Thanks for joining us Kate! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
This is my fifth year living in Boston. Prior to moving here, I went to High School in Hong Kong and before that I lived in San Diego, California. Around the time I began my studies at Northeastern my parents and young brother moved to Boston, so you could consider us “New Englanders in training”.
My sister, also a Northeastern PlusOne student, is starting her career as an Accountant.

When you were 9 or 10 year old, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I remember going through a phase of wanting to be an artist. I really looked up to my art teacher at the time so painting and working with clay was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I also thought turning into a mermaid was a possibility.
That’s great! So why Speech-Language Pathology?
In high school, I spent a lot of time volunteering with the Riders for the Disabled Association (RDA) in Hong Kong. The RDA is a therapeutic horseback riding center where I assisted in sessions either leading the horse or assisting in physical therapy focused exercises for the rider (i.e., turning around, squeezes, etc.) While I was there I met a lot of passionate volunteers, one of whom was an SLT (Speech-Language Therapist) certified in the United Kingdom. Hearing about her experiences as well as meeting with the speech therapist at my school in Hong Kong (an amazing woman from South Africa ) to discuss the field, it became apparent this was the field for me. Often people ask if deciding my career choice so firmly at 18 was the right decision, and I tell them it was a great choice as this profession is incredibly vast. I continue to learn about different ways to apply my studies and that is why I am happy with my choice.
Why did you decide on Northeastern for your BS/MS Program of Studies?
Initially I followed my older sister to Northeastern, but when I learned about the undergraduate SLPA Program and potential PlusOne program, I was sold. I knew I wanted to pursue a career in Speech-Language Pathology, so the PlusOne opportunity was a no brainer.
What areas of the field are you interested in?
Just about everything. Throughout the program I keep learning more about the field and it feels like everyday a different thought pops into my head about where I could go. For now, I am enjoying my current placement at a public school but excited to see what is next.
What would you tell your first semester grad student self?
You are going to have a lot of content to consume, but despite what you think you have the foundation for this knowledge so trust yourself! And don’t feel guilty about spending money at Wolly’s on class days, those treats carry you through the long day.
Great advice! What was your favorite class this past year?
I surprised myself because I really enjoyed Neurology, primarily because of how it set the foundation for our Adult Language Disorders Part 1 course. In undergraduate classes, we covered a lot of different bases, but in the graduate course I felt a lot of anatomy and physiology truly set in my brain, and yes, the cranial nerves eventually all stick!
Dr. Georgan will be pleased to hear this. What do you do to relax/have fun when you are not studying for classes/working at your internship?
A big part of my life outside of grad school is the wonderful gym I go to in Back Bay called Healthworks. Outside of working out and classes I enjoy swimming in any body of water, and I’m thrilled summer is here. Also, whenever I get the chance, you can probably find me substitute teaching at International School of Boston in Cambridge.
That sounds like a good balance in grad school. What are you most looking forward to in second year of your BS/MS SLP Program?
I am probably most excited for my final two clinical placements. In addition to that, I am looking forward to narrowing down my interests in the field and seeing what the next few years hold! I haven’t decided yet if I will stay in Boston or venture somewhere else, but for now, I’m just focusing on finishing the program.
This has been great. Thanks so much Kate and best of luck for the upcoming academic year.