A Day at the Capitol

Last week, the Communication Sciences and Disorders department took a field trip Jefferson City, MO, where we participated in Legislative Day at the Capitol. I was pretty excited to go- I couldn’t remember the last time I went on a field trip! Legislative Day is sponsored by MSHA (Missouri Speech-Language and Hearing Association) and it’s basically a day for speech pathology students to let their voices be heard.

Leading up to this day, the senior seminar class wrote letters to our representatives, either asking for support of, or discontinued support of, a particular bill. There are many current bills relating to the health care profession, and many of them affect our field or the individuals we will one day serve. The bill that I asked my representative to support was one that called for familial involvement in treatment plans for the elderly. I know I don’t exactly have many years of experience under my belt, but from the observations that I have made, it is plain to see how much family and good social support can help with a healing/treatment process.

Once we arrived at the Capitol, we were allowed to sit in on a Legislative session. We got to see the representatives talk about certain bills and introduce special guests. It was pretty interesting, yet vastly different from what I was expecting! I assumed it would be a very formal process. What I saw, however, was a room full of very relaxed individuals, texting on their phones and chatting to each other. After the session we hand-delivered our letters to the representatives that we wished to address. Unfortunately, mine was out of the office so I wasn’t able to speak with him.

Overall I thought this was a very good experience. It made me realize just how much political advocacy plays a role in the field of speech-language pathology- something that I hadn’t really thought of before. And I must say, the feeling of missing out on classes to go on a field trip wasn’t too shabby either. 

Senior CSD Majors

Switched at Birth

Recently I've been spending my free time catching up on the abc family TV show, "Switched at Birth." This show is about two teenage girls who found out they were (can you guess?) switched at birth, and how their lives continue to change as their families try to grow closer to one another. What I find most interesting about this show, however, is that one of the girls is Deaf. Being a speech-language pathology student, I get so excited when a popular TV show centers itself around a topic that is right up my alley! I've taken a couple sign language courses here at Rockhurst as part of my major, (by an awesome professor I might add- if you ever need to fill an elective, I strongly recommend these classes!) and through learning about the Deaf culture and how they communicate, I've really grown to love it. I see a lot of what I learned in class included in this TV show, and I must admit I'm becoming rather addicted to it! It's really cool to see how the main character signs with her friends at a Deaf school, and the way she handles everyday situations that I take for granted. Also, this show actually takes place in Kansas City! They mention places like Loose Park, Swope Park, the Plaza, and Mission Hills. It feels so weird when I recognize a location that they're at! 

Although I'm not all the way caught up yet, I'm getting closer. If you ever get the chance I recommend watching it. It airs on Tuesdays at 7:00.

http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/switched-at-birth

You Ain't Never Had a Friend Like Me

Of the 22 birthdays that I've experienced, I think I can honestly say that this year has been the best yet. My actual birthday was Monday, February the 6th, but the weekend preceding it was chalk-full of fun, family, and friends. Because there's so much to talk about, I think I'll go with bullet points for this entry.

Friday:
- Attended a movie party featuring the final Harry Potter movie- put on by Rockhurst's Student Activities Board and Campus Ministry. This party was complete with truffles, cupcakes, dip, puppy chow, and of course, butterbeer! 


Saturday:
- Went to City Market in the morning and bought my fruits and veggies for the week
- Got lunch with David and his family
- Went to mass at Visitation- my favorite church in the KC area
- Ate a delicious homemade meal with friends
- Saw Aladdin the musical at the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts! I hadn't been to this theater before, and I have to say that I was very impressed. The architecture on the outside kind of reminded me of the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The inside looked very modern, with curvy walls and really neat seating. The musical was very cute. It was geared towards children, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. My favorite character by far was the Genie- some things never change :)

- Afterwards, we got ice cream at Winsteads

Sunday:
- SLEPT IN!!! WOOHOO
- Got lunch with my parents. It made me so happy that they drove 2 1/2 hours to see me on my birthday! I am so blessed
- Watched the movie, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I thought it was a great movie. I liked how it included a young boy with Asperger's Syndrome, and I thought it was portrayed very well. I recommend it- except be sure to bring tissues!
- Celebrated the Superbowl with my housemates. It was a great time! We had so many delicious foods, and we really enjoyed the commercials!