Quince Sholberg graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts. She completed a double major in psychology and linguistics and received a certificate in the linguistics of speech sciences. She has been accepted to the UBC Master of Science program in Speech-Language Pathology for Fall 2020.

What are some of the big takeaway skills that you learned while studying linguistics?

I learned the importance of forming relationships with your professors and peers. Sometimes linguistics can get a little complex, especially when you’re just starting out. It helps to have a support group of people who can help explain concepts you might not understand a second (or maybe even a third) time. It also helps to get to know the linguistics advisor, Rita Parmar! Rita was so helpful during my time at SFU and I definitely recommend visiting her office from time to time.

What attracted you to the SLP field?

In the beginning the SLP field seemed impactful to me because I wanted to advocate for the education of people with disabilities. I’m still very excited by the idea of working with children and adults to help them with their communication and education.

I have had the opportunity to volunteer with stroke and aphasia recovery groups and also children through 1 on 1 sessions. The SLPs I’ve worked with have really helped guide me and provided a great foundation for my career as a clinician. As I’ve continued to work in the field post-grad, I’ve only been more motivated and more excited to become an SLP!

How did you build a strong SLP application?

I applied twice to the SLP program at UBC. I was placed on the waitlist the first time and admitted the second time. I think taking a graduate course in linguistics really helped improve my application. The course I took (LING 810: Topics in Linguistics I) helped give me a more advanced perspective on research in linguistics. It encouraged me to think deeply and I am thankful for this. I also started working full time with adults who have disabilities. I cannot express how valuable this experience has been. It helped me grow as an educator and future clinician and taught me how to work compassionately with people on the autism spectrum.

INFLUENTIAL COURSES

• LING 330: Phonetics

• LING 350: First Language Acquisition

• LING 401: Topics in Phonetics

• LING 415: Neurolinguistics