Career Shift Success

Career Shift Success: CSD Student Finds Community at Longwood

After more than a decade as a healthcare sociolinguist and researcher, Kathryn Ticknor started to wonder about the possibility of switching fields. With a Google search, she discovered Longwood University’s SLP Online pathway offering speech-language pathology prerequisite courses. From there she made a pivot that has opened up a new and exciting career path, leading straight to a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at Longwood.

“After the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt a call to serve patients more directly at the point of care, without sacrificing my love of language and communication,” Ticknor said.

With Longwood’s asynchronous, fully online leveling coursework, Ticknor prepared for a graduate program in communication sciences and disorders while still working from home in Richmond. 

“I had such a positive experience with SLP Online that I ultimately decided to apply to Longwood’s full-time program in Farmville!” 

As a career switcher — a nontraditional student — Ticknor has found Longwood to be a welcoming and supportive community. She appreciates her instructors’ professional experience, the small class sizes, and the emphasis on both theory and practical experience. During the first year’s on-campus, face-to-face format, she lived in Farmville during the week with three other students, returning home to Richmond on the weekends.

“Becoming close with my cohort has been one of the best surprises and gifts of attending Longwood,” she said. “I wasn’t sure how I would integrate being a career changer and older than most of my cohort — but they embraced me, made me feel like a part of the community, and I know I have forged lifelong friendships.” 

Another highlight for Ticknor has been Longwood’s Speech Hearing and Learning Services (SHLS) clinic, a state-of-the-art facility located on campus that houses a feeding lab, telepractice suite, therapy and observation rooms, and more.

“Not all programs have on-site clinics!” she said. “SHLS allows us to jump right into our clinical experience in a familiar and supportive environment.”

These hands-on clinical experiences have given Ticknor opportunities to develop skills needed in both the medical and educational fields by working  directly with adults and children. This year, alongside Dr. Christine Eubanks, she served clients with hearing aids and cochlear implants in her role as audiology graduate assistant, participating in a hearing loss support group and stroke support group. As part of the autism diagnostics team led by SLP Online Coordinator and Clinical Educator Mrs. Stephanie Bailey, Ticknor also administered the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) assessment. 

“I did not have much experience working with individuals with autism prior to joining the ADOS-2 team,” she said. “Now this client population is one of my favorites! These experiences have reminded me of the importance of meeting clients where they are, leaving my own assumptions at the door, and honoring all forms of communication.”

In the fall of 2024, Ticknor will begin her externship at Veterans Affairs (VA), her number one choice. She anticipates earning her Master of Science in communication sciences and disorders in 2025 and recommends Longwood’s CSD program to all prospective students, whether they are just starting out or career changers like her. 

“The supportive faculty, the rich clinical experiences, and the close collaboration within the cohort make it a clear choice!”