Embarking on an educational journey that explores all forms of communication sciences and disorders is a decision that typically involves an innate desire to help and serve individuals who have undergone a life changing health event, or who simply need specialized expertise regarding how to effectively utilize language. No doubt the decision to pursue a career within some aspect of speech-language pathology has an underlying and individualized foundation. Whether the choice was prompted by a personal speech disorder, a family member who chose to obtain a speech degree or simply an interest in the dynamic world of language and how we communicate, you have made a rewarding decision. As you have started to learn, the fundamentals of how language is acquired and communicated will be the primary focus during graduate studies. Speech and language pathology can range from the fascinating world of linguistics, neuroanatomy, phonetics, and the impact of hearing loss on speech production, to cultural dialects, stuttering, aphasia and the significant importance of nonverbal signals in communication.
Tracy Carr-Marcel, Ph.D., MS CCC-SLP
Tracy Carr-Marcel, Ph.D., MS CCC-SLP attended Howard University in Washington, DC for undergraduate and graduate school. She received her Master's degree in 1998 in Communication Sciences and Disorders and became clinically certified in speech-language pathology in 2000. She
went back for her PhD in Public Service Leadership (with a concentration in healthcare administration) and completed her doctorate in 2014 from Capella University. She has worked in outpatient, acute care, skilled
nursing and private practice as a speech language pathologist and Director of Rehabilitation for 16 years and is now pursuing a career
in academia to teach what she has learned through her experience.