Pacific University School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

03/04/2026

💛🩶 Boxer Spirit is strong! 🩶💛

During Boxer Giving Day 2026 (March 18–19), we’re raising funds to fully endow the Communication Sciences & Disorders Founders Scholarship at Pacific University. Give early to help us build momentum!

This scholarship supports graduate students in Speech-Language Pathology who embody Pacific’s values, with preference typically given to those entering their second year, when clinical demands intensify, and financial pressures grow.

Our program exists because of the vision and leadership of our founders. We serve our community the way we do today because of that foundation, and this scholarship honors that legacy while investing in the next generation of clinicians.

✨ You can make a difference with a one-time gift or by setting up a monthly contribution for more sustainable giving. Even early gifts are already helping build momentum!

To give:
1️⃣ Visit the Boxer Giving Day website: https://alumni.pacificu.edu/g/boxer-giving-day-2026/
2️⃣ Scroll to “Communication Sciences & Disorders Founders Scholarship.”
3️⃣ Click “Give Now.”

Every gift moves us closer to permanent, sustainable support for our students and the communities they will serve.

05/14/2024

🌷As Spring 2024 comes to a close, our first year graduate students are putting their feeding and dysphagia assessment skills to practice! Students participated in two high fidelity, standardized simulations today.

👶🏽For pediatric feeding, they demonstrated skills such as diapering and swaddling a baby and bottle feeding. Then they worked with a standardized patient who was a mother of an infant with a cleft palate and they provided caregiver education about feeding strategies.

🥤They also were able to practice a bedside clinical swallow evaluation with a standardized patient in an acute care setting.

☀️One more sim day, and then our first years can enjoy a little break!

[ID:]
1: Student helping infant manikin to practice non-nutritive sucking (NNS) with a pacifier.
2: Student bottle feeding infant manikin in a side lying position.
3: Student holding a swaddled baby with a pacifier.
4: Student using pinky finger to help infant manikin practice NNS.
5: Student and her service animal bottle feeding infant manikin in side lying position.
6: Student performing portion of an oral-mechanism exam with standardized patient.
7: Student completing liquid trials with standardized patient using a cup of water and straw.
8-9: Student completing solid trials with standardized patient using applesauce.

05/08/2024

First year CSD graduate students partnered with families and staff at Virginia Garcia Cornelius Wellness Center to run a kinder readiness program with 3-4 year old children! Stations included the Cornelius library bookmobile (bibliobus!) and outdoor games, healthy eating (Tajín for all), hearing screening, check up visit with Dra. Lyn, language stimulation education for kid’s grown ups, and reading/play! It’s safe to say a VERY fun time was had by all! We can’t wait to return next month.

A huge shout out to Virginia Garcia and the care and advocacy they provide to ensure Washington and Yamhill county residents have access to high quality, culturally appropriate healthcare!

[ID:]
1: Pacific CSD students and supervisors, Virgina Garcia Staff, and Cornelius Public library staff smiling in two rows to celebrate a successful morning! Trees and green grass are in the background.

2: The outdoor game set up with beanbag toss, big connect four, and balance-practice stepping stones in the grass with a tree and the bookmobile in the background.

3: Close up of the bookmobile and 2 staff members from the Cornelius library.

4: The inside of the bookmobile with books, dvds.

5: The hearing screening room set up. 2 audiometers sit on a table with chairs around the table.

6: The language enrichment space, where grown ups received information about language development and stimulation at home. There is a table with papers and play doh. A tv is on the wall, chairs are seen around the room; with a stretcher in the background and a large window.

7: Two students model reading a story aloud for the children while asking engaging questions. One book is in Spanish and the other is in English.

8: Left over plates from the healthy eating station with broccoli, carrot, hummus, popcorn, tahini, and Tajín.

05/07/2024

CSD learned SO MUCH from Erin today about the 10 Principles of Disability Justice! Erin is a founder of AIM-4-Access (Accessibility and Inclusion Matter), a cross-disability organization that works toward dismantling ableism and ensuring increased accessibility and inclusion through interdependence. If you don’t already, follow to see their amazing work.

