraxia, including my own child,” she said. Kelly’s goal was to raise $2,600, and the team exceeded the amount at $3,474. 

Kelly shared a poignant memory from the event with the words of a boy of about 12. “He described that he had a speech-language pathologist work with him for a very long time, and how speaking was hard for him. He was so thankful for his speech-language pathologist that he started crying, and that made everyone else emotional. I wouldn’t have known he had apraxia from the way he communicated,” Kelly emphasized.

Treatment for apraxia is case by case, Kelly discussed. “You have to teach the motor planning aspect of the whole word. If you teach one sound, it does not generalize to all other sounds. You have to teach the person to say the entire word, and longer, multi-syllabic words are harder for someone to produce,” she said. 

Kelly also described something she would like people to know about apraxia. “Just because people with apraxia have difficulty communicating, it does not mean that they don’t understand what you’re saying. They have difficulty saying words, may gesture, and the words that come out of their mouth might not sound accurate. Some people may perceive them as not comprehending what someone is saying, and that's not true.”

Aphasia and Stroke Awareness Event

About 100 people attended the Aphasia and Stroke Awareness evening event at the Multispecialty Clinic to learn more about aphasia and stroke. The interdisciplinary approach involved students from several healthcare fields of study addressing stroke and aphasia, a language disorder that occurs due to damage to parts of the brain that process various aspects of language and communication. Judith Ball, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Associate Professor, Speech-Language Pathology Program, stated the event, “helps students who present to learn more about interprofessional collaboration.” She also encouraged the students to make their sessions interactive with the attendees. The students gave presentations about how their disciplines affect patients with aphasia and stroke. Chicago College of Optometry (CCO) students Lauren Delisi (CCO ’25) and Luma Mallah (CCO ’25) gave information about vision after a stroke. Clinical Psychology students Amir Chhatriwala, M.A. (CHS-Downers Grove Clin Psych ’27), and Maria De Leon-Sanchez, M.A. (CHS-Downers Grove Clin Psych ’27), informed attendees about mental health awareness with an activity about mindfulness. Physical Therapy students Sesily Gaffey (CHS-Downers Grove PT ’25), Allison Roberts (CHS-Downers Grove PT ’25), and Kamila Wiklanski (CHS-Downers Grove PT ’25) discussed mobility following a stroke along with an activity about posture, and daily life activities after a stroke were described by Occupational Therapy student Amber Reynolds (CHS-Downers Grove OT ’26). Speech-Language Pathology students Meredith Connelly (CHS-Downers Grove SLP ’25) and Alexa Arquiza (CHS-Downers Grove SLP ’25) described communication after a stroke and were the coordinators of the event. 

The students also asked the audience to work in pairs and attempt to order dinner without the ability to speak or use a dominant hand. Ms. Ball said the speech-language pathology students also provided insights about aphasia. “They talked specifically about different types of aphasia and then shared tips on techniques for communicating with someone with aphasia,” she added. In addition, several clients living with aphasia and stroke and their families came in to talk about their experiences. This event began in 2014, suggested by a former client of Ms. Ball who lives with aphasia. “It's such a good learning experience for the students, and I have not met a student who's not been impacted by coming to the event and hearing the clients and their family members speak,” she added.

“I hope that the attendees would have a better understanding of aphasia, and how to interact and communicate with someone who has those difficulties. There are some very simple things that you can do in order to help someone share their information and knowledge. Just because they can't say it doesn't mean they don't know it,” Ms. Ball said. She also emphasized her hope that students walk away with an understanding of aphasia, how to communicate with people who have different types of abilities, and working across disciplines with other healthcare professionals with the knowledge and appreciation of other professions. 

Literacy Event

Faculty and students participated in a literacy event in The Children’s Center of Cicero-Berwyn. Speech-Language Pathologists have an important role to play in fostering literacy and identifying any language processing issues from an early age. Ms. Ball mentioned that there were stations based on age groups with interactive activities. For example, one age group read “The Hungry Caterpillar,” matched pictures, and crawled through a tent with a caterpillar theme. 

Kelly shared how the event impacted her. “Getting to see the families and their children and connect with them, it was a group of people I wouldn’t have just run into,” she said. She also appreciated the opportunity to share her knowledge of literacy. “Early literacy skills and knowledge promotes learning, and I'm hoping that the event will reinforce the importance of reading at home and working with your children on literacy skills to help them be successful in school.”

Community Service

Faculty from the College of Health Sciences (CHS) volunteered at the Cicero Community Center. Rachel Piszczor, Psy.D., Associate Professor, Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Psychology; Cindy Krizizke, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Assistant Professor, Speech-Language Pathology Program; Kristy Luciano, PA-C, Associate Program Director, Physician Assistant Program; Sandhya Noronha, M.D., Professor, Physician Assistant Program, and Ms. Ball gave presentations for teachers in the Cicero Berwyn School District about trauma-informed practice. The attendees were first surveyed about their current knowledge about childhood trauma, and during the presentations they were given more information. Ms. Ball stated they went over, “how to help them to understand and deal with the behaviors of adverse childhood experiences recognizing that these adverse experiences can have an impact,” she added. They also discussed behavior issues, when to refer a patient, proactive strategies, and communication. 

SLP Event Wrap Up

Through a variety of events, students in NSSLHA and the Speech-Language Pathology Program are applying One Health principles, giving back to the community, and preparing for their future careers as patient-centered healthcare professionals.