Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Evans.
Hi Melanie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started the Pediatric Speech Sister brand as a second-year graduate student in 2019. I had no goal in mind – my externship supervisor (turned mentor and friend) insisted that I create a business social media account. I didn’t think much of it except for what my handle should be. She recommended I choose a name that makes it clear what my page is about. So I chose “pediatric” because I wanted to work with the pediatric population at that time (I am currently working with Pre-K through 5th grade students), “Speech” because Speech Pathology is our field, and “Sister” – because I always called my classmates “sister” in graduate school. I was like “the sisterly classmate”. I even got other classmates calling each other sister!
I joined the field as a Broadcast Journalism major. I had dreams of being on television as a journalist (aka “ The Next Oprah”). However, I looked at the scheme as a freshman and quickly realized I had no interest in the classes. Thankfully, the chair of the Communication Sciences and Disorders department at Howard University came to my Freshman Orientation class and talked about the perks of the field. I was sold and immediately declared my minor in Speech-Language Pathology and changed my major to Organizational Communications so I wouldn’t have to start from scratch.
Along the way, I attracted opportunities that allowed me to learn more about/gain interest in the disparities in the education system. I am an alumn of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Walton K-12 Education Reform Program Fellowship Program, where I got to intern at a charter school in the southside of Chicago.
That same year, I joined other HU students on a trip to New Orleans, Louisiana where we volunteered at a Black-owned home school, learning of the educational disparities and prison industrial complex.
From there, I felt confident in my path – I wanted to help close the academic achievement gap and do so through the lens of Speech-Language Pathology.
In 2017, I graduated with my bachelor’s in Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications with a concentration in Organizational Communications. I spent a year working in hospitality and then started my graduate program. Thankfully I was able to gain experience as a speech pathologist assistant during graduate school. I graduated with my Master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders in May 2020.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The short answer – No! I graduated with my master’s at the birth of a global pandemic. I also needed to learn more about the subjects I was focusing on (e.g., multicultural issues in autistic and disabled populations). Also learning how to navigate a new career in the middle of a global pandemic. Navigating the deaths of family members and still attempting to maintain a social life. Learning how to balance work with rest. Learning how to retire the “hustle” mindset and “work with a pace of grace”.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Pediatric Speech Sister brand is designed for speech-language pathologists, educators, and SLPs2Be who are on their journey toward cultural competency. Our ultimate goal is to improve educational outcomes for children of color. With this in mind, the PSS site provides content that allows our audience to provide culturally responsive intervention and instruction. This includes but is not limited to informational webinars, blog posts, research articles, announcements for CEU opportunities, and multicultural books and materials designed for BIPOC children. The PSS site also prides itself on providing evidence-based strategies to serve culturally linguistically diverse children and help close the academic achievement gap.
Mental Health Advocacy for Service Providers: In addition to our mission to help close the academic achievement gap, the Pediatric Speech Sister site emphasizes value on the mental health of speech-language pathologists and educators. We believe mental and spiritual health is necessary for improving the lives of the people we serve and work with. Thus, we provide resources and strategies to help navigate the mental roadblocks of the challenges we face as service providers.
Support for Aspring SLPS: The PSS site is excited to support SLPs2Be as they pursue a career in speech-language pathology. Through graduate school advice, mentorship, and Praxis tutoring opportunities, SLPs2Be can expect to be a part of the community before graduation!
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I, too had a speech-language pathologist. According to my parents, I had a language delay and mainly communicated through grunting sounds. My parents said I did not speak much but was very observant of people and my surroundings. I graduated from speech therapy when I was in 3rd grade, which by that time I was social and made friends easily. My parents described me as a “sweetheart,” and teachers described me as well-mannered. In high school, I earned the “Most Friendly” superlative.
Throughout my life, I stayed active in different organizations and extracurriculars including cheerleading, girl scouts, yearbook, volleyball, and an all-girls organization called “Women Empowered.” I held leadership positions in most of these organizations.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@pediatricspeechsister.com
- Website: pediatricspeechsister.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/pediatricspeechsister
- Facebook: facebook.com/pediatricspeechsister
- Twitter: twitter.com/pedspeechsister
Image Credits
Melanie Evans