[ID:] Dark grey background with “Thank You!” written in white. A pink and yellow squiggle are in the upper right corner, over a photo of Erin speaking at today’s lunch and learn, with the second principle of disability justice “Leadership of those most impacted” on the screen. Text reads CSD was honored to welcome Erin of Aim4Access back to learn about the 10 Principles of Disability Justice” on a pink background.

05/04/2024

We are looking for experienced supervisors who are interested in an adjunct role with Pacific CSD! We have some wonderful community partnerships and we want to utilize adjunct support for supervision. Some of our sites serve Spanish and English speaking clients, where bilingual supervision would be valued. Follow the link in our bio to apply today - or DM us with questions.

[ID]:
1: White text on a red to purple background that says “Pacific CSD is looking for SLP adjunct supervisors, especially bilingual SLPs (Spanish/English).”
2: White text on a purple background, with information about our community partnerships.

05/03/2024

🌟 Supervisor Spotlight 🌟 CSD is happy to recognize Nga Mead, co-owner and assistant director of Capitol Speech and Rehab in Sacramento, CA! Nga was an excellent supervisor for our student, Kristy, and introduced her to the professional SLP world. She has been a clinical supervisor for over 10 years, and is committed to the development of new professionals! We can’t do our work without people like Nga! Thank you!!!!

[ID]: 4 individuals standing in front of a brick school with a sign “Capitol Elementary.” From left to right, the individuals are a SLPA, Nga, Kristy, and a second SLPA.

04/29/2024

Hope to see you there!

The Indigenous Student Alliance at Pacific and has been active in organizing a variety of events this year. In the fall, they hosted a Native craft workshop. In December, they led an initiative to start planning for construction of a longhouse on Pacific’s Forest Grove Campus. And on May 4 they'll host the inaugural Reconciliation Powwow at the Stoller Center. The event runs from noon to 10 p.m. and is open to the public. Admission is free.

https://www.pacificu.edu/about/media/indigenous-student-alliance-produces-pacifics-first-powwow

04/29/2024

📢 Student Spotlight 📢
CSD is excited to highlight first year grad student, Ariana Pico! Ariana moved to Oregon from Florida and is a great resource for people moving from warmer weather - she can let you know what clothes to bring 😊 In her free time, she enjoys roller skating! So fun! We’re glad you’re here, Ariana!

[ID]:
Pic 1: Meet Ariana Pico with a photo of Ariana at Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell.
Pic 2: Ariana’s description of what she likes about the CSD program.
Pic 3: Ariana’s fun fact.
Pic 4: A picture of Miami, Ariana’s hometown, and a picture of Ariana graduating from Florida International University.
Pic 5: Ariana’s Why SLP story
Pic 6: Ariana’s hobbies, including: hiking, roller skating, watching trash TV, and hanging out with friends.

04/27/2024

Next Saturday, 5/4, is the Inaugural Pacific University Reconciliation Pow Wow. This event will recognize and honor the Native American children who were impacted and harmed by the Forest Grove Indian Training School. The Indigenous Student Alliance is hosting the FREE event in the Stoller Center from 12-10 PM, with grand entrances at 1 PM and 7 PM.

See the link in our bio for more details. Let’s show up and support this important event!

[ID]: Black text stating Every Child Matters on an orange background. The “I” in Child is the outline of a kid wearing a backpack. There are two cream, orange, and red feathers in the background.

04/25/2024

Congratulations to our very own Hilary Long!!!

🎉👏 Congratulations to the winners of the OSHA Job Fair raffle! 🎉👏

🌟 Hilary Long is the lucky recipient of a registration to this year's ASHA conference, while Katrina Gunderson scored a registration to our very own OSHA conference. 🌟

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the 2nd Annual Job Fair! Your engagement and enthusiasm make events like these truly special. 🙌 We're excited to see you at the conferences!

04/24/2024

A MILLION THANK YOUS TO ASH AND KATIE ON ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY! The School of CSD couldn’t function without these two wonderful humans! They are truly the glue that keeps us all together. We appreciate ALL of the work you do that is both seen, and behind the scenes!!! If you have worked with Katie and Ash in the past or present, please take this moment to share your gratitude!

Image Description: Ash (L) and Katie (R) standing and smiling holding flower bouquets on a Polaroid graphic. Text reads Thank you, Administrative Professionals Day, 4/24/2024. There is a heart graphic in the top right corner.