Introduction Statement

Hello, I am Aspen Mickles, a graduate student at Longwood University’s Graduate School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Longwood University in May 2018. I will graduate with my Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology in May 2020. My passion for this field began in high school when allowed to shadow speech-language pathologists in my area. This shadowing opportunity included students with a variety of disorders ranging from mild to severe. Early on in this shadowing experience, I recognized my desire to work with the pediatric population who had impairments, whether it may be cognitive or speech and language. From my various clinical and academic experiences, my desire to work with this population has continued to grow. 

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My clinical experiences through Longwood University’s clinic, Longwood University Speech, Hearing, and Learning Services (SHLS) and at a skilled nursing facility has provided me with opportunities to work with a variety of disorders and clients which has allowed me to develop vital clinical skills in creating therapy materials and effectively targeting each client’s deficits effectively and ethically.

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This portfolio encompasses the academic coursework and clinical experiences throughout my graduate career. The information presented in this portfolio focuses on the main nine areas in the scope of practice for speech-language pathology- articulation, fluency, voice, expressive/receptive language, hearing, feeding and swallowing, cognitive-communication, social communication, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The purpose of this portfolio is to demonstrate to others my clinical and educational experiences and how these experiences have made me into the professional I am today.