What I am majoring in and why by Avery

What I am majoring in and why by Avery - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

My name is Avery Akeman, a second-year college student and I am majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I currently attend Dallas College via online classes, but in the Fall, I will transfer to Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. My ultimate career goal is to become a Pediatric Speech Therapist, a decision that I reached after deep personal reflection.
As an infant, I struggled to ingest food orally without experiencing dangerous drops in my respiratory rates and heart rates. This condition led to the placement of a G-Tube and a central line, which provided my only nutrition until the age of three. At that point, I started intensive speech therapy to learn how to eat. I spent a significant amount of time with my speech therapists and nurses. Having spent over 530 days inpatient, I have witnessed firsthand how mentally taxing a hospital stay can be. The compassion and kindness of my speech therapists left a lasting impact, and today, I aspire to give back to the community that provided me with substantial support. I want to be the person who brings joy to sick children and gives them something to look forward to during difficult seasons. This is why I have decided to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders.