D’Youville SLP

05/11/2026

Dr. McCarthy, Director of Clinical Education, recently recorded an episode of the ‘Swallow Your Pride’ podcast with 3 of her brilliant colleagues from universities around the country, on why they all chose to pursue their Clinical Doctorate degree in Speech Pathology. Take a listen and Enjoy!! 😉

https://swallowyourpridepodcast.com/397-slp-to-slpd-what-the-clinical-doctorate-actually-looks-like-from-the-inside/

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05/08/2026

And finally, on this Fabulous Friday...with only ONE day to go until we graduate our very 1st cohort, we celebrate...Jordan Barber!!

1. Clinical Placement(s) / Area(s) of Interest:

School setting (expressive and receptive language and AAC are my favorite goal areas to work on)

2. Favorite Clinical Memory:

Rather than a single moment, what stands out most from my clinical placements is the relationships I’ve built with my clients. Previous supervisors have told me that when I was out sick or after my semester ended, the kids asked about me and expressed that they missed me. Hearing that reinforces how meaningful it is to be a consistent, safe, and supportive presence in a child’s life.

3. What inspired you to become an SLP?

I have always known that I wanted to be in a helping profession, specifically working with children. I wasn’t interested in being a classroom teacher, so I looked into other careers in the school setting and found Speech-Language Pathology, and the rest is history!

4. One skill you’re most proud of developing:

I am most proud of my time working in the medical setting at the VA hospital and applying knowledge from my dysphagia coursework to develop skills in working with adult dysphagia patients. This placement really pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but I feel like I grew the most as a clinician.

5. Future Plans:

I have accepted a position at Letchworth Central School District. I will be working with students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

6. Advice for incoming SLP students:

My advice for incoming SLP students is to hold onto the reason that you chose this career. It’s easy to lose sight of your purpose amid the demands of classes and assignments, but remembering your “why” will carry you through.

7. Fun Fact About You:

My family owns a small farm! We raise rabbits, chickens, ducks, and goats, and we also make maple syrup - roughly 3,000 gallons per year!

8. Favorite Quote or Words to Live By:

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

9. Contact Email and/or Social Media Handle:

Instagram:

05/07/2026

On this Thrilling Thursday, and with only 2 days left until we graduate our VERY 1st COHORT, we celebrate....Wynni Benson!!

1. Clinical Placement(s) / Area(s) of Interest:

Buffalo Hearing and Speech – Oral Deaf School and Outpatient Clinic, Erie County Arc, Buffalo Public School 54, McGuire Group: Harris Hill and Northgate Healthcare Facilities. My areas of interest are cognitive/communication therapy, dysphagia, and pragmatics therapy.

2. Favorite Clinical Memory:

Being able to build meaningful personal relationships with patients at the skilled nursing facility (SNF) and being able to upgrade their diets to regular solids and liquids after being on an altered diet!

3. What inspired you to become an SLP?

I actually went to speech therapy as a child. I reflected on how my SLPs helped me immensely and I wanted to do the same thing as them and help people find or regain their voice!

4. One skill you’re most proud of developing:

My ability to work with adults and speak confidently about speech-language pathology and advocate for the profession.

5. Future Plans:

I love working with both pediatrics and adults, but currently, I want my CF to be in a skilled nursing facility!

6. Advice for incoming SLP students:

Remember to prioritize your mental health! Graduate school is hard, but you have to make the best of it.

7. Fun Fact About You:

After I graduate with my Master’s degree, I will have three degrees! I have a Bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and another Bachelor's degree in Philosophy.

8. Contact Email and/or Social Media Handle:

IG .wolf

05/06/2026

On this wonderful Wednesday, our next Graduate student we want to celebrate is...Chloe Carr!

1. Clinical Placement(s) / Area(s) of Interest:�

Pediatrics, school based

2. Favorite Clinical Memory:

Helping children build confidence in the speech room and watching them take that confidence outside in their natural environment. One of my favorite owned items is now a booklet made up of pictures and thank you sentences from a past clinical placement by the children I treated in a school setting :).�

3. What inspired you to become an SLP?

The complexities of communication is what inspired me to become an SLP. I love saying that my passion is helping children find a voice and the confidence to use it effectively and successfully.

4. One skill you’re most proud of developing:

The ability to pivot and think on my toes when in a session, and knowing what activities can be individualized to each client I work with.

5. Future Plans:

To complete my Clinical Fellowship at Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center and work with children in that setting or in schools.�

6. Advice for incoming SLP students:

Please build relationships with the people in your cohort! They will be the best pillars of support for you, and nobody knows what you’re going through while in graduate school better than somebody going through the same exact thing!

7. Fun Fact About You:

I taught myself braille as a kid :) I love finding different modes of communication.

8. Favorite Quote or Words to Live By:

“I have always tried to be, I always try to be.” - Hanya Yanagihara

9. Contact Email and/or Social Media Handle:

instagram: chloeccarr

linkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-carr-8a1b501b9/

email: [email protected]

05/05/2026

Our next Graduate that we are excited to celebrate is...Samantha Colburn!

1. Clinical Placement(s) / Area(s) of Interest:

Pediatrics with a special interest in motor speech disorders

2. Favorite Clinical Memory:

I’ll always remember my last day at my elementary school placement, when my students put together a book with notes about how I had helped them. That experience was incredibly meaningful and marked a turning point for me, as I truly recognized the impact I was making in my clients’ lives.

3. What inspired you to become an SLP?

I worked as a daycare teacher, where I had the opportunity to observe several Speech-Language Pathologists in practice. During this time, I collaborated with an SLP to support a child in my classroom who had recently been diagnosed with autism. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding that communication extends beyond spoken language and can take many different forms.

4. One skill you’re most proud of developing:

I am most proud of developing my professional voice. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, one of our most critical responsibilities is to advocate for the needs of our clients. Throughout my clinical experiences, I have grown in confidence and learned to step outside of my comfort zone to effectively speak up and ensure my clients receive the support and services they need.

5. Advice for incoming SLP students:

My advice is to hold onto the moments that remind you why you chose this field. Progress can feel slow at times, but the impact you have is meaningful and often more significant than you realize in the moment. Those small, meaningful interactions and breakthroughs will stay with you and help carry you through the more challenging days.

6. Fun Fact About You:

In undergrad, I spent a semester studying psychology abroad in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Sam Colburn

05/04/2026

The D'Youville University Speech-Language Pathology program is proud to graduate its very 1st cohort of students this week! To celebrate and honor this significant achievement, we are going to highlight one of our Graduates every day this week.

First up...Noel Maciolek!

1. Clinical Placement(s) / Area(s) of Interest:

Pediatrics, medical SLP

2. Favorite Clinical Memory:

My favorite clinical memory from the program was sharing a positive update during an IEP meeting for one of my school-aged students. Being able to highlight their progress and see the team’s reaction was so rewarding.

3. What inspired you to become an SLP?

I was inspired to become an SLP because of my strong interest in child development, education, and psychology. I’ve always been interested in how children learn, communicate, and interact with others, and speech-language pathology felt like the perfect way to combine those areas.

4. One skill you’re most proud of developing:

My ability to effectively implement AAC strategies within natural, play-based contexts. I’ve learned how to model language, use intentional pauses, and create opportunities for communication in a way that still feels meaningful and engaging for the child.

5. Future Plans:

My plan is to complete my Clinical Fellowship in a setting where I can keep learning and building my skills with good mentorship. I’ve really enjoyed both my pediatric and medical placements, so I’m still figuring out which direction I want to go.

6. Advice for incoming SLP students:

Trust that there’s a place for you in this field, exactly as you are! The field of speech pathology needs different perspectives, including neurodivergent clinicians, because they bring so much insight and understanding to the people we work with.

7. Fun Fact About You:

I previously worked at my local YMCA which I credit with helping me build essential skills like behavior management, communication, and working with children from a wide range of backgrounds.

8. Contact Email and/or Social Media Handle:

Instagram: noel.maciolek

03/03/2026

TODAY WAS THE 2nd ANNUAL DYU IRON CHEF COMPETITION!!

Students from the SLP and Nutrition & Dietetics programs joined forces today for a friendly competition that allowed them to apply their knowledge of the IDDSI standardized diet framework in a fun and functional way!

There were 4 teams preparing meal items for 4 different IDDSI levels:
Level 4 Purees
Level 5 Minced & Moist
Level 6 Soft & Bite Sized
Level 7 Easy to Chew

Our students then presented their dishes, along with a description of the dish and texture level to our esteemed judges: Dean Whalen, the VP of DYU Institutional Advancement Britt Davis and his entire team.

The students have been looking forward to this event all semester and had a blast learning in this innovative and interprofessional activity!

03/03/2026

One of the great things about our program is all of the practical, hands on experience that our students get with clinical tasks that they will soon be expected to perform. Recently in our SLP 601 Dysphagia course, the students practiced completing oral mech exams on one another before they go to Buffalo General Hospital to complete one with an actual patient. And this week, the students were able to practice using a disposable FEES scope on a mannequin head to simulate how they would pass a scope on a patient. Some of our students even were brave enough to be scoped themselves!! We LOVE to learn at D’Youville!! ❤️🖤❤️🖤

02/20/2026

02/20/2026

As part of our SLP 601 Dysphagia class, students are asked to create a social media slideshow that educates the community about areas of interest with regards to feeding and swallowing disorders. For our 1st presentation, summarized an article about one of the most recommended compensatory strategies, the chin down/tuck position, and the benefits & pitfalls of recommending this strategy.

Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anl.2021.02.008
Miyamoto, T., Kumai, Y., Matsubara, K., Kodama, N., Satoh, C., & Orita, Y. (2021). Different types of dysphagia alleviated by the Chin-down position. Auris Nasus Larynx, 48(5), 928-933.

01/17/2026

Last week, Dr. Brzykcy, Director of Clinical Education for the DYU OT program and Dr. McCarthy, Director of Clinical Education for the DYU SLP program were invited to speak to the UB Dental School of Medicine. The topic was “An Interprofessional Perspective on Concerns for Older Adults and Oral Care”.

The lecture was engaging, informative and well received by the UB Dental students!

Thank you for inviting us!!