Bridget Graham, a student at Iona University, has combined her passion for American Sign Language (ASL) with her educational training to serve the deaf and hard of hearing community. As she prepares to graduate in May 2024 with a Master of Arts in communication sciences and disorders, Graham reflects on her journey at Iona.

"I always love seeing kids who are interested in learning more about ASL!" said Graham, who also holds two advanced certificates: The Interdisciplinary Advanced Certificate in Working with Young Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and their Families (IACD) and the Advanced Certificate in Clinical Communication.

"My passion is American Sign Language and working with others to create an empathetic, accessible and successful learning environment for language development," she added.

During her time at Iona, Graham completed internships at St. Josephs School for the Deaf and New Rochelle High School. She plans to continue serving the deaf and hard of hearing community as a speech language pathologist after graduation.

"Iona has prepared me for this journey in multiple ways. Through the IACD program, I gained essential knowledge about the deaf population, fostering my passion for this field," Graham explained. "Moreover, the guidance and expertise of our esteemed professors not only enriched academic pursuits but also cultivated critical thinking and professional growth among myself and my peers."

Graham chose to attend Iona due to its diverse course load, externship opportunities, and collaborative environment. As a speech pathologist, she looks forward to working with a range of speech and language disorders while promoting equity in health care and education settings.

Graham credits Dr. Michelle Veyvoda, Dr. Amanda Howerton-Fox, and program director Dr. Dorothy Leone for significantly influencing her path towards working with the deaf population.